TOKYO WEST INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLTWIS Child Protection Policy

As appropriate, the Headmistress and the school leadership team will ensure that all persons who
have contact with students are made aware of this policy and procedures.

nEmployee Obligation

This policy and procedures will apply to all persons associated with Tokyo West International School(TWIS) including but not limited to all employees, volunteers and persons interacting with students.
All TWIS employees share a responsibility for the safety and welfare of all students. TWIS employees
may not engage in any activity constituting student abuse as defined by Japanese law and the policy
below.
TWIS employees must report any suspected abuse of TWIS students, occurring on or off campus,
to the Headmistress.

nTypes of Abuse

Abuse is described as a physical, sexual, or emotional act, which presents risk or harm toward aTWIS student.
1. Physical Abuse – Physical injury inflicted, other than by accidental means, upon a student byhimself or another person and includes neglect, willful cruelty or willful infliction of pain
2. Sexual Abuse – Sexual assault, sexual contact, indecent suggestions, indecent acts,exposure to sexual/pornographic images/acts or any other exploitation of a student.
3. Emotional Abuse – This includes the use of threats, intimidation, and acts of injustice,
rejection, bullying or indignity by oral, verbal, physical or digital/social media means.

nPreventive Steps and Regulations
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TWIS will foster a climate of freedom to speak.
TWIS will provide child protection and children’s rights training to all the TWIS employees.
TWIS will contact three references of each employee to check their work history.
TWIS employees should never use phone calls, texting, social media, emails, or similar
technology to have one-on-one private communication with students for non- school related
matters. All student–teacher contact will be through official school channels only such as
campus and/or in-school contact or distance contact via school provided Google account.
5. TWIS employees should maintain strictly professional relationships with students at all times
and should not socialize with students on or off campus outside of school hours, without
consulting with the Headmistress and with the approval of the student’s parent/ward/guardian.
6. If a TWIS student, other than a TWIS employee’s own child or legal/parent/ward/guardian, isliving or sleeping in an employee’s home, the Headmistress should be notified in addition togetting the explicit accompaniment and written approval of the student’sparent(s)/guardian(s).
Tokyo West International School
185Umetsubo-machi, Hachioji-city, Tokyo 192-0013 TEL:042-691-1441/FAX:042-691-1442
Website:www.tokyowest.jp

TOKYO WEST INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
7. School sponsored trips will have at least two teacher chaperones for overnight trips.
8. TWIS employees should be extremely cautious, concerning counseling students about
sensitive personal issues (student – parent conflict, impact of parents’ marital status, deathof immediate relatives, and etc.). If unsure, employees should seek advice from the
Headmistress.
9. When abuse occurs or is suspected, a TWIS employee must immediately refer the student
to the Headmistress.
10. When abuse occurs or is suspected, TWIS employees should never suggest to anyone that
confidential discussions be kept from the Headmistress or parent/ward/guardian.

nDiscovery and Reporting
1. All employees are mandated to report suspected abuse to the Headmistress.
2. Reports should be made immediately after observing or suspecting abuse.
3. The school will not penalize a person for reporting, in good faith, an instance related tostudent abuse.
4. Any employee who wishes to report TWIS or non-TWIS student abuse to the Japanese
authorities can do this as a private citizen but cannot use the school staff during working
hours for any translating purposes. Contact should not be made from the school (includingschool phones, school emails). The employee needs to notify the authorities on first contactthat they are speaking as an individual and not on behalf of TWIS.

nInvestigation
1. Care and support must be given to protect the alleged victim(s), the alleged perpetrator(s),and the reporter by restricting information access to those who need and have the authority
to know.
2. Administrators or counselors will forward relevant reports to the Headmistress in theirabsence.
3. The Academic Director will determine who will conduct the investigation. The investigator willconduct a prompt, professional, confidential and thorough investigation to determine whether
reasonable grounds exist to verify that abuse occurred. A written report will be submitted tothe Headmistress.
4. The school will report any substantiated student abuse to the relevant Japanese authorities,
as is required by law pursuant to Article 6 of the Child Abuse Prevention Act and seek relevant
legal advice.

nConsequences
1. TWIS employees who are involved in or accused of, abuse will immediately be removed fromany contact with students until an investigation is concluded. The Headmistress will swiftly,
professionally and thoroughly investigate matters and if appropriate inform the school boardmembers.
2. If the investigation indicates that reasonable grounds do exist to believe that abuse has
occurred, the Headmistress will report to the school board members.

Tokyo West International School
185Umetsubo-machi, Hachioji-city, Tokyo 192-0013 TEL:042-691-1441/FAX:042-691-1442
Website:www.tokyowest.jp

TOKYO WEST INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
3. The Headmistress will determine suitable disciplinary action, which could result in terminationof employment in accordance with the faculty/staff rules of employment and any relevant
legal action.
4. If the investigation indicates that reasonable grounds do not exist to support allegations ofabuse, a written statement to that effect will be issued by the Headmistress to the employee
in question and appropriate support given to the employee.
5. If inappropriate behavior did exist but does not constitute abuse, the perpetrator will besubject to appropriate disciplinary consequences in accordance with the faculty/staff rules ofemployment.

Tokyo West International School
185Umetsubo-machi, Hachioji-city, Tokyo 192-0013 TEL:042-691-1441/FAX:042-691-1442
Website:www.tokyowest.jp