Safeguarding and Child Protection
Safeguarding & Child Protection at BCH
The safety, dignity, and wellbeing of every child in our care is non-negotiable.
Blessed Children’s Home exists to provide a secure, stable home for children who have already experienced loss, instability, or risk. That makes child protection our first responsibility, before programs, projects, or public reports.
We operate under Nepal’s laws and child-protection regulations, and we welcome appropriate oversight from the authorities and our local community. This page explains the principles and practices that guide us.
We are committed to:
- Providing a safe and stable home for every child entrusted to us
- Treating every child with respect, dignity, and fairness
- Preventing harm wherever possible – physical, emotional, spiritual, or sexual
- Responding quickly and appropriately to any concern or allegation
- Working within Nepali law and cooperating fully with relevant authorities
- Protecting children’s privacy and future in how we use information and images
- Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility: leadership, staff, visitors, partners, and supporters.
We do not accept children by private, informal agreement.
- Children are placed in Blessed Children’s Home through the appropriate government and local community structures, which may include:
- Local child-welfare offices
- Recommendations from local leaders, verified and documented
- Official letters and documentation, where available (birth certificates, death certificates, or guardianship letters)
- Placement decisions are made under the oversight of the relevant authorities, not by us alone.
Everyone who works directly with children must meet clear standards.
Before joining our team, staff must:
- Be known to leadership and local church community, where possible
- Provide character references from trusted leaders
- Demonstrate a clear call and willingness to work with children long-term
- Agree to our code of conduct and safeguarding expectations
Where local practice and law allow, we also seek:
- Additional background checks (if available)
- A probation period before long-term responsibilities are given
- We do not employ anyone who is known to pose a risk to children.
All staff and approved volunteers are expected to follow these basic guidelines:
Respect and Dignity
- Speak to children in a calm, respectful way, even when correcting them
- Never use insulting, shaming, or threatening language
- Respect children’s personal space and boundaries
Physical Contact
- Appropriate, limited physical affection is permitted
- No rough, harmful, or sexually suggestive contact is ever allowed
Discipline must be:
- Fair and proportionate
- Focused on teaching, restoration, and safety
Supervision and Boundaries
Staff do not spend extended time alone with a child behind closed doors
Sleeping areas are separate by gender and supervised appropriately
Staff do not share beds or sleeping spaces with children
Any breach of these expectations is treated seriously.
We welcome appropriate visits, but children’s safety comes first.
All visitors must:
- Be approved in advance (no unannounced visits)
- Agree to our visitor guidelines before meeting the children
- Remain under staff supervision while on the property
- Avoid private contact with children
- Refrain from giving personal contact details directly to children
- Not promise children money, travel, or adoption
Photography & Social Media
Visitors must:
- Ask permission before taking photos
Avoid posting identifiable photos of children online, especially with:
- Names
- Specific location tags
- School names or uniforms that identify the home or city
- If there is any doubt, visitors should not post images of children.
Children must know that it is safe to speak.
We aim to:
- Encourage children to express concerns and feelings to trusted adults
- Ensure they know they can approach multiple staff members if something is wrong
- Take every concern or complaint seriously, regardless of who is involved
- We do not punish or shame children for speaking up.
If there is any concern about a child’s safety or about the behavior of staff, visitors, or other children, we will:
Listen carefully and calmly to what is reported
Record the information as accurately as possible
Inform leadership promptly
Act in line with Nepali law, which may include:
Informing relevant authorities
Cooperating fully with any investigation
Temporarily or permanently removing a staff member or volunteer from duty while concerns are investigated
Our guiding priorities are:
The safety and wellbeing of the child
Full cooperation with legal and child-protection structures
Fair, careful handling of information and people involved
We do not cover up, minimize, or ignore safeguarding concerns.
There is an easy access phone and number posted on the premises for the children's use, should any serious problem arise in the home.
We are careful with what we share about the children.
- We often use changed names or initials in public materials
- We avoid sharing exact location details, full legal names, or sensitive family history online
- We choose photos that do not easily identify the children’s location or school
Supporters can help by:
- Not reposting sensitive information
- Not sharing children’s stories with full details on public platforms
- Asking permission before using any material related to the home
- Our goal is to protect each child’s future, not just their present.
Blessed Children’s Home operates under a registered Nepali NGO and is subject to:
- Annual financial audits by certified auditors
- Renewal and reporting requirements set by government offices
- Social audits, where community representatives and local officials review how funds are used and how the home is run
- We cooperate with inspections, reviews, and any official checks related to child protection and welfare.
Safeguarding is not a one-time task.
We are committed to:
- Regularly reviewing and strengthening our policies and practices
- Learning from feedback, inspections, and external guidance
Training staff in:
- Child development and trauma awareness
- Appropriate boundaries and communication
- How to recognize and report concerns
- We know we are not perfect, and we are always seeking to do better for the children entrusted to us.
If you are a visitor, supporter, or partner and you ever have a serious concern related to child safety at Blessed Children’s Home, you should:
- Contact us directly via WhatsApp or the contact form on this website
Share:
- What you observed or heard
- When it happened
- Who was involved, as clearly as you can
- We will respond as quickly as possible and handle your concern with seriousness and discretion, always putting the child’s wellbeing and the law first.
Children are the most vulnerable people in our care.
Everything else in the ministry must serve this one, foundational priority: to keep them safe, respected, and protected as they grow.