Teachers And Educators Attend The First Event Of Its Kind In Cambodia To Protect Children From Abuse And Exploitation.
Phnom Penh 4 September 2023: A groundbreaking event in Phnom Penh to equip Cambodian schools with the skills to respond effectively to child abuse and exploitation among students has been a big success.
More than 40 local and international schools attended the Safeguarding and Child Protection in Education Symposium organized by Cambodian Children’s Fund’s Child Protection Unit (CPU) and Encompass Safeguarding, a global child safeguarding training and consultancy based in the UK.
It is the first time an event looking at protecting children in schools has been held in Cambodia.
Teachers and schools are a vital front line of defense in protecting all children against abuse. The 11th and 12th August symposium was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) and sponsors, including telecoms firm Ezecom and The Royal Group of Companies.
Dr. Soeur Socheata, Undersecretary of State of the MoEYS, presided over the event's opening, with invited guests including H.E. Lieutenant General Chiv Phally, Deputy Commissioner Cambodian National Police, and Director of the CPU Mr. James McCabe.
“The Safeguarding Symposium has been immensely successful, with more than 40 local and international schools attending, with over 130 participants. All of whom received their Level 1 Safeguarding certification, empowering them to protect and support vulnerable children effectively,” said Mr. Nick Rose, Deputy Director of the CPU.
Expert training was provided by Ms. Sian Jorgensen from Encompass Safeguarding, a highly qualified and experienced international safeguarding Consultant and Trainer with a counseling and social work background, and Ms. Aylssa Cowell, founder of 7north Education and a counselor and mental health specialist with experience working with international schools.
They stressed the importance of developing clear processes for addressing child abuse, mandatory reporting, and safer recruitment processes. Other topics included coercive control, grooming relationships, online abuse, and supporting abuse victims.
“There is no doubt that children all over Phnom Penh will be safer because their teachers have more knowledge and skills to recognize and respond to possible abuse. I am excited to see how this learning spreads and can grow further in the future,” said Ms. Sian Jorgensen, CEO of Encompass Safeguarding.
The Symposium was honored to have Professor Becky Milne, Professor of Forensic Psychology at the University of Portsmouth in the UK and a renowned expert in her field, who advised on sensitive approaches for speaking to potential child victims.
The Child Protection Unit (CPU), which works tirelessly to respond to serious crimes against children in Cambodia, explained the laws and procedures for reporting suspected child abuse to protect victims as quickly as possible.
“I found this symposium absolutely amazing: informative, practical, and inspiring,” said Ms. Cindy Yegorov, Primary Principal of Southbridge International School Cambodia (SISC).
A one-day Train the Trainer event was also held for 40 senior school staff to become certified trainers in Child Safeguarding and Psychological First Aid, fostering a cascading effect to expand the reach of child protection knowledge across Cambodia's education system.
One school has already committed to training all their staff in Khmer and English so that every adult in that school has a shared understanding of child abuse and harm. The Symposium was made possible by the gracious support of The Royal Group of Companies, Ezecom, Cambodiana Hotel, Southbridge International School Cambodia, and essential donations from the following schools and organizations; East-West International School, Australian International School Phnom Penh, the International School Phnom Penh (ISPP), Asian Hope, Australian Centre of English (ACE), The Kings School, attanacville, Australian College of Professionals, and Evolve Growing Solutions Ltd.
For more information, please contact:
Nick Rose Deputy Director, CPU
M +855 77 555 259
E nick.rose@childprotectionunit.org
ABOUT THE CPU
The CPU is part of the Cambodian Children’s Fund, a charity started by a former president of 20th Century Fox International, Scott Neeson, who grew up in Australia. The CPU works with local police to investigate the most serious cases of child abuse in Cambodia, bringing child abusers to justice. Crimes against children cover homicide, sexual assault, child trafficking, and all forms of abuse, including neglect and physical assault. In 2022, the CPU carried out 366 major crime investigations into the murder, rape, serious assault, and other crimes committed against children in Cambodia. www.childprotectionunit.org
ABOUT CCF
Cambodian Children’s Fund transforms the country's most impoverished kids into tomorrow's leaders by delivering education, family support, and community development programs into the heart of Cambodia’s most impoverished communities.
CCF believes that with the right education and support, one child has the potential to lift an entire family out of poverty and that a generation of educated children has the power to change a whole society. www.cambodianchildrensfund.org
