As this week of Child Protection comes to an end we have asked our director, Robyn Beere, to share some thoughts to challenge us as we continue to move forward.
At IESA, whilst we are focussed daily on children and their right to quality education, one cannot help but think more deeply about the issue of vulnerability during child protection week. The news this week seems to be full of stories of abuse, rape and assault on young children and I wonder about whether or not we are protecting our children at all! But it also makes me consider the role schools can and should play. For many South African children school offers the only safe and caring place they know. It is often a place where they receive the only meal they get for the day, the only place where they have friends and adults who care for them, love them and try to support them. If this is the case what more can schools do? How do our schools genuinely become centres of care and support for teaching and learning? What does this even mean?
Wellbeing is described as the physical, emotional, mental health and safety of a child. Protective factors are those things that promote the wellbeing of children and make them less vulnerable to illness, hardships, violence and abuse. Protective factors build a child’s resilience. Schools are perfectly situated to provide a protective environment for learners. Some of the protective factors offered by schools could include: Availability of nutritious food; Skills development for parents; Aftercare; Access to services; Transport for learners; Regular home visits; Recreational programmes and facilities in the community.
I would like to challenge all of our schools to examine the support they offer to vulnerable learners and the extent to which they are creating safe, welcoming and caring environments for so many children coming to school from violent homes and communities and circumstances of poverty. I would also like to express deep gratitude to those schools and teachers who go above and beyond the call of duty to keep our children safe and loved not only during child protection week but every day! As Mahatma Gandhi said, “You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results.”
