Release of Child Safeguarding Policies for Bangalore Province

Fulfilling its role as the province Planning and Development Organisation (PDO) to provide clarity through relevant policies to help the Salesian Province of Bangalore accomplish its goals, BREADS Bangalore drafted ten versions of Child Safeguarding Policies (CSPs) as supportive references for child-related sectors in the province. In addition to Province and PDO guidelines, the CSPs were drafted for childcare institutions, social work centres, schools, colleges, skill training centres, parishes, aspirantates, pre-novitiate, novitiate, philosophates, and the theologate.

These policies seek to ensure the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people under the purview of the province, by defining and customising structures and processes of care and protection in keeping with State and Church requirements. Child safeguarding is not viewed merely as a project requirement (though it is) but as an integrated approach in our work. These policies were developed in a consultative and participatory manner with various stakeholders on the ground, including children themselves.

The compilation of Child Safeguarding Policies was released by Fr. Joyce Thonikuzhiyil SDB, Provincial of the Salesian Province of Bangalore on 17 October 2020. He handed over the first copy of the Province Child Safeguarding Guidelines to the Vice-Provincial, Fr.  Jose Koyickal SDB in the presence of the Province Economer, Fr. P.S George SDB, and Province Secretary, Fr. Freddie Pereira SDB. Fr. Joy Nedumparambil SDB, Executive Director of BREADS and Fr. Rubin Mathew SDB, Asst Director of BREADS were also present on the occasion in Don Bosco Provincial House, Bangalore.