The
Lagos State Government has commenced implementation of the Executive Order
ratified by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on December 16, 2016 which established
the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
Lagos State Government has commenced implementation of the Executive Order
ratified by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on December 16, 2016 which established
the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
The
Executive Order highlights the importance and priority which the State
Government placed towards protecting the lives of children and it applies to
all State Government organisations, all schools, child centred institutions,
orphanages and child related institutions located in the State, both public and
private.
Executive Order highlights the importance and priority which the State
Government placed towards protecting the lives of children and it applies to
all State Government organisations, all schools, child centred institutions,
orphanages and child related institutions located in the State, both public and
private.
Speaking
during the annual general meeting and intervention programme put together by
the Office of Education Quality Assurance which was attended by over 1,000
participants, Coordinator of Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team
(DSVRT), an agency under the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Titilola
Vivour-Adeniyi said the State Government was determined to implement the
Executive Order to ensure the protection of children.
during the annual general meeting and intervention programme put together by
the Office of Education Quality Assurance which was attended by over 1,000
participants, Coordinator of Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team
(DSVRT), an agency under the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Titilola
Vivour-Adeniyi said the State Government was determined to implement the
Executive Order to ensure the protection of children.
She
said the need for the landmark engagement was crucial considering the fact that
schools have resumed and there was need for key stakeholders such as
principals, school administrators, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), public and
private school guidance counsellors, evaluators and others, to become conversant
with and abreast of the provisions of the policy.
said the need for the landmark engagement was crucial considering the fact that
schools have resumed and there was need for key stakeholders such as
principals, school administrators, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), public and
private school guidance counsellors, evaluators and others, to become conversant
with and abreast of the provisions of the policy.
According
to Vivour-Adeniyi, “The Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
must be used wherever services are provided for children and care givers are
mandated to adopt a Child Protection policy in their respective institutions,
nuanced to suit their respective peculiarities.
to Vivour-Adeniyi, “The Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
must be used wherever services are provided for children and care givers are
mandated to adopt a Child Protection policy in their respective institutions,
nuanced to suit their respective peculiarities.
“The
major aim of the policy is to provide clear direction for reporting disclosures
of abuse and commitment to the development of good practice and sound procedures
to keep children safe.
major aim of the policy is to provide clear direction for reporting disclosures
of abuse and commitment to the development of good practice and sound procedures
to keep children safe.
“The
policy also ensures that child protection concerns are identified, referrals
are handled sensitively, professionally and in ways that support the needs of
the child’s wellbeing.”
policy also ensures that child protection concerns are identified, referrals
are handled sensitively, professionally and in ways that support the needs of
the child’s wellbeing.”
The
DSVRT Coordinator also used the medium to sound a very clear warning to all
Child centred institutions both public and private, that the State Government
would no longer tolerate negligence in ensuring the safety of children under
their supervision and failure to adopt and implement the policy would amount to
both civil and criminal actions.
DSVRT Coordinator also used the medium to sound a very clear warning to all
Child centred institutions both public and private, that the State Government
would no longer tolerate negligence in ensuring the safety of children under
their supervision and failure to adopt and implement the policy would amount to
both civil and criminal actions.
Besides,
copies of the policy in the form of booklets were distributed to all
participants, while they participants were also informed of their mandatory
duty to report actual or suspected child abuse cases, and consequences for
failure to report.
