ISB Culture of Care: Keeping Children Safe

Keeping Children Safe

In 2001, a group of humanitarian relief and development charities together introduced a set of international child safeguarding standards, to be monitored and verified by experts in the field. The result was Keeping Children Safe, an organization whose recommended protections and procedures have the single goal of ensuring that kids around the world are kept safe from harm and abuse.

Keeping Children Safe was conceived in response to dangerous conditions in some of the less developed parts of the world, but has since adapted its methods to help protect children everywhere. Its guidelines quickly became a model for schools and other institutions around the world, although endorsement by the organization requires meeting very high standards.

One of the first schools certified in Thailand

In 2016, International School Bangkok (ISB) became one of the first schools in Thailand to receive official accreditation by Keeping Children Safe. Its Level 1 Certification indicates that schools have the proper child safeguarding framework in place to protect children from harm and, should a concern be raised, the school is able to respond appropriately. “The overriding principle is always to do what is in the best interest of the child,” as shared on the Keeping Children Safe website.

At ISB, we believe that the safety of the children under our care represents the single highest priority at the school. We manage our own in-house security team comprising 54 guards, a Security Manager, an Assistant Security Manager, a Security Technician, and a Campus Monitor. The team is responsible for 24 hours/7 days–a–week security patrols and access control of the main campus, faculty housing, and our Environmental Wilderness Campus (EWC) in Petchaburi. We also have a dedicated Director of Risk Management and we conduct thorough screening and background checks during the hiring process for all ISB staff and associates.

ISB Culture of Care

Complementing these measures is a school culture that seeks to continually build and reinforce a safe, harmonious community atmosphere. We also incorporate an emphasis on care, respect, and a nurturing environment at the heart of our school mission and values. These elements combine to create a school-wide Culture of Care which gives students emotional support and social reassurance so that they feel welcome and safe each and every day.

ISB’s dedication to student care and safety is at the heart of its decision to welcome the Keeping Children Safe team back to its campus in 2019, for a renewal of its accreditation. The process involves working directly with a mentor at the organization, providing risk-assessment evaluations, undergoing an extensive audit and review process, and making any recommended improvements after evaluation.

Keeping Children Safe now positively impacts the lives of over 134 million children worldwide, and its programs have helped more than 4,000 organizations around the world implement effective international standards to safeguard children.

International schools are a special focus of the organization, as it works toward a better and safer future for the young generation. We at ISB applaud the efforts and global impact of Keeping Children Safe, who help to keep children safe from harm and abuse around the world and fully align with its goals of making child safety the top priority.