Every child, safe.

Citadel Ministries is committed to protecting the dignity, safety and well-being of every child connected with our ministry. We seek to follow appropriate safeguarding practices in all ministry activities and communications.

What this means in practice

• Photographs and stories of children in Madagascar are published only with the permission of a parent or, for children living in the home, of its chief director, who is responsible for them. Every photograph must honour the child, and none is published with information that could identify where a child lives.
• Adults working with children connected to the ministry are expected to follow the safeguarding policy of the organisation responsible for the children's care and the law of the country they are in.
• Concerns about the welfare of any child or vulnerable adult connected with our work can be raised in confidence with the trustees.

At the children's home in Madagascar

Citadel Ministries Mahajanga, led by Rachel Jane Wallace, operates under the following safeguards:

• Every child in the home is placed there by the children's judge in Mahajanga, and no child stays overnight without the judge's permission.
• No visitor is permitted any one-to-one time with a child. Short-term visitors are supervised throughout by someone who has passed a Madagascar police check.
• Every child is taught about good touch and bad touch, and children on the feeding programme are taught not to go off with strangers.
• The children are on the Iris child sponsorship programme. Every three months the director files a declaration with Iris stating whether any child has disclosed a concern and giving the details if so.
• The local police inspect the home every two years to confirm that everything is done properly, and the government may inspect unannounced at any time. On one such spot check, a male and a female officer spoke with the children to make sure they were safe; they had the power to close the home immediately, and their report found no concerns.
• Every member of staff, the director included, is interviewed by the local police. Their report goes to the local and national government, whose permission the home needs to operate; it is a legal requirement so that the authorities know who works with children. Staff also hold a police morality certificate, which the director renews every two years.
• The feeding programme is registered with the local police. Children attend with their parents' permission, and parents have given consent for any photographs.
• The director and co-director both serve on Mahajanga's local child-protection group.

The trustees are adopting a written safeguarding policy. A summary and the date it was adopted will appear here.

Who is responsible

The trustees are together responsible for safeguarding. Our designated safeguarding lead is Gian-Carlo Elia, trustee, and the deputy is Gary Jenkins, trustee. In Madagascar, Rachel Jane Wallace, chief director of Citadel Ministries Mahajanga, is responsible for safeguarding at the children's home and its programmes.

Raise a concern

Write to the trustees at ian@citadelministries.com or by post to 41 Parsonage Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 4AW. If a child is in immediate danger, contact the local police or emergency services first.