“Building Trust: How Our Team Ensures Child Well-Being”
Since its foundation in 1974, Escuelas Infantiles Internacionales Alaria has been committed to ensuring the physical and emotional well-being of its students, creating a safe and structured environment that promotes their overall development. To achieve this goal, the protocol establishes a series of guidelines aimed at fostering the emotional and physical safety of children, as well as preventing and detecting any cases of abuse. Furthermore, clear action protocols are defined for situations of risk, always prioritizing the protection and well-being of minors at all levels.
Staff Selection:
In addition to the requirement for a negative criminal record certificate, the selection process includes a positive vetting of at least two written references from previous employers, as well as psychological evaluations to confirm the candidate’s suitability.
When hiring, we always prioritize candidates who have previously worked at Alaria International Nursery Schools and have demonstrated excellent treatment of children, as this is our best reference to ensure they meet the job requirements.
Once part of the educational team, they receive progressive training in Positive Discipline, which allows them to interact with children in an affectionate and respectful manner, as well as to facilitate conflict resolution in a safe and trusting environment.
Regarding the monitoring of compliance with the Child Safety and Well-being Protocol, we work with the following tools:
- Permanent Evaluation Framework: Escuelas Infantiles Alaria de Madrid y Aravaca implements a 360º evaluation framework focused on the prevention and detection of potential signs of abuse, ensuring appropriate interaction and emotional well-being of the children.
- Active Supervision: The center’s coordination is consistently present, conducting at least four daily visits to each classroom to supervise interactions and ensure excellent treatment of the children.
- Double Presence Policy: Each classroom must have at least two people (one teacher and one assistant), which helps minimize the possibilities of inappropriate behavior and fosters a safe environment.
- Staff Rotation: A policy of periodic staff rotation in the classrooms is applied to avoid the consolidation of biases in interactions with children, promoting equitable and effective attention.
- Training Activities for Students: Workshops and educational activities aimed at preventing abuse among peers and between children and adults are conducted, including programs that foster understanding and expression of emotions in children.
- Effective Detection Mechanisms: The team at Escuelas Infantiles Internacionales Alaria is trained to detect signs of abuse through daily observations and constant supervision, reinforcing confidence in their ability to act in any anomalous situation.
- Reporting Communication Channel: A safe and confidential channel has been established for any team member to report suspicions of abuse, ensuring that the information is handled exclusively by management, thus creating a trusting environment where the child’s well-being is prioritized.
- Confidentiality and Whistleblower Protection: Reports are treated with the utmost confidentiality, and the protection of the whistleblower against possible reprisals is guaranteed, fostering an environment where all team members feel safe reporting inappropriate situations.
- Child Well-being Coordinator: Their functions include promoting training, coordinating interventions in situations of risk, and implementing an environment of respect. This role is performed by a member of the management team who has training in child protection and prevention, as well as crisis management skills, thereby ensuring a comprehensive approach committed to the safety and well-being of children at Escuelas Infantiles Internacionales Alaria.
