Safeguarding and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation Abuse (SPSEA)

Safeguarding encompasses the mechanisms, processes, and procedures established to protect PAL Network staff, partners, children, vulnerable groups, and all individuals who engage directly with PAL Network’s work. It aims to prevent and respond to harm that may be caused by physical, emotional, or sexual exploitation and abuse. The primary goal is to minimize the risk and impact of such harm, ensuring the safety and well-being of both the people we serve and those working within our organization.

Sexual Exploitation refers to any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially, or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.

Sexual Abuse refers to the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

•  PAL Network has zero tolerance for all forms of abuse and exploitation.
• At PAL Network, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
• We apply a Do Not Harm perspective to our work.
• We have a duty of care to staff, volunteers, partners, and all people living in the communities where we serve.
• We believe in non-discrimination, and all children and vulnerable adults will be treated equally regardless of their gender, race, religious or political beliefs, age, physical or mental health, sexual orientation, family and social background and culture, economic status or criminal background
• We follow the principle of acting in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults.
• We act with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

PAL Network takes the following steps to ensure that children & adults are safeguarded:

1. Listen to children and adults in our communities and build child and adult participation and feedback into all of our programming and advocacy work.
2. Make children, their families, communities and our staff aware of the standards of behavior they can expect from us and of how they can raise a concern.
3. Proactively promote and maintain clear, accessible and anonymous reporting mechanisms, including for those with disabilities.
4. Complete criminal records checks and referencing for all staff during recruitment.
5. In-depth safeguarding induction and refresher training for staff, at least once every two years.
6. Ensure all representatives know the risks of child and adult abuse, their safeguarding responsibilities, and the requirement to report.
7. Risk assess all activities and adhere to robust mitigation plans.
8. Embed ‘safer programming’ steps throughout our programme development and implementation.
9. Limit the opportunities for staff, volunteers and partners to abuse children, for example, by ensuring that no child or children are left alone with a staff member.
10. Take all concerns seriously and respond rapidly in a survivor-focused way.
11. Learn lessons from all incidents, and ensure learning is implemented.

PAL Network does not tolerate any form of abuse or misconduct, such as sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, intimidation and bullying by our staff, and we take all concerns seriously.

If you have a safeguarding, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse concern related to PAL Network staff, members or representatives, please tell us immediately through the following channels:

Click here to report a concern
Send us an email using safeguarding@palnetwork.org 

Safeguarding hotline: 0710182952 

Step 1: All reported incidences are received by the PSEA focal person.

Step 2: Each reported incident is reviewed within 48 hours and a detailed investigation plan created. The Safeguarding focal point will contact you within 7 days of your initial report.

Step 3: Each incident is thoroughly investigated to understand what happened and what action should be taken. We aim to ensure the investigations take no more than 3 months. Regular progress updates will be provided to the person/people who reported the incident.

Step 4: A final incident report is filled out with detailed findings of the investigation and recommended actions which may include:

• Staff disciplinary measures
• Legal prosecution
• Systemic organizational improvement

Step 5: Recommended action is taken by PAL Network.

** Referral services for medical/psychosocial /legal support will be provided as needed.
** All communications related to reported incidences are treated with confidentiality and anonymity.