At Kentalis International Foundation, integrity is at the core of everything we do. Because children who are deaf or hard of hearing can be especially vulnerable, we take child protection very seriously. We're committed to acting ethically and keeping children safe across all our projects, staff interactions, and partnerships. We work hard to build a culture of transparency, accountability, and safety – where every person acts responsibly and safeguards the dignity and rights of children.
Our Child Protection Policy
We have developed a comprehensive Child Protection Policy that outlines how we prevent, identify, and respond to risks or incidents of harm to children. The policy is based on internationally recognized principles – including the best interests of the child, non‑discrimination, and dignity.
Key points of attention incude:
- Never abusing, exploiting, neglecting, or harming a child in any form.
- Avoiding being alone with a child in unsupervised contexts.
- Treating all children with respect, sensitivity, and cultural awareness.
- Seeking consent before taking or using photos or audiovisual materials involving children.
- Not offering inappropriate favors or benefits to children or families without clear authorization.
- Reporting any suspicion or incident of child abuse, neglect, exploitation, or policy breach promptly and in accordance with our procedures.
You can find our full Child Protection Policy here: Download Child Protection Policy (PDF)
Code of Conduct: Behavior We Expect
Attached to and linked with our Child Protection Policy is a clear Code of Conduct, which provides practical guidance on actions and behaviors that are required or prohibited when working for Kentalis International Foundation.
Signing this Code of Conduct is mandatory for:
- All employees of Kentalis International Foundation (read more about our team)
- Colleagues from Royal Kentalis in the Netherlands who work as experts or trainers in our projects
- All contracted individuals (consultants, freelancers)
- All partner organizations that we work with on a contract basis in our projects
By signing, each individual or organization acknowledges that they have read, understood, and commit to abide by the standards set out in both the Child Protection Policy and the Code of Conduct.
You can find our full Code of Conduct here: Download Code of Conduct (PDF)
Reporting Concerns
As described in our Child Protection Policy, should anyone observe or suspect behaviour that falls short of our safeguarding standards – or would like to raise questions – they are encouraged to speak up.
In case of emergencies, always call the local emergency number.
If you have seen or suspect any form of improper conduct by our employees, employees of our partner organizations or other people that we work with, please file a report through one of these options:
- Make an anonymous report through the contact form on this page. The forms asks you to submit an email address so that we can contact you and reply to your concerns. If you wish to stay completely anonymous, please use a unidentifiable email address. We will always treat your report with confidentiality and integrity.
- Send an email to international@kentalis.nl. To be able to assist you and process the report as effectively and thoroughly as possible, we encourage you to fill out the 'Reporting Form for Suspicion of Harm to Children or Child Abuse' (Annex 4 of our Child Protection Policy) and attach this to your email. You can also fill out the form after your first email, in collaboration with our Program Manager or Program Officer. Try to provide as much information as you can. Leave areas blank where you have no information or nothing to report. Note: if you send this form to us by email, we will treat the information confidentially and with care.
Why This Matters
Children are among the most vulnerable members of our communities. Protecting them is not only a moral and legal responsibility, but central to our mission. By embedding this Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct into our organizational fabric, and requiring commitment from every person and partner connected to our work, we reinforce a culture that:
- Prioritizes the safety and dignity of children
- Maintains the highest ethical standards
- Supports transparency and accountability
- Nurtures trust with communities, donors
If you have any questions about our integrity and child protection policies, do not hesitate to contact us.
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