Child Protection

TIS Policy Framework
for Child Protection

TIS Position Statementon Child Protection
All students at Tsukuba International School have the right to be safe from abuse andneglect. This right exists in the home, in their daily lives, while at school and while on
any school-related activity. All school staff have a contractual obligation and duty to
defend and uphold this right.
The purpose of this policy is to outline a safeguarding framework to protect students
from all forms of abuse and neglect, both in and outside of school. This policy
endorses the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which Japan is a signatory,
and is in accordance with Japanese Law.

Rationale of Child Protection
Child abuse and neglect are a worldwide concern. Abuse and neglect are a violationof a child’s rights and are obstacles to healthy physical and mental development.
Schools play an important institutional role in society as protectors of children. The
characteristics of international schools, in particular, mean that students may be at
greater risk and school staff must be extra vigilant for signs of abuse and neglect.
These characteristics include language difficulties, lack of local knowledge,
differences in parenting and attitudes to gender and sexuality, the small size ofinternational school communities, transient students and staff and lack of extended
family support.

Definitions Related to Child Protection
Abuse is defined as a stronger/more powerful individual engaging in a pattern of
behaviour in order to make personal gain at the expense of a weaker/less powerfulperson. Abuse may be physical, emotional, sexual or a combination of these. Neglectis also a specific type of abuse.
Physical abuse involves causing intentional physical harm to a child. (This could
also indicate harm to self).
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child so as to cause
severe and adverse effects on a child’s emotional development.
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities,
whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical or physiologicalneeds, likely to result in serious impairment of the child’s health or development.
Child is used in this document to refer to anyone who is under the care of the school,or who used to be under the care of the school, until two years after that student’s
cohort has graduated. Synonyms of child, such as student, youth, or young people are
deemed to have the same definition as child.

School-based Child Protection TeamThe school maintains a school-based child protection team for issues relating to childprotection.
Child Protection Officer: Shaney Crawford
Child Protection Support Officer: Ian Woollard
Child Protection Team Members: Joanne Handa, Akane Kono, Naoko Saito

Responsibilities Related
to Child Protection
Child Protection Officer
Managing school systems
Oversee the implementation of schoolwide safeguarding policies and procedures,
including annual review of the Child Protection policy
ReportingConfidentially document suspicion and disclosures and retain records
Report all cases of suspected abuse to the city child guidance center
Support staff to whom a disclosure has been made
Report all child protection incidents to the Board
SupportSupport victims of child abuse and neglect, affected members of the victim’s family
and other members of the school community, which may include non-victimized
students, parents, and staff
Create an environment where students and staff can share concerns and young
people are reassured of school’s support
Networks
Create and manage a local support network, including connections with local
authorities, the local child guidance center, law enforcement, social workers,
trauma trained psychologists or counselors, and healthcare providers
Professional development

Keep up-to-date with developments in Child Protection through involvement inongoing professional development and reading
Create and/or actively participate in a local or regional child protection network for
professional support and sharing of resourcesChild Protection Support Officer
Managing school systems
Lead the implementation of school-wide safeguarding policies and procedures,
including annual review of the Child Protection policy
ReportingSupport the CPO in documenting suspicion and disclosures and retaining records
Support the CPO in reporting all cases of suspected abuse to the city childguidance center
Support staff to whom a disclosure has been madeStaff training and awareness
Raise awareness of child protection and inappropriate behaviors by training
teaching and non-teaching staff and the wider community of parents and students
Provide regular whole staff training in recognizing symptoms of abuse and how tohandle a disclosure
SupportSupport victims of child abuse and neglect, affected members of the victim’s family
and other members of the school community, which may include non-victimized
students, parents, and staff
Create an environment where students and staff can share concerns and young
people are reassured of school’s support
CurriculumLead the implementation of a schoolwide child protection curriculum
Networks
Support the CPO in creating and managing a local support network, including
connections with local authorities, the local child guidance center, law
enforcement, social workers, trauma trained psychologists or counselors, andhealthcare providers
Professional development
Keep up-to-date with developments in Child Protection through involvement inongoing professional development and reading
Create and/or actively participate in a local or regional child protection network for
professional support and sharing of resources

The Board
Oversight of school systems
Provide governance, oversight, and resources ensuring that the school handles
child protection cases effectively, compassionately, and in accordance withestablished policies and laws.
Investigation and reporting
All child protection cases shall be reported by the Child Protection Officer to theBoard of Deans.
In the case of child protection cases where a member of staff has been alleged ofbreaking the child protection code of conduct, the Board shall identify a Board
member to represent the Board in matters related to the case, includingorganisation of any staff hearings that may be required.
Professional Development
All members of the Board of Deans will complete Child Protection training

Child Protection andProfessional Development
The school supports the professional development of all staff members regardingchild protection in the following ways:
An annual child protection briefing is attended by all staff at the beginning of theschool year to review the child protection policy and revisit key skills including how
to receive a disclosure, how to report, and how to identify warning signs
Posters in both staff rooms provide guidance on identifying signs of abuse andneglect, handling a disclosure and the reporting protocol
All new staff complete child protection training provided by Darkness to Light
which includes a 2 hour online course “Stewards of Children” (completed in theirfirst year at the school) and a number of additional modules (completed over theirfirst three years at school) (available in English only)
All auxiliary and non-English speaking staff complete a shorter course provided byChildSafeguarding.com (available in a number of languages, including Japanese).
This is valid for 2 years.
Staff who have previously completed all the Darkness to Light modules complete
the ChildSafeguarding.com course as a regular refresher every 2 years.

Resource Implications ofChild Protection Policy
The school shall ensure that enough resources are allocated to ensure the successful
implementation of this policy. This may include, but is not limited to:Staff training and professional development resources
Materials for parent education
Curriculum materials for students
Release time and teaching cover for faculty and staff related to the their role aspart of the SBCPT or CMT

Sources Consulted for theChild Protection Policy
Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) Child Protection Handbook,
2014
Nagoya International School (NIS) Child Safety Policy (Draft), 2015
The American School in Japan (ASIJ) Student Protection Handbook, 2015

TIS Community Policies
on Child Protection

Framework of Child Protection
TIS shall implement the following steps to support the objectives of this policy.
The school shall implement safe recruitment and screening practices as the firstand most effective means of preventing child abuse on campus. Where an
employee or volunteer at the school is employed in a role which may involve directcontact with, and/or the potential for unmonitored access to children, thoroughreference and background checks will be required as outlined in the school Hiring
Policy.
All staff and volunteers who represent the school and employees who arecontracted by external service providers (e.g. bus company employees) must
adhere to a code of conduct.
Student education: the curriculum and pastoral programme shall support students
in developing healthy independence and teach them how to respond when facing
behaviours which are (or which may potentially lead to) unhealthy relationships.
The school shall create a culture in which students are encouraged to reportsuspected abuse and feel safe to do so.
Staff training: The school is committed to ensuring that all faculty and staff receive
on-going child protection training in order to better meet their obligation to protect
students from abuse. Training opportunities may include in-house training,
consultants on-site, workshops and professional development opportunities atother international schools in Japan, individuals sent abroad or internet based
training modules.
Board oversight: The Board's role in Child Protection is to provide governance,oversight, and resources ensuring that the school handles cases effectively,
compassionately, and in accordance with established policies and laws. The Board
does not manage day-to-day operations concerning individual cases.
Mandated reporting: All members of the school community are required to reportconcerns regarding child protection. All staff at TIS are mandated to report signs ofabuse as a contractual obligation.

Disclosures from Students
Regarding Child Protection
In many cases, abuse or neglect is discovered via child self-reporting. Adults working
with children must understand how to respond appropriately to disclosures fromstudents.
When listening to a disclosure, adults should:
Make sure the student is aware that you will need to tell someone else to get help
Remain calm
Reassure the student that you believe what they are saying
Try not to register strong emotions such as disgust or alarm
Make a record of what was said as soon as possible using simple objective
language and including:time, day of the week, date, and location of the disclosure/discovery;
identity of child and alleged perpetrator;
details of the demeanour and behaviour;
who it was reported to;
the name of the person making the report.
Contact the Child Protection Officer or another member of the SBCPT immediately
In addition, do not:Let a student swear you to secrecy before telling you something you may need toreport (which the student will view as breaking trust).
Lead the student in telling. Just listen, letting him/her explain in his/her own
words.
Pressure for a great amount of detail.
Make judgmental or disparaging comments about the abuser. It is often someone
the student loves or with whom he/she is close.
Make promises to the student that things will get better.
Confront the abuser directly yourself.

Disclosures Regarding
Use of Physical Discipline
The school has a policy of resolutely not supporting or condoning the use of physicaldiscipline, either at home or at school.
Reports of the use of physical discipline at home are often made directly to teachers
by students, either in general conversation or in reference to specific incidents.
Alternatively a report may come from another student or a concerned adult. In suchcases, parents will be asked to attend a meeting at school to discuss the report and, if
necessary, to consider alternative ways of responding to their child’s behaviour. In thecase where reports of the use of physical discipline at home continue with no change,
parents may be asked to attend a parenting course (where available).
Physical discipline which results in visible marks and/or bruises is considered childabuse under Japanese law, and as such, all cases will be reported to Child Protection
Services immediately by the Child Protection Officer.
All reports regarding use of physical discipline by a member of staff will be
investigated by the Principal with support from the school leadership team. Where astaff member is found to have used physical discipline against a student this will beconsidered a breach of the staff code of conduct and appropriate action will be taken
including suspension and possible termination of employment.

Mandated Reportingof Suspected Abuse
All members of the TIS community must remain alert for the signs of abuse andneglect. All students, parents, teachers, and staff and alumni are required to reportconcerns, disclosures, incidents of abuse and suspected abuse without delay to theChild Protection Officer, or, where the Child Protection Officer is not available, toanother member of the School-Based Child Protection Team (SBCPT).
Where an employee is implicated, the report should be made directly to the Principal.
A report does not assume ‘guilt’, rather the report should be made in good faith where
there are reasonable grounds for concern such to the extent that the situation is
worthy of further investigation.
The term reasonable grounds for concern includes, but is not limited to, evidence
such as:Explicit reference to abuse verbally or in writing (e.g. the student reports that theyor their friend is a victim of abuse)
Implicit reference to abuse verbally or in writing (e.g. artwork, poetry)
Signs of physical abuse (frequent/repeated unexplained marks, bruises, etc.)
Erratic and/or unhealthy behavioural patterns (overly familiar or excessively
nervous around adults, excessive risk taking, excessively introverted,
tardy/attendance problems, excessive tiredness, self-harming, etc.)
Age-inappropriate behaviours (e.g. sexually explicit behaviours)
Concerning behaviour by adults including:Ignoring, disregarding or exercising poor judgement with regards to policies andguidance on safe practices (Code of Conduct, Touch policy, Intimate Carepolicy)Actions which may be seen as ‘grooming’ behaviour
Lack of understanding or poor judgement about personal and professionalboundaries

Acting irresponsibly or questionably in a way which any reasonable person
would find alarming given the nature of the work
Exploiting or abusing a position of power (e.g. in order to spend time withchildren alone)(A more comprehensive list of signs of abuse is given in the appendix to this policy)
In consultation with the SBCPT and the school leadership team (SLT), the Child
Protection Officer may choose to convene an ad-hoc Case Management Team (CMT)
to carry out further investigation. The purpose of this investigation is to determine
what next steps are required.

Concerns requiring immediatecontact with Child Protection Services
In the following cases the Child Protection Officer will make an immediate report toChild Protection Services at the local city office where the student is resident, atTsukuba City Hall, and/or at the main Tsuchiura child services office:
Where abuse has been directly witnessed and reported by another adult or child
Explicit reference to abuse, verbally or in writing (e.g. a student reports that they ortheir friend is a victim of abuse)
Signs of physical or sexual abuse (frequent/repeated unexplained marks, bruises,
soreness around genitals, etc.)

Code of Conduct Related
to Child Protection
No one associated with Tsukuba International School may engage in any activity
constituting abuse.
All faculty, staff, employees, volunteers, and visitors who interact with children or
young people in both a direct and/or unsupervised capacity are required to adhere to
this code of conduct.
This Code of Conduct applies to all past schools, workplaces and settings. Any
individual who has contravened this Code of Conduct whilst working in a previous
setting will not be eligible to work at Tsukuba International School. If pasttransgressions come to light during the course of an individual's employment at
Tsukuba International School, these will become the subject of investigation by theschool and may result in dismissal.
Teaching faculty and staff should consider this code of conduct as an extension of theduties and obligations outlined in the Staff Handbook.
Child is used in this Code of Conduct to refer to anyone who is under the care of theschool, or who used to be under the care of the school, until two years after thatstudent’s cohort has graduated. Synonyms of child, such as student, youth, or young
people are deemed to have the same definition as child.
Faculty, staff, employees, volunteers, and visitors must:
At all times, be aware of the responsibilities that accompany our work.
Provide a safe environment for children and youth whilst at school.
Be aware of our own and other persons’ vulnerability, especially when working
alone with children and youth.
Be responsible for maintaining physical, emotional, and sexual boundaries in suchinteractions.
Avoid any covert or overt sexual behaviors with those for whom we have
responsibility. This includes seductive speech or gestures as well as physicalcontact that exploits, abuses, or harasses.
Report any behaviour by a student that could indicate infatuation toward an adultassociated with the schoolShow prudent discretion before touching or making physical contact with anotherperson, especially children and youth, and be aware of how physical touch will beperceived or received.
Avoid any communication, conduct or physical contact with another person,
especially children and youth, which could lead any reasonable person to question
the motivation or intention of the act.
Ensure that one-to-one meetings with students are held in a public area, whereanother staff member is present, or in a room where the interaction can beobserved. Where this is not possible another staff member or supervisor should be
notified about the meeting. Adults and students should be positioned in such a
way that the adult does not block the exit to the room.
Ensure that doors and windows are kept free of obstructions or coverings thatwould obscure the view into the room.
Intervene when there is evidence of, or there is reasonable cause to suspect, thatchildren are being abused in any way.
Report suspected abuse or neglect as described in the Child Protection Policy ofthe school.
Refrain from the illegal possession and/or illegal use of drugs at all times, and fromthe use of tobacco products, alcohol and/or drugs when working with students.
Never provide to students alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, videos, or reading material
that is inappropriate for young people.
Not accept gifts from, or give gifts to, students that might lead any reasonable
person to question the relationship between the giver and receiver, or the intent
behind the gift. Ensure that parents are notified when a gift is given or received (e.g.
by writing a thank you note) and that all gift giving and receiving occurs in atransparent and open manner.
Not loan or give money to students.
Not store any photographs of children on private devices, such as on a
private/non-school computer or personal cell phone, which could lead any
reasonable person to question the use of such photos. If photographs are taken on
a private device (e.g. a teacher’s phone) for school use, in principle, they should be
uploaded as soon as possible and then deleted from the device.

Not share photographs of individual children or groups of children on any personalsocial media accounts or internet forum without first obtaining permission fromboth the school and the child’s parents.
Not take photographs of children in a state of undress, including photographs ofchildren in their underwear or swimwear, for any purpose, including for the purposeof reporting to parents.
Ensure that communication with students is governed by the key safety concept oftransparency, that is to say that the content of the communication is not secret,with the assumption that it could be read by a parent or supervisor without raisinga cause for concern.
Ensure that any email exchanges with students and parents are made using an
official school email address (ending in @tis.ac.jp).
Ensure that the relevant IB coordinator is cc’d on any email exchanges withstudents. In the case of a coordinator emailing a student, the coordinator will cc
the homeroom teacher, or the principal.
Not add as a contact, 'friend', or follow students or parents on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, LinkedIn, or other social media accounts, unless:
The student sending such a request is over 20 years of age and no longer
enrolled as a student at the school.
The parent sending such a request no longer has a child currently enrolled at
the school.
The Principal, as the public head of the school, is considered as having a partial
exception to this rule. In the role of promoting and supporting the school and theschool community, the Principal may accept ‘friend’ or contact requests fromparents of currently enrolled students.
Ensure that any form of online communication including email, social media(Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and text messaging to communicate with students relates
only to activities involving school business.
Understand that the computer and email accounts that are issued to members of
the school community are the property of the school, and can therefore be seized
and searched at any time.
I, __________________________________(PRINT NAME), agree to conduct myself
according to the above code of conduct at all times while I am under the employmentof, or have any other contract or agreement with, Tsukuba International School.

I understand that should I contravene any part of this code of conduct, or should itcome to light that I have contravened this code of conduct at a previous school,
workplace or setting, I may be dismissed immediately from my position, and further
action may be taken, as necessary.
Furthermore, I understand that Tsukuba International School is committed to theprotection of all students, children and youth, whether at Tsukuba International Schoolor elsewhere, and that any behaviour by myself in either my personal or professional
life, past or present, which suggests I am not of suitable character to work withchildren and youth, may result in dismissal.
Signed __________________________

Staff Code of Conduct Related
to Child Protection (in Japanese)
つくばインターナショナルスクールに関わる者は、虐待をはじめ児童生徒の権利を侵害し得るいかなる行為にも関与してはならない。
当校の児童生徒や教育活動に関わる教職員、被雇用者、ボランティア、訪問者など全ての成人は、職務に直接的に関係する場面でも、職務上の指示や監督を受けない場面でも、当校の教職員の一員として本行動規範を遵守することが求められる。
本行動規範は、当校における雇用期間以外にも過去に携わった全ての学校、職場、環境などでの行動に関しても適用される。過去の勤務先で本行動規範に違反した者は、当校に勤務することは認められない。当校での雇用期間中に本行動規範への過去の違反が明らかになった場合、当校による調査の対象となり、解雇される可能性がある。
教職員は、本行動規範を「教職員の手びき(Staff Handbook)」に記載されている義務や責任と同様に考える必要がある。 本行動規範において「児童生徒」とは、当校に在籍している者、またはかつて当校に在籍していた者で、その児童生徒の在籍学年の卒業から２年後までを指す場合に用いられる。
子ども、青少年、若者などの同義語は、児童生徒と同じ定義を持つものとみなす。
教職員、被雇用者、ボランティア、訪問者など全ての成人は、以下の事項を遵守しなければならない。
職務に伴う責任を常に意識しなければならない。
学校内外において児童生徒に安全な環境を提供しなければならない。
特に、他に人がいない場所で、自分一人が児童生徒と接する際には、自身および児童生徒の肉
体面や精神面の弱さやもろさを意識しなければならない。
そのような場面では、肉体面、感情面および性的側面における境界線を越えてはならないということに責任を持たなければならない。
我々が責任を負っている児童生徒との間では公然非公然に関わらずいかなる性的行為も避けなければならない。これには児童生徒を自己のために利用したり、虐待したり、または困惑させたりする
ような肉体的接触はもちろん、性的に誘惑する言葉やしぐさなども含む。
当校に関わる成人に対し、児童生徒が恋愛感情の兆候を示す行動があった場合には、速やかに報告する。
児童生徒に触れたり、肉体的に接触する際には、行動する前に慎重に分別をわきまえ、肉体的接触が相手にどのように受け取られ感じられ、また理解されるかということを意識しなければならない。

第三者から見て、その行為の動機または意図に疑問を持たれかねないような、児童生徒とのコミュ
ニケーション、行為または肉体的接触は全て避けなければならない。
児童生徒との一対一の面談は開かれた場所で行うことを保証すること。開かれた場所とは、他の教職員が立ち会ったりその場にいたりするか、またはその場のやり取りが見える場所のことである。この条件が満たせない場合には、他の教職員または監督者に当該の面談について事前に通知しなければならない。また、面談時の教職員と生徒の位置関係は、教職員がその部屋の出口をふさぐことのないように配置されなければならない。
ドアや窓に覆いをしたり、付近に障害物となるような物を設置したりして、その部屋の中の見通しを妨げることが無いようにしなければならない。
児童生徒が虐待されているという証拠または疑うべき正当な根拠がある場合には、いかなる方法であれ介入しなければならない。
当校の「児童生徒の保護に関する行動規範」に規定された虐待または育児放棄などの疑いがある
場合には、報告しなければならない。
薬物の違法な所持および使用を常に避けなければならない。また児童生徒と接している際には、タバコ製品、アルコール飲料または薬物の使用を控えなければならない。
アルコール飲料、薬物、タバコ製品、不適切なビデオまたは読物を児童生徒に与えてはならない。
贈り手と受け手の関係やその贈り物に隠された意図について、他者に疑問を生じさせ得るような贈り物を児童生徒から受け取ったり、また児童生徒に与えたりしてはならない。贈り物を与える場合、または受け取る場合には、それを保護者に通知（例えば礼状を書くなど）しなければならない。また、あらゆる贈り物は、透明性や公然性のある方法で授受されなければならない。
児童生徒に金銭を貸したり与えたりしてはならない。
児童生徒とのコミュニケーションには、透明性が安全を守る何より重要な概念であること、言い換え
れば、児童生徒とのやり取りの内容が秘密ではなく、保護者または監督者が心配したり不安にな
ったりしないことを保障しなければならない。
第三者が不審に思う可能性があるような児童や生徒の写真を、学校以外の私的なコンピュータや携帯電話などの個人の機器に保存してはならない。もし学校で使用するための写真が個人の機器で撮影された場合は(例えば教員の携帯電話など)、原則として早急に学校が規定する媒体にアップロードした上で、個人の機器から消去しなければならない。

学校および児童生徒の保護者からの許可を得ずに、個人のソーシャルメディアアカウントまたはインターネット上において、児童生徒の個人およびグループの写真を共有してはならない。
保護者への報告など目的も含め、いかなる目的であっても、下着姿や水着姿など衣服を身に着けていない状態の児童生徒の写真を撮影しない。
児童生徒とのコミュニケーションは、その内容を秘密裏にせず、保護者や監督者が知っても心配や疑問が生じないことを前提とし、透明性という重要な安全上の概念に基づいて行う。

児童生徒および保護者とのEメールのやり取りは全て、学校用Eメールアドレス(@tis.ac.jpで終わるもの)を使用してやり取りされなければならない。

児童生徒とのEメールのやり取りは、全て、カーボンコピー(cc)を用いて、関連するIBコーディネーターにも同時に送信しなければならない。IBコーディネーターが児童生徒とEメールのやり取りをする場合には、カーボンコピー(cc)を用いて、担任教師や学校長にも同時に送信しなければならない。

フェイスブック、ツイッター、インスタグラム、リンクトイン、その他のソーシャルメディアにおいて、以下の場
合を除き、児童生徒や保護者を「友人」または連絡先として追加してはならない。
リクエストしてきた生徒が20歳以上であり、もはや当校には在籍していない
リクエストしてきた保護者には、現在当校に在籍している子どもが一人もいない
学校の公的な立場にある校長は、本規則には例外的であるとみなす。すなわち、学校および学校団体の促進や支援の役割において、校長は現在学校に在籍している児童生徒の保護者からの「友人」や連絡先のリクエストを容認することができる。

Eメール、ソーシャルメディア(フェイスブック、ツイッターなど)、文字メッセージを含む全ての形式のオンラインによる児童生徒とのコミュニケーションは、学校業務に関連する活動に限定されなければならない。

当校の教職員に配布されたコンピューターやEメールのアカウントは学校に所有権があり、いつでも押収および捜索が可能であることを理解しなければならない。

私、__________________________________は、つくばインターナショナルスクールに雇用されている
間、もしくはつくばインターナショナルスクールと契約および合意がある間、常に上記行動規範に従って自らを律することに同意する。 私は、本行動規範のいずれかの箇所に抵触した場合、または以前の学校、職場、環境においてこの行動規範に違反したことが判明した場合には、自らの職を直ちに解雇され得る、または必要に応じてそれ以上の処置が取られることを理解している。
さらに、つくばインターナショナルスクールは、学校内外を問わず全ての児童生徒、子ども、および青少年の権利保護に尽力しており、過去や現在の私生活または職業生活における、子どもや青少年と関わるのに不適切な人格を示唆するいかなる行動があっても、解雇される可能性があることを理解している。
署名__________________________

本誓約書の英語版と日本語版に相違がある場合は、英語版が優先されるものとする。

Where there is a discrepancy between the English and Japanese versions of thispledge, the English version is deemed to take precedence.

Allegations Against Faculty andStaff Regarding Child Protection
Allegations against current or former faculty and staff should be made directly to the
Principal.
In the case that, following an external investigation or school-based inquiry as
described below, a current employee of the school is found to have engaged in any
behaviour which breaks the staff code of conduct outlined in this policy and/or isdeemed to be unsuitable to work with children, he/she shall have his/her contract
terminated immediately.
In the case that volunteers, service providers or other non-contracted parties arefound to have engaged in any form of abuse against children, they shall no longer bepermitted to provide services to the school or be permitted on school property.

Historical allegations against former faculty
In the case of an allegation made against former faculty who are no longer employedat the school, the school shall attempt to complete an investigation to the best of its
ability. Where an allegation indicates criminal activity, a report will be made to relevant
law enforcement.
After completing the investigation, the school shall attempt to share the results, to theextent possible under local privacy, slander and defamation laws, with the employee's
current and all former employers where the employee may have interacted withchildren. The school will seek guidance from school lawyers and advisors on thispoint.

Responding to Allegations
Against Faculty and Staff
Regarding Child Protection
An allegation against a current or former member of staff may come to light in a
number of ways:
a written statement from the victim or another member of the school community(including students, alumni, current and former staff, or parents), that describes or
implies inappropriate behaviour by an adult – these can come to light in a numberof ways, including in correspondence with the school or others, in responses toalumni questionnaires, and in general statements posted on social media;
a verbal or non-verbal (such as through play) disclosure or partial disclosure fromthe victim or another member of the school community (including students,
alumni, current and former staff, or parents);
the monitoring of staff and student information services or social media use;from a member of the public, police, health, or another external agency informing
the school; ora legal claim.

Summary of the School Response
The following steps outline the school response to an allegation of abuse against amember of staff:
1. SBCPT receives the allegation
2. Immediate actions are considered including:
1. Contacting legal advisers and external agencies for advice and support
2. Further evaluation of the allegation (if necessary)
3. A report to Child Protection Services and/or police
4. Steps required to ensure that evidence is secured (e.g. securing digital
evidence)
5. Immediate support needs for the victim and the victim’s family

6. Assessing and managing continued risk to children (other students, siblings,etc.) and the potential that there will be other victims
7. Organization of a Case Management Team (CMT)
3. An incident file is created to record all information regarding the case including theinitial report, conversations with external agencies and advisers, and the decision
making process
4. The alleged perpetrator is notified and put on paid suspension whilst all
investigations and inquiries are completed
1. In the event that the alleged perpetrator attempts to resign he/she will not be
permitted to do so
2. In the event that the alleged perpetrator leaves the school, the school willcontinue to carry out a school-based inquiry and to work closely with external
agencies
5. An interview with the alleged perpetrator may be carried out at this stage,
following advice from external agencies and experts (It may not be possible tointerview the alleged perpetrator if an external investigation is in process)6. A Safety Plan is developed to identify and plan for the short-, medium- and longterm support needs of the victim and the victim’s family
7. In the case that an external agency (e.g. Police, Child Protection Services) carries
out an official investigation:
1. Cooperate with the investigation by the external agency
2. Continue to support the victim and the victim’s family
8. In the case that the school refers to an external agency but that the agency does
not investigate further:
1. Follow advice from the agency
2. Consider whether to carry out a school-based inquiry to evaluate the suitabilityof the member of staff to work with children
9. In the case that an external agency (e.g. Police, Child Protection Services) carries
out an official investigation which results in no prosecution (where the case is nottaken to court) or no conviction (where the case is taken to court and lost):
1. Carry out a school-based inquiry to evaluate the suitability of the member ofstaff to work with children
10. Following the results of investigation by external agencies and/or evaluation byschool-based inquiry, the employee to be reinstated and reintegrated, or to bepermanently removed from work
11. Child protection systems review and debriefing
School-Based Inquiry In the following cases the school shall carry out a school-based
inquiry to determine if a member of staff is suitable to work with children.
External agencies do not choose to carry out an official investigation, but the school
still has reasonable grounds for concern
External agencies carry out an investigation which does not lead to a prosecution
External agencies carry out an investigation which leads to prosecution which
results in a verdict of not-guilty
The goal of the school-based inquiry is to consider a wide-range of factors andevidence to determine if a member of staff is suitable to work with children. It is not acriminal investigation and it is not the aim of the inquiry to find the member of staff
guilty or not-guilty for a particular crime.
Specific expertise is needed to carry out an inquiry into child abuse and as such theschool will appoint a qualified external expert to advise on and/or carry out theinquiry.
As part of the school-based inquiry the alleged perpetrator may be asked tocomplete a psychological examination or interview. The questions for the interview
will be set by a qualified forensic psychologist to ensure the validity of the process. Allinterviews as part of the school-based inquiry will be recorded and the sole copy ofthe video/audio recording shall be kept by the school. A written copy of the interview
will also be kept.

Data Protection andPrivacy in Child Protection
In responding to child protection cases the school holds responsibility for protecting
the privacy of:
The victim of abuse and the victim’s family members
Anyone who has made a report
The alleged perpetrator
In order to provide adequate support for individuals and families, information
regarding individual cases may be shared with other school staff internally, as needed.
In addition, individual case information may be shared with the following external
individuals or agencies:
Child Services (Tsukuba City Hall, Tsuchiura Child Services Division)
Law enforcement (Police)
Medical professionals
Legal professionals
External consultants
Information will only be shared where absolutely necessary and anonymity will beprotected to the extent possible.
Detailed information about individual cases will not be shared with the general schoolcommunity.
Records of individual cases shall be kept until 3 years following graduation (where thevictim is a current or previous student), or 7 years following the most recent casereport, whichever is the longest period.
All records are kept in the student file, staff file, or online in a dedicated limited-access
Drive.

Limitations to SchoolBased Investigations
In order to protect the rights of all the individuals involved in a child-protection case,there are limits to the extent to which school may carry out an investigation.
School-based investigation shall be limited to the following:
Interviews with the victim and immediate family members
Interviews with relevant school-staff
Interviews with the alleged perpetrator (if a member of school-staff)
The school shall NOT carry out investigation or interviews with the wider community,or with friends, neighbours or other individuals with a connection to the victim or
alleged perpetrator, in order to protect both from defamation of character or otherharassment.
Physical Examination
Where a physical examination is required to determine the extent of abuse, school
shall not engage in any investigation which requires removal of clothing. Where aphysical examination is required, school shall contact Child Services (児童相談室) for
assistance.

TIS Community Policies on
Touch and Physical Contact

TIS Position Statement
Touch and Physical Contact
Some use of touch and physical contact is a necessary part of working with children
and young people. Touch and physical contact may be needed for a variety of reasons
including caring for students, giving comfort, reassurance or encouragement, andprotecting students who may be in danger.
School staff must be sensitive to how touch can be interpreted and maintainprofessional boundaries when it comes to touch or physical contact with students.
Staff should never use touch or physical contact with students to meet their own
emotional needs.
Touch or physical contact between individuals must be discretionary, careful,consensual, respectful, age appropriate, gender appropriate and considerate ofothers who may be in the area.

Aims and Rationale for
Touch and Physical Contact
Aims
To safeguard the rights and promote the welfare of children.
To ensure all members of the school community have a common understanding ofwhat constitutes appropriate and inappropriate touch in the school setting
To ensure all members of the school community understand when and how
physical restraint may be used

Rationale
Whilst some touch and physical contact is necessary as part of working with children
and young people, teachers and other school staff must be clear about what
constitutes appropriate and inappropriate touch in the school setting. As such thefollowing policy supports teachers in safe use of touch and physical contact.

Definition of Touchand Physical Contact
Personal touch: Touch or physical contact used by an individual which meets apersonal need, such as a need for emotional comfort or connection. Members ofschool staff should never use touch or physical contact to meet their own personalneeds.
Professional touch: Touch or physical contact used by a person in a professional role(such as a teacher or other member of school staff) in order to fulfil the needs of theirrole and meet their duty of care.
Intrusive touch: Touch or physical contact which enters a child or young person’s
physical space without their permission, constricts, smothers or dominates the child insome way, is against the child or young person’s wishes, makes the child or young
person feel uncomfortable or distressed, and/or touch and physical contact with thechild or young person’s private parts.
Non-intrusive touch: Touch or physical contact which minimizes intrusion into a childor young person’s personal space (such as a ‘high-five’ or hand over the upper back)and which is given with the child or young person’s permission.
Non-intrusive touch: Touch or physical contact which minimizes intrusion into a childor young person’s personal space (such as a ‘high-five’ or hand over the upper back)and which is given with the child or young person’s permission.

Touch and physical contact
in the school setting

Types of appropriate touch andphysical contact in the school setting
At times, staff will be required to give practical assistance to a child or young person
who is hurt or needs particular assistance or encouragement.
Examples of appropriate physical contact are:administration of first aid
supporting children and young people who have hurt themselves
assisting with the toileting and personal care needs of a young child
non-intrusive gestures to comfort a child or young person who is experiencing
grief, loss or distress, such as a hand on the upper arm or upper backnon-intrusive touch (eg congratulating a child or young person by shaking hands ora pat on the upper arm or back). Staff should remember the importance ofaccompanying such touch with positive and encouraging words.
Examples of inappropriate physical contact:
Making physical contact with a child or young person (eg pushing, grabbing,
poking, pulling, blocking) in order to ensure they comply with directions.
Holding a preschool-age child against their will (eg on their laps, between theirlegs or on the floor) to ensure attention at group time.
Use of any type of touch or physical contact with a child or young person to meetan adult’s personal need for comfort or connection
Use of intrusive touch or physical contact with a child or young person to show
affection (eg picking a small child up, kissing a child on the cheek, hugging a
student around the waist or from the front)
Use of any kind of touch or physical contact to show favouritism for a particular
student
Arm wrestling and other physical contact sports between a student and a memberof staff

Best practice for touchand physical contact
Seek permission from the student to make physical contact, eg first aid, a minimalgesture of comfort, etc.
In accordance with the Child Protection Policy, avoid being with a child or young
person in a one-to-one, out of sight situation, and never touch a child or young
person in such a situation.
Do not presume that physical contact is acceptable to a particular child or young
person. Even non-intrusive touch may be inappropriate if a child or young person
indicates he/she does not wish to be touched.
Be aware of the student’s cultural and religious background and how this may
affect their understanding and interpretation of touch and physical contact
Respect and respond to signs that a child or young person is uncomfortable withtouch.
Use verbal and/or visual directions rather than touch (eg ask a child or young
person to move in a particular way, rather than physically place the child or young
person in the required position).
Use the above approach for demonstrations in dance, sport, music and drama.
Where touch is essential for safety reasons (eg with aquatic or gymnastic
instruction), always tell the child or young person that you need to hold him/her ina particular way and seek his/her permission to do so.
In some circumstances, staff may need to discourage younger children frominappropriate expectations of hugs or cuddles. This should be done gently andwithout embarrassment or offence to the child (e.g. Accept a hug briefly then pull
gently away and offer a replacement gesture such as a ‘high five’).

Additional best practicewith Preschool students
Staff working with preschool children are often involved in responding to toilet
accidents, changing clothes and comforting children for a range of distresses which
are normal in the preschool age group.
In providing such care, staff should be aware of the following good practice:
When children indicate they want comfort, ensure that it is provided in a public
setting and that it is in keeping with the guidelines outlined here and in the Child
Protection Policy
Signs of discomfort in children such as stiffening, pulling away or walking away
must be respected. In these situations the child must continue to be observed/
monitored until his/her distress is managed.
Be aware that a young child may not be able to communicate verbally that they areuncomfortable with touch
Children must not be left in states of high distress for long periods. In the situation
where school staff are unable to settle the child, the child’s parents should becontacted
Staff should follow the guidelines outlined in the school Intimate Care Policy for
responding to toilet accidents and other personal care needs

Managing Extreme Behaviour

Non-physical intervention
Non-physical intervention is the recognised means of managing extreme behaviour ofchildren and young people at Tsukuba International School. Where a problem with achild or young person’s behaviour becomes apparent, non-physical interventions
include:directing other children and young people to move away from the situation (forexample, leaving a child who may be a danger to other children in the classroom
and asking the other children in the class to leave)
talking with the individual child or young person (asking the child or young person
to stop the behaviour, and telling the child or young person what will happen if
he/she does not stop)
directing the child or young person to a safe place
directing other children and young people to a safe place
sending for assistance from other staff, parents or in extreme cases, the police.

Physical restraint where student
or adult safety is threatenedUse of verbal directions is always preferred to physical intervention.
In some extreme situations a teacher or other member of staff may be required tophysically restrain a student in order to ensure the safety of the student concerned,
other students and adults.
Physical restraint should be used only as a last resort when the following criteria haveall been met:
A student or adult’s safety is clearly threatened
All non-physical interventions have been tried or are not possible in the situation
The student is attacking another student or adult
The student is posing an immediate danger to themselves or others
Physical restraint should never be used as a response to:property destruction
disruption to the education or care activity
refusal to comply
verbal threatsleaving a classroom
a need by the adult to maintain good order
Where physical restraint is required the restraint must be:reasonable in the particular circumstances and in proportion to the circumstancesof the incident
use the minimum force needed to achieve the desired result
take into account the age, stature, disability, understanding and gender of thestudent

Advice for teachers/members of staff responding to
extreme behaviour with physical restraint
Use conversation/negotiation to minimise or de-escalate aggression (eg take-up
time, provision of a calm spot).
Continue talking with the child or young person throughout the incident. Make
clear that physical restraint will stop when it ceases to be necessary to protect thechild or young person or others.
Grip clothing rather than the body, whenever possible.
Document incidents promptly using the incident reporting form on the School
Portal and notify a member of the school leadership team immediately describing
the situation
Inform parents promptly (within 24 hours) and fully of any incident involving thephysical restraint of their child and provide them with the opportunity to discuss
the matter at the time they are informed.
Never use physical restraint that involves:
force applied to the head, neck, chest or genital area
restrictions to breathing
punching
kicking
holding by the hair or ear
confining a child or young person in a locked room or limited spaceplacing Preschool students in ‘time out’ or ‘time away’.

Support for Staff
All staff who are involved in incidents which required the use of physical restraint will
be provided/offered confidential counselling support.

Child Protection, Touchand Physical Contact
Some use of touch and physical contact is a necessary part of working with children
and young people.
However, in accordance with this policy, all staff should be vigilant for where
touch/physical contact or physical restraint has been used inappropriately by ateacher or other member of staff. In accordance with the school Child Protection
policy and Code of Conduct, all such concerns should be reported to the school Child
Protection Officer.
In the following cases, the Child Protection Officer should be told immediately:
A member of staff intentionally or accidentally hurts a student as a result of
inappropriate physical contact or use of physical restraint
A pattern appears in which a member of staff is routinely using physical restraint as
part of his/her classroom management strategies
A pattern appears in which a member of staff’s use of touch/physical contact
continues to be inappropriate, despite reminders

Touch and Physical Contact
and the Curriculum
All staff must be role models for the children and young people in our community.
This means acting in such a way that reinforces the key messages:
All children and young people have rights, this includes the right to say who isallowed to touch his/her body and to say when a touch is unwanted.
Any use of touch or physical contact with another person must be consensual.
Touch and physical contact should be sensitive to the age, gender, cultural andreligious background of the people involved.
The school programmes support this message through:
PYP Personal Safety Curriculum
MYP Health CurriculumSources Consulted for
Touch And Physical Contact
The following sources were consulted for this policy.
Protective practices for staff in their interactions with children and young people :guidelines for staff working or volunteering in education and care settings /Department for Education and Child Development, Catholic Education South
Australia, Association of Independent Schools of South Australia, (2017) Government ofSouth Australia, Department for Education and Child Development (Creative
Commons)

TIS Community Policies
on Intimate Care

TIS Position Statement
on Intimate CareAll students have the right to be safe, to be treated with dignity and respect, and tohave their personal privacy respected. The student’s welfare is of paramountimportance, and his/her experience of intimate care should be a positive one. It isessential that every student is treated as an individual and empowered to express
their views on their own intimate care and to have such views taken into account.
Where intimate care or support with toileting is given, it must always be given gently
and sensitively, with utmost care: no student should be attended to in a way thatcauses emotional or physical distress or pain.

Aims and Rationale for Intimate Care
Rationale
At times, some students, especially those in the younger grades, may need to begiven intimate care or support with toileting. This is a normal part of growing up for
most children.
This policy is designed to promote good practice and identify key protocols related to
intimate care and toileting in order to safeguard children and practitioners; they apply
to everyone involved with the intimate care of children.
Staff should be aware that some adults may use intimate care as an opportunity toabuse children. It is important to bear in mind that some care tasks can be open to
misinterpretation. Adhering to the school child protection policy should safeguard
both children and practitioners.

Aims
To safeguard the rights and promote the welfare of children
To provide guidance and reassurance to staff whose role includes intimate care
To assure parents that staff are knowledgeable about intimate care and that theirindividual concerns are taken into account.

Definition of Intimate Care
Intimate care refers to any care task which is of an intimate nature, associated withbodily functions, bodily products and personal hygiene, and which requires apractitioner to have direct or indirect contact with, or requires exposure of, the child’s
sexual parts.
Examples of intimate care tasks specifically include:
dressing and undressing which involves removal of the child’s underwear
helping a child use a potty or toilet
cleaning / wiping / washing intimate parts of the body.

Toilet Training
Due to the limitations of the school setting, TIS is unable to accept students who are
not fully toilet trained, as outlined in the school admissions policy.
For a child to be fully toilet-trained they should:
Recognise the feelings that signal that they need to use the toilet
Independently go, or ask to go, to the toilet
Confidently go to the toilet by himself/herself Use a regular size toilet without
support, both at home and outside of his/her own house
Pull his/her underwear and trousers down/up independently
Wipe his/her bottom independently
Flush the toilet independently
Wash his/her hands independently
Where accidents do happen at school, teachers will work with parents/carers to try tounderstand the reasons why, and if possible, find workable solutions which allow thechild to remain in school.
Reasons could include:
The student has been fully toilet trained but regressed for a little while due to theexcitement and stress of starting at school
The student is fully toilet trained at home but has accidents at school, or vice versa(for example, due to an unusual environment, lack of familiarity, changes to routine,
etc.)
The student is nearly there but needs some reminders and encouragement
The student is not toilet trained
The student is fully toilet trained but has a disability or learning difficulty whichmakes getting to the toilet difficult, or which requires additional intimate care
The student has developmental delays affecting toileting
The student has a special educational need or disability and might require help
with some or all aspects of personal care.

In the event that difficulties with toilet training persist or the child is unable to manage
going to the toilet by themselves, the school may make the decision that TIS is not asuitable place for the child at the current time and his/her place at the school will bewithdrawn.

Framework for Intimate Care
Adults who assist pupils with intimate care must be employees of the school, notstudents or volunteers, and are therefore subject to background checks andadherence to the school code of conduct for employees, as written in the schoolChild Protection policy
All staff who provide intimate care should be given full training and should feel
comfortable with the task. Staff should be aware of best practice regarding
infection control, including the requirement to wear disposable gloves and aprons
where appropriate.
When intimate care is being given, all children have the right to dignity and privacy.
Children should be appropriately covered where possible, the door should beclosed (or screens/curtains put in place), other children should not be present andthe number of adults should be reduced.
In line with the school Child Protection policy, it is strongly recommended that two
staff members are present any time intimate care is given. This is to protect bothstudent and staff member.
On the very rare occasion it is not possible for two staff members to be present, thestaff member providing intimate care should ensure that another staff member has
been notified that they will be providing care in a 1:1 situation and that this isproperly recorded.
Staff must be aware of the personal history of the students in their care, especiallywhere this includes any historical concerns (such as past abuse) which could affectthe child’s experience of intimate care
An accurate record should be kept using the online reporting form of when a childrequires assistance with intimate care; this can be brief but should, as a minimum,
include full date, times and any comments such as changes in the child’s
behaviour. It should be clear who was present in every case.
The child should be encouraged to express choice and to communicate with staff
about their care, taking into account the child’s level of maturity. It is the
responsibility of all staff caring for a child to ensure that they are aware of thechild’s method and level of communication. Communication could include, but is
not limited to, the use of words, signs, symbols, body movements, and eye
pointing.
Staff who provide intimate care should speak to the student personally by name,explain what they are doing and communicate in a way that reflects their age andlevel of maturity, using the correct names for body parts.
Parents/carers must be informed the same day if their child has needed help withmeeting intimate care needs (e.g. has had an ‘accident’ and wet or soiled
him/herself). Information on intimate care should be treated as confidential andcommunicated whenever possible in person, by email or telephone.
The religious views, beliefs and cultural values of children and their families should
be taken into account, particularly as they might affect certain practices ordetermine the gender of the carer.
No member of staff will carry a mobile phone, camera or similar device whilst
providing intimate care.

Health and Safety for Intimate Care
When administering intimate care, staff should ensure that:
Fresh disposable aprons and gloves are used while changing a child and disposedof appropriately in the designated bin.
Spare changing supplies including aprons, gloves, wipes, and masks are available
in the designated changing area.
Soiled/Wet clothes are securely wrapped in a plastic bag and sent home. It is the
responsibility of the parent to rinse and clean soiled/wet clothes.
Wipes/Toilet Tissues are disposed of appropriately by flushing down the toilet(flushable) or sealing in a plastic bag and disposing in the designated bin (nonflushable)
Cleaning supplies are provided and the toilet/changing area is left clean
Adults and children wash hands thoroughly with soap and hot water (whereavailable)

Child Protection and Intimate Care
Intimate care may involve touching the private parts of a child’s body and therefore
could leave children at risk of abuse. It is unrealistic to eliminate all risk but thisvulnerability places an important responsibility on staff to act in accordance withthe school Child Protection policy and Code of Conduct, and to be extra vigilant.
Staff should be alert for members of staff who show patterns of behaviour which
could be a cause for concern, including demonstrating an unusual interest inproviding intimate care and appearing to look for excuses to change children in a
1:1 situation.
If the child appears distressed or uncomfortable when intimate care tasks arebeing carried out, the care should stop immediately. Staff should try to ascertain
why the child is distressed and provide assurance.
If a child repeatedly becomes distressed about being cared for in school, thisshould be discussed with parents/carers to find a solution.
Where a child becomes distressed about being cared for by a particular memberof staff, this should be reported to the Child Protection Officer for further
investigation.
In the following cases, the Child Protection Officer should be told immediately:
A member of staff accidentally hurts a child whilst giving intimate care
The child seems bruised, sore or unusually tender in the genital area
The child appears to become sexually aroused whilst receiving intimate care
The child misunderstands or misinterprets something that has been said or doneby the adult providing care
The child has a very emotional reaction without apparent cause (sudden crying or
shouting).
A full-report will be made and kept on-record. This is for the protection of both thechild and the member of staff.

Sources Consulted for Intimate Care
Intimate Care and Toileting policy guidance 2014-15 (2014) Early Years andChildCare Service, Surrey County Council, England
Intimate Care of Children, Child Matters, www.childmatters.org.nz
http://www.childmatters.org.nz/252/child-protection-policy/section-3-safe-workingpractices/intimate-care-of-children (Accessed 2018-01-09)
Example Policies which were consulted:
Intimate Care Policy, Darwen Aldridge Community Academy (2016)

TIS Community Policies on Bullying

TIS Position Statement on Bullying
All students have the right to a safe learning environment free from harassment andbullying.
In line with our school mission, all students at TIS have the right to feel valued in anenvironment where individual differences are appreciated, accepted and celebrated.
Bullying behavior is a violation of these rights. Bullying not only violates the victims’rights, but is also detrimental to the culture of the learning community, to the students
who learn bullying behaviors, and to those who witness it.
Bullying negatively impacts the whole school community and atmosphere of learning.

Aims and Rationale for Bullying Policy
Creating a school environment free from bullying is fundamental to ensuring all
students have a positive experience of school.
The aims of this policy are:To create a safe and caring learning environment
To promote a strong sense of self-worth, knowing that every individual is valued
and respected
To clarify for all members of the community that bullying is not acceptable andmust be actively discouraged
To take a proactive approach to bullying
To develop an awareness in the whole school community that everyone has a roleto play in both preventing and responding to bullying
To provide support for perpetrators and victims of bullying
To promote a common understanding of restorative solutions

Definition of Bullying
Bullying is any behavior, targeted at a specific individual, that makes the victim feel
uncomfortable or threatened, and involves physical and/or emotional hurt. Bullying
behavior is usually characterized by:
An imbalance of power: Individuals who bully use their power, such as physicalstrength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity, to control or harm
others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if
they involve the same people.
Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once, or have the potential tohappen more than once.
Bullying can be intentional, or unintentional, and can be perpetrated by individuals
who the victim would regard as a friend, as well as by those outside of their socialgroup. Bullying within friendship groups can be particularly difficult to identify.
All bullying behavior involves complex social dynamics and requires careful nuanced
solutions in order to support the victim, the perpetrator(s), and other community
members.

Use of person-centered language
when discussing bullying
Throughout this policy we have attempted to use person-centered language when
discussing bullying.
Traditionally the word “bully” might be used to refer to an individual who engages inbullying behavior. In this document we have chosen to use the term “person who
engages in bullying behavior” or a similar phrase. The term “perpetrator” is also used
as a short form for “perpetrator of bullying”. This terminology has been deliberately
used to emphasize that individuals who engage in bullying behavior should not be
defined by that behavior. Any balanced approach to bullying will also recognise theirunique situation, characteristics, strengths and vulnerabilities.
The term “victim” is occasionally used as a short form for “victim of bullying” and issynonymous with “an individual who has been the recipient of bullying behavior”. Weshould be careful with using the term “victim” too freely in our work with students as it
can imply helplessness and may impact a child’s self-image.

Types of Bullying
Types of bullying include:
Physical - for example, hitting, kicking, pushing, taking / hiding belongings
Verbal - for example, name calling, teasing, insulting, rumors, gossip
Non-verbal - for example, staring, laughing, excluding, silent treatment, gestures,
notes
Cyberbullying - for example, emails, interactive game abuse, websites, blogs
Combinations - for example, extortion, framing, intimidation, racism, sexual
harassment

Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is the intentional or repeated use of an electronic device or platform toharass or harm another person. Examples of cyberbullying could include:
Sending aggressive or hurtful texts or IMs to someone
Using someone’s cell phone to impersonate themHacking into someone’s gaming or social networking profile
Being rude or mean to someone in an online game
Spreading secrets or rumors about people online
Pretending to be someone else to spread hurtful messages online
Posting of another’s personal information or photo without prior permission of theindividual on social networks such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, etc.
Digitally altering and sharing photos of someone without their permission

Signs of Bullying
Bullying often occurs where there is reduced direct supervision from teachers andother adult supervisors. Areas of high risk include bathrooms, on the playing fields
during recess, in hallways during class transitions, and on the way to and from school.
As bullying is often hidden, teachers should be alert to signs that bullying may beoccuring. Any of the following could be signs of bullying:frequent visits to the nurse
low self esteem
increased absences
clinging to adults
decreased appetite
suicidal ideation or behavior
headaches / stomach aches
requests for money
being shy / withdrawn
bruises
nervousness / anxiety
damage to property / missing items
school work suffers / grades go down
isolation from others
decreased concentration
acting out
depression / crying
reluctance to leave classroomchanges in friendships
changes in behavior

Roles and Responsibilities for Bullying

Students
Bystanders play a very important role in preventing bullying. School programmes
should support and empower students to stand up for others when they are not being
treated respectfully.
All students should:
be aware of and support the bullying policy
be a positive role model by respecting and valuing others
report any bullying that they see, including any behavior that might be a concern
report if they are bullied themselves, including any behavior that is experienced as
threatening or uncomfortable
stand up for victims of bullying
not support or go along with bullying behavior
Students may not always be able to judge if a behavior is bullying or not. However, thestudent does not need to make this judgment before reporting. It is important thatstudents report any behavior that causes them concern, or is experienced as
threatening or uncomfortable.

Parents
All parents should:
be aware of and support the bullying policy
be a positive role model by modeling and encouraging respect for others
listen to their child and take their feelings seriously
watch for early warning signs
inform the homeroom teacher of any incidents or concerns
avoid taking issues into their own hands, for example, by directly contacting otherparents or confronting students personallyteach their children to interact and solve problems positively
when their child is the victim, reassure their child that telling is okay, bullying is notokay and that it is not their fault
when their child has engaged in bullying behavior, recognize the seriousness of theissue and support the school in finding a resolution to the issue
Bullying can be experienced as a highly emotional issue for parents - both for parentsof the victim and for parents of the child who has been engaging in bullying behavior.
This is especially true if parents have been a past victim of bullying themselves.
It is important that parents understand their responsibility as adults in our community
to protect both their child and the other children involved, including the child who has
engaged in bullying behavior.
Bullying is a complex situation that requires nuanced solutions which support thegrowth and development of both parties.
Explicitly, parents should not , through gossip or any other means, engage in or seek
to personally punish, demonize, shame or embarrass a child who has engaged inbullying behavior, or take any other action which could damage the child’s sense of
self-worth.

Teachers
Teachers should be vigilant for, and respond quickly to, signs and reports of bullying.
Cases of bullying should be addressed by the homeroom teacher, in coordination withthe relevant programme coordinator.
All teachers should:
be aware of and support the bullying policyrole model caring, respectful and tolerant behavior
listen to students and act on reported incidents
offer the victim immediate support
address all incidents no matter how small they seem
raise awareness through the curriculum / class circles / homeroom time
be vigilant in classes, but also on recess duty and around the school
watch for early warning signs, including being alert for abusive or bullying
language in languages other than English
keep a record of observations in the school information systemcommunicate with homeroom teachers and the programme coordinatorSchool Administration
Programme coordinators, in consultation with the Principal, are responsible forcoordinating with homeroom teachers in order to respond to reported cases ofbullying in the relevant programme (PYP, MYP, DP).
All school administrators should:
be a positive role model by treating all members of the school community withrespect
work to create a caring school atmosphereclearly communicate the bullying policy to all members of the school community
communicate with parents regarding specific instances of bullying
ensure the bullying policy is implemented
support teachers in dealing with bullying issues
carry out prompt investigations and resolutions to bullying incidents
provide support and strategies for both victims and bullies
fairly and consistently apply consequences when necessary
inform parents when children are involved in bullying incidents
document all incidents of bullyingFramework for thePrevention of Bullying
The school shall implement the following steps to support the objectives of thispolicy:ensure the policy is shared with all members of the community and is revisited
regularly
post key parts of the policy, including the definition of, types of, and signs ofbullying, and how to report suspected cases, around the school as a reminder to allcommunity members
ensure all adults role-model respectful behavior in order to create and maintain acaring and compassionate learning environment
engage parents and raise understanding of bullying through schoolcommunications and, where possible, offer parents workshops related to bullying
and cyberbullying
ensure staff are trained in recognising and responding to bullying, either throughinternal training, or, where possible, making use of outside speakers
create supportive classroom environments conducive to discussing sensitive
issues by, for example, implementing class circle/advisory time, and providing
opportunities for reporting issues in class such as postboxes and/or personal
journal writing time
address bullying explicitly in the curriculumBullying in the Curriculum
The school shall take steps to address bullying explicitly in the curriculum.
Possible topics include:
understanding the school policy on bullying
defining bullying / types of bullying
how bullying impacts people - victims, individuals who bully, bystanders, whole
schoolwhat to do about bullying / where to go for helprole plays / drama
literature studies about bullying
relationship skills
assertive communication
self-esteem building
anger management
conflict resolution
peer pressure
decision making

Procedures for Responding to Bullying
Teachers may become aware of a case or a potential case of bullying in a number ofways. This includes teacher observations, a report from a parent or other community
member, a report directly from a student who believes they may be a victim ofbullying, and/or a report from a concerned bystander or peer.
Once a concern has been raised, the case will be investigated thoroughly by taking
the following steps:
1. The teacher raising the concern or who has received a report will take quick action
to talk to the relevant programme coordinator about the case. The programme
coordinator will notify the Principal.
2. If the concern was raised by a parent, they will be invited to school to discuss theconcern further.
3. All individual parties will be interviewed, including peers and other bystanders, inorder to get a clearer understanding of the situation.
4. Where it is considered safe, both parties will be brought together to discuss thebullying behavior and propose solutions.
5. Students who have engaged in bullying behavior will be asked to complete a
behavior reflection including how they will work towards improving their behavior.
6. Parents of all parties involved will be notified of the completion of the investigationand offered a follow-up meeting.
7. Consequences will be given if necessary, considering the age and maturity of thechild, and the unique characteristics of each case.
8. Counseling services will be made available to all parties involved, including
students, parents and staff members.
It is the responsibility of the homeroom teacher, coordinator and counselor to maintainaccurate records of all reports of bullying and any follow up discussions or interviews.

Consequences for Bullying
Each case of bullying will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, however it should bereiterated that bullying of any kind will not be tolerated at Tsukuba International
School, and in each case the message to students engaged in bullying behavior willbe that this behavior is not acceptable and it must stop.
When determining the severity of the bullying committed and the appropriate level of
response, the school will consider the level of hurt to the victim, the age anddevelopmental maturity of the student engaged in bullying behavior, and any
previous history of bullying incidents.
Punitive consequences alone are unlikely to affect positive change in the behavior of
the perpetrator or help restore the relationship between the parties involved.
Therefore, a first course of action should always be to assess whether a restorative
process could be beneficial. Restorative processes could include:
Provision of counseling to help perpetrators of bullying take ownership of theiractions, recognise where the bullying behavior is coming from, and identify
supports which they may need to develop healthier relationships
Provision of counseling to the victim of bullying behavior to help them understandand process their experience, to recognise that the bullying is not their fault, and torebuild a sense of self-worth and self-efficacy
Provision of opportunities for victims and perpetrators to meet with school or otherspecialist staff to work on skills which may be lacking, such as anger management
skills, relationship skills, self-esteem, etc.
Engagement of perpetrators and victims of bullying in dialogue together to discuss
their feelings about the bullying behavior and, if appropriate, to identify possible
pathways to restore their relationship
The school should consider carefully the appropriateness of any planned action,
particularly when considering dialogue between students. This will involve
considering the relationship between the parties, the severity of the case, and the
feelings and wishes of the victim. Dialogue between the two parties should only beconsidered when it is judged that both parties are at a point where the dialogue will
be constructive, respectful and restorative.

In some cases, depending on the age and maturity of the student, the severity of the
behavior, and the unique circumstances of the case, punitive consequences may beconsidered. Punitive consequences could include detention, in-school suspension,and full suspension from school for a set duration of time.
Extreme bullying, continuous incidents occurring after intervention, or retaliation for
telling could lead to immediate disciplinary action by the Principal, including thepossibility of permanent expulsion.

Reporting and Responding
to Cyberbullying
It is expected that community members report any known or suspected cases ofcyberbullying involving students in the school community to school staff immediately.
A report may come from the child who has experienced cyberbullying themself, apeer, a parent or a teacher.
Students found to be engaging in cyberbullying behavior may lose their computeruse privileges at school for a specific time. In addition, teachers will work closely withparents to consider if further restrictions should be implemented at home.
As with other types of bullying, additional consequences, including detention, inschool suspension, and full suspension may be considered, depending on the severity
and unique circumstances of the case.

Sources for Bullying
Bullying Policy (2015), Nishimachi International School
StopBullying.Gov https://www.stopbullying.gov/