Child Privacy
We take potential misuse of child photographs on the web very seriously. Children and their families must be assured that World Vision is protecting the integrity of the information about themselves that they’ve given us, including photographs. When sharing your child’s photo or video please take measures to prevent others downloading, copying, or replicating the information. Child profiles are presented for the purpose of conveying appropriate information about the sponsorship relationship and are not for wider distribution (other than the sponsor child’s photo)
Child Dignity
The lives of children, their families and members of their community should be represented with accuracy and dignity. We consider the children we work with as our partners, working with us to help bring holistic transformation to communities living in poverty. We seek the full, informed consent of parents, guardians and or community leaders for a child’s participation in our child sponsorship programs.
Child Protection Policy
World Vision was born out of the Korean War in 1950 to assist the children who were innocently caught up in this conflict. Today it has blossomed into one of the major relief and development agencies committed to the service and the rights of the child in all aspects in keeping with the charisma of its founder.
World Vision Ireland is vehemently opposed to any form of exploitation or abuse of children or their families. Such practices are morally unacceptable, totally incompatible and inconsistent with the aspirations of the organisation. More often than not, exploitation of children is irreversibly detrimental to them, their families and communities at large.
To remain faithful to the hopes and aspiration for a safer and loving world where children can realise their potentialities, World Vision Ireland from time to time reviews its methods of operation and practices to meet the challenge of the day. In this context, in consistent with the World Vision Partnership, World Vision Ireland is reviewing and formulating procedures and guidelines with a specific reference to the exploitation of children. Their primary objective is to protect children supported through the office of World Vision Ireland. These practices are to ensure that no individual may gain access to children via World Vision Ireland for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The guidelines in consequence will also protect the visiting individual, the image and the reputation of the organisation.
This policy document, which contains guidelines in three categories, is solely for the purpose of use within World Vision Ireland. It is not expected to be regarded as a legal document; nevertheless, it is consistent and compatible with the legal framework of the Republic of Ireland. It is important to keep in mind that legal definitions and practices may vary among nation states and as such a policy of a non-state body, as in this case, has to comply with the legal structures and practices of that nation state.
The three categories of guidelines which are (a) on recruitment and training of paid staff and volunteers, (b) on procedures for reporting suspected or actual abuse of sponsored children, and (c) guidelines for advertising and communications are consistent with the legal base and relevant practices of respective government departments.
The guidelines are followed by some explanatory notes and tables which may be helpful in understanding practical aspects and implications of this policy.
Safeguarding Policy