Child Safeguarding and Protection Policy

Maizan Institute of Innovation & Technology (MIIT)
Last Updated: 18 September 2026

1. Purpose

Maizan Institute of Innovation & Technology (MIIT) is committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment in which children and young people can participate in education and technology programmes without fear of abuse, exploitation, neglect or other harm.

MIIT recognises that safeguarding children is a shared responsibility. Every person working for, representing or acting on behalf of MIIT has a responsibility to protect children from harm.

This Policy establishes MIIT's commitment to preventing harm, identifying safeguarding concerns, responding appropriately to allegations or disclosures, and maintaining procedures that place the safety and best interests of the child at the centre of decision-making.

The Policy is informed by internationally recognised child safeguarding principles, including the principle that organisations have a duty of care towards children who participate in or are affected by their activities.

2. Scope

This Policy applies to all persons involved in MIIT's work where they may come into contact with children or young people, including:

  • employees;

  • teachers and instructors;

  • trainers and facilitators;

  • volunteers;

  • interns and trainees;

  • contractors and consultants;

  • programme partners;

  • photographers and media personnel;

  • drivers and other service providers;

  • visitors and guests; and

  • any other person acting on behalf of or representing MIIT.

The Policy applies to activities conducted:

  • at MIIT facilities;

  • at schools, training centres and other programme locations;

  • during field visits, competitions, exhibitions and events;

  • during transportation arranged by MIIT;

  • through online classes and digital learning platforms;

  • through MIIT-managed communication channels;

  • through social media or other digital communication connected to MIIT activities; and

  • during any other activity where a person is representing MIIT or interacting with an MIIT student.

3. Who Is a Child?

For the purposes of this Policy, a child is any person under 18 years of age, unless applicable law provides otherwise.

MIIT recognises that children have different ages, levels of maturity, abilities and circumstances. Safeguarding measures should therefore be appropriate to the child's age, developmental stage and individual needs.

4. MIIT's Safeguarding Principles

MIIT is guided by the following principles:

Best interests of the child

The best interests, safety and wellbeing of the child will be a primary consideration in safeguarding decisions.

Zero tolerance for abuse and exploitation

Abuse, exploitation, neglect and sexual misconduct involving children are prohibited.

Every concern matters

A concern does not need to be proven before it is reported. Reasonable concerns must be taken seriously and assessed through appropriate procedures.

Children have a voice

Children should be treated with dignity and given an appropriate opportunity to express their views about matters affecting their safety and wellbeing.

Confidentiality

Safeguarding information will be shared only with people who need the information to respond appropriately, protect the child or meet a legal obligation.

Confidentiality does not mean that information about a safeguarding concern can be kept secret where doing so could leave a child or another person at risk.

Non-discrimination

All children have the right to protection from harm regardless of gender, disability, nationality, family circumstances, socioeconomic background or any other personal characteristic.

Accountability

Safeguarding is an organisational responsibility. It is not the responsibility of the child to prevent, report or manage abuse.

5. Types of Harm Covered by This Policy

Safeguarding concerns may include, but are not limited to:

Physical abuse

  • Deliberately causing physical injury or using physical force against a child in a manner that causes or may cause harm.

  • Emotional or psychological abuse

  • Behaviour that seriously harms or threatens a child's emotional wellbeing, including persistent humiliation, intimidation, threats, degrading treatment or severe verbal abuse.

Sexual abuse

  • Any sexual activity involving a child, including sexual touching, sexual contact, sexual communication, sexual exploitation, exposure to sexual material or any other sexual conduct involving a child.

  • A child cannot be treated as responsible for preventing sexual abuse.

Neglect

Failure to provide reasonable care or protection where this creates a risk of significant harm to a child.

Exploitation

  • Using a child for personal, financial, sexual, social or other benefit in a manner that causes or may cause harm.

  • Bullying and peer abuse

  • Bullying, intimidation, harassment, threatening behaviour, physical aggression, social exclusion or other harmful conduct between students.

Online abuse

  • Harm occurring through social media, messaging applications, online classrooms, gaming platforms, email, video calls or other digital environments.

  • This may include inappropriate contact, sexual communication, grooming, threats, harassment, image-based abuse or exploitation.

  • Abuse of authority

  • Using a position of trust, responsibility or authority to manipulate, intimidate, exploit or otherwise harm a child.

6. Prohibited Conduct

Adults working with children through MIIT must maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

The following conduct is prohibited:

  • sexual or romantic conduct with a child;

  • sexualised communication with a child;

  • requesting or sending sexually explicit material to or from a child;

  • unnecessary or inappropriate physical contact;

  • humiliating, degrading or threatening a child;

  • using corporal punishment;

  • deliberately isolating a child from appropriate supervision;

  • meeting a child privately in circumstances that create an avoidable safeguarding risk;

  • inviting a child to an adult's home without an appropriate safeguarding reason and required permission;

  • using personal social media accounts to establish inappropriate relationships with students;

  • asking children to keep inappropriate relationships or communications secret;

  • giving gifts or favours intended to create inappropriate dependency or secrecy;

  • photographing or recording children for personal purposes without appropriate permission;

  • sharing identifiable information about children without authorisation;

  • communicating with children through personal accounts where an approved MIIT communication channel is available;

  • transporting children privately without appropriate authorisation; and

  • any other conduct that breaches professional boundaries or creates an unreasonable safeguarding risk.

7. Professional Boundaries

Staff and other adults working with students must maintain professional relationships.

Where communication with a student is necessary, MIIT-approved communication channels should be used wherever reasonably possible.

Communication should remain relevant to the student's education, safety or participation in MIIT activities.

Adults should avoid unnecessary private communication with individual students, particularly outside normal programme hours.

Where one-to-one support is necessary, reasonable safeguards should be used. These may include maintaining visibility, using an appropriate shared space, documenting the interaction or ensuring another authorised adult is aware of the interaction.

8. Recruitment and Screening

MIIT will seek to use appropriate recruitment and screening measures for roles involving regular contact with children.

Depending on the nature of the role, this may include:

  • identity verification;

  • reference checks;

  • employment history checks;

  • qualification verification;

  • safeguarding questions during recruitment;

  • appropriate background or criminal record checks where legally available and appropriate; and

  • acknowledgement of MIIT's safeguarding requirements.

No screening process can eliminate safeguarding risk. Recruitment and screening therefore form part of a wider safeguarding system.

9. Safeguarding Training

Individuals whose roles involve regular contact with children should receive appropriate safeguarding information or training.

Training should cover:

  • recognising signs of abuse and neglect;

  • professional boundaries;

  • appropriate communication with children;

  • online safety;

  • responding to disclosures;

  • reporting procedures;

  • confidentiality and information sharing; and

  • responsibilities under this Policy.

MIIT should review training requirements periodically and provide additional training where roles or risks change.

10. Reporting a Safeguarding Concern

Anyone who has a safeguarding concern involving an MIIT student should report it as soon as reasonably possible.

A concern may arise because:

  • a child makes a disclosure;

  • an adult observes concerning behaviour;

  • a child displays signs that may indicate harm;

  • another person reports a concern; or

  • information is received from an online or external source.

A person does not need to investigate the concern before reporting it.

The responsibility of the person receiving a concern is to listen, respond appropriately and report through the designated safeguarding procedure.

11. Responding to a Disclosure

If a child tells an adult about possible abuse or harm, the adult should:

  • remain calm;

  • listen carefully;

  • allow the child to speak;

  • take the child seriously;

  • reassure the child that they have done the right thing by speaking;

  • avoid making promises about secrecy;

  • avoid asking leading or unnecessary questions;

  • record the information as accurately as possible; and

  • report the concern through MIIT's safeguarding procedure.

The adult should not attempt to conduct their own investigation.

12. Immediate Safety

Where there is an immediate risk of serious harm, the child's immediate safety takes priority.

MIIT will take reasonable steps to protect the child while ensuring that the matter is referred to the appropriate internal or external authority where required.

Where applicable, MIIT may contact a parent or legal guardian, emergency service, child protection authority, law enforcement agency or other appropriate service.

The decision to notify a parent or guardian may depend on the circumstances of the concern. Notification should not take place where doing so could increase the risk to the child or interfere with an appropriate safeguarding response.

13. Safeguarding Focal Point

MIIT should designate an appropriate person as its Child Safeguarding Focal Point.

The Safeguarding Focal Point is responsible for receiving safeguarding concerns, maintaining appropriate records, coordinating safeguarding responses and advising management on safeguarding measures.

Where a concern involves the Safeguarding Focal Point, the concern must be reported directly to senior management or another designated person who is independent of the matter.

14. Safeguarding Records

Safeguarding concerns and related actions should be documented accurately and securely.

Records should contain factual information relevant to the concern and should distinguish between information that has been directly observed, information disclosed by a child and information reported by another person.

Safeguarding records must be stored securely and accessed only by authorised persons.

15. Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Safeguarding information is sensitive.

MIIT will seek to limit information sharing to people who need the information to protect a child, respond to a concern, provide support or comply with a legal obligation.

Staff and associates must not discuss safeguarding concerns with other students, colleagues who do not have a role in the matter, or members of the public.

16. Retaliation and Victimisation

MIIT prohibits retaliation against a person who raises a safeguarding concern in good faith.

A child, parent, employee, volunteer or other person should not be disadvantaged because they reported a concern or participated in a safeguarding process.

Knowingly making a false allegation with the intention of harming another person may be addressed through appropriate procedures. A concern made in good faith will not be treated as misconduct merely because it cannot be substantiated.

17. Online Safeguarding

MIIT recognises that safeguarding responsibilities extend to digital learning and communication.

MIIT will seek to establish appropriate controls for:

  • online classes;

  • digital learning platforms;

  • student communication;

  • access to recordings;

  • sharing of photographs and videos;

  • student accounts;

  • online communities; and

  • staff communication with students.

Staff must maintain professional boundaries online and must not use digital communication to establish inappropriate personal relationships with students.

18. Parents and Guardians

Parents and legal guardians are encouraged to raise concerns about a child's safety with MIIT.

MIIT will provide appropriate information about safeguarding expectations and relevant reporting channels.

Parents and guardians are also expected to support reasonable safeguarding measures during MIIT programmes.

19. Working with Partners

Where MIIT works with schools, organisations, instructors, contractors or other partners who may have contact with children, MIIT should seek appropriate safeguarding arrangements.

Where relevant, agreements with partners should establish expectations concerning child protection, reporting, confidentiality and professional conduct.

20. Monitoring and Review

MIIT will periodically review this Policy and its safeguarding procedures.

Reviews should consider:

  • reported concerns;

  • changes in programmes or activities;

  • changes in applicable law;

  • emerging online risks;

  • staff and participant feedback; and

  • recognised safeguarding standards and good practice.

The Policy should be reviewed at least every two years or sooner where a significant change or incident indicates that a review is necessary.

21. Contact

Safeguarding concerns should be reported directly to MIIT through its designated safeguarding channel.

Maizan Institute of Innovation & Technology (MIIT)
H. Gaadhoo Building
Boduthakurufaanu Magu
Malé, Maldives

Telephone: +960 3322101
WhatsApp: +960 7822201
Email: admin@miitmaldives.com

Where MIIT establishes a dedicated safeguarding email address or telephone number, that contact should be published here and made clearly accessible to students, parents, staff and programme participants.