Certificate Program: “Creating a Safe Environment for Children. Safeguarding Officer in an Organization”

What is this opportunity about?
If your organization already has an approved child protection policy, the next key step is to implement it in daily practice. For this, it is important to appoint a responsible person who will coordinate the process and monitor compliance with safety standards.

The certificate program is specialized training for safeguarding coordinators who will implement child protection policies in their organizations. Every institution working with children or vulnerable groups should have a person responsible for creating and maintaining a safe environment.

A Safeguarding Officer receives and responds to reports of inappropriate behavior towards a child or vulnerable adult. Such reports may come from children, staff, or beneficiaries of the organization. The person responsible for safety must carefully review each report, act sensitively, and if necessary, refer the case to appropriate professional services.

The main goal of the certificate program is to strengthen the capacity of safeguarding coordinators by deepening their understanding of protection principles and acquiring practical skills to implement child protection policies and procedures in NGOs, foundations, and social initiatives.

All participants who successfully complete the training will receive 1.5 ECTS credits. This certificate program is fee-based and available upon organizational request.

Topics covered during the training:

• The role of the Safeguarding Officer in an organization: responsibilities, authority, and key skills
• Implementing a safeguarding system: how to explain complex issues simply
• Responding to cases of child safety violations: signs of abuse, legislation, and appropriate actions
• Investigating internal abuse cases within the organization: procedures and referrals
• The impact of critical situations on the team and organization: support, communication, and recovery.

Practical sessions, group work, and panel discussions on important topics are mandatory parts of the training.

Here’s what awaits you in the certificate program:

Organizations that have completed training in the Certificate Program “Creating a Safe Environment for Children: Safeguarding Officer in an Organization”: