Child protection

Safeguarding policy

The safety and wellbeing of every child in our programmes is our highest priority. This page outlines our commitments, standards, and reporting channels.

Our commitment

MASO (Miles Art & Sports CBO) is committed to safeguarding all children, young people, and vulnerable adults who participate in or are affected by our programmes. We believe every child has the right to be safe from harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

This policy applies to all staff, volunteers, partners, visitors, and contractors who have contact with children through MASO programmes.

Key principles

The welfare of the child is paramount in all decisions and activities
All children have equal rights to protection regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, or background
All concerns and allegations are taken seriously and responded to promptly
We work in partnership with children, families, and communities to promote welfare
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility

Code of conduct

All MASO representatives must:

Treat all children with respect and dignity
Never be alone with a child in an unsupervised or unobserved setting
Never use physical punishment, threats, or humiliating language
Report any concerns about a child's safety immediately
Maintain appropriate boundaries at all times
Follow photography and consent guidelines (see below)

Designated safeguarding lead

MASO has a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) responsible for:

Receiving and managing safeguarding concerns and referrals
Ensuring staff and volunteers receive safeguarding training
Liaising with external child protection services and authorities
Maintaining confidential safeguarding records
Reviewing and updating this policy annually

To contact the safeguarding lead: use our secure contact form and select "Safeguarding concern" or email info@milesartandsports.co.ke.

Reporting a concern

If you have a concern about a child's safety — whether you are a participant, family member, volunteer, partner, or member of the public — please report it:

📧 Email

info@milesartandsports.co.ke

Treated as confidential. Response within 24 hours.

📞 Phone

Contact our safeguarding lead directly via the main office number.

📋 In person

Speak to any MASO staff member. All staff are trained to receive and escalate concerns.

All reports are handled confidentially. No one will be penalised for raising a genuine concern in good faith.

Photography & consent

MASO follows strict guidelines for photography and media involving children:

Written consent is obtained from parents/guardians before photographs are taken
Children are never identified by full name alongside their image in public materials
Images are stored securely and used only for approved purposes
Children or families can withdraw consent at any time

Training & review

All staff and regular volunteers complete safeguarding training before working with children. Refresher training is provided annually. This policy is reviewed at least once per year by the management committee.