Safeguarding

“They (the true believers) give food, out of love for Allah, to the poor, the orphan and the slave, saying: We feed you only for Allah’s pleasure – we desire from you neither reward nor thanks.” (Quran 76:8 – 9).

At SKT Welfare, our overarching aim is to make long-lasting positive changes in the lives of those we serve. We are inspired by our Islamic values, and strive to address some of the World’s most pressing issues and serve those suffering the most. We want communities to be empowered, unified and compassionate. Children are at the heart of all communities and have been the core of SKT Welfare’s work over the past 11 years. SKT Welfare takes very seriously its responsibility to uphold the protection and rights of children by providing excellent safeguards from harm. 

Islam provides extra measures to protect vulnerable individuals. Human beings, in particular those who may be weak and vulnerable, like the elderly, women, people living with disabilities and children, are a special creation of Allah and are to be honoured and protected from any kind of abuse.

Allah (SWT) says: "Indeed We have honoured the Children of Adam (PBUH),” (Qur’an 17:70).

The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Every one of you is a Protector and Guardian for those who are placed under your care.” [Bukhari] The custodianship (amanah) is further emphasised with the command of not betraying the trust. Allah (SWT) says: “Betray not knowingly your amanah (things entrusted to you).” (Qur’an 8:27)

SKT Welfare believes that all children have a right to personal dignity and protection from abuse and recognises the special responsibility and duty of care it bears to create a safe environment for children within the projects and programmes it manages and supports.

At SKT Welfare, we are committed to protecting children from harm and abuse. All staff, volunteers and representatives accept and recognise their responsibility to provide an environment which promotes the safety of the child at all times and demonstrates the highest standards of behaviour towards children, in both their professional and personal lives. 

We have a robust Child Protection and Safeguarding policy in place in the UK, which is line with UK laws and regulations, and is used as a benchmark for our field offices and partner organisations. Due to different contexts, cultures and legal requirements worldwide, our field offices and partner organisations must have their own safeguarding policies and procedures in place of the same high quality as our own, in line with local laws and approved by SKT Welfare HQ. All staff, volunteers and anybody who may be engaging with our organisation is trained in up-to-date and relevant Child Safeguarding

We have an excellent orphan care programme supporting orphan children in Turkey and Palestine. In all our programmes areas, we have a robust reporting mechanism through which safeguarding suspicions and incidences can be reported and addressed. In Turkey, SKT Welfare is an active member of three UN clusters: UNOCHA Child Protection Cluster; the Gender-Based Violence Cluster and the general Protection Cluster.  All our staff receive regular training and sign a code of conduct adhering to all policies. Background checks are conducted on all staff prior to joining the organisation.

In our Springs of Hope Family Centre, we care for Shaam refugee orphans and their widowed mothers. Child safeguarding and protection is of paramount importance, and we strive to ensure all staff are thoroughly trained and equipped. We are comforted by the reduction in risk as children and mothers live in private family units throughout the centre. Children have a guardian, as well as members of staff they can reach out to support. 

At Springs of Hope, many of the children have suffered tremendously in Shaam. Our programme is dedicated to helping them build a safer, happier life, and so we create safe spaces and work with professionals to provide excellent psycho-social support. We also provide home-cooked meals to all children and mothers, and food nutrition is based on the guidance from SPHERE, which details the number of kilocalories and nutritional requirements. The Springs of Hope Family Centre has excellent facilities including large, fully furnished rooms, play areas, study rooms, a canteen and eating hall. We also have an on-site pharmacist for healthcare, and the children attend the best school in Reyhanli.

In Palestine, our orphan care model is that of providing monetary assistance and support to widowed families in their communities. Our staff who visit the families are trained in child safeguarding and protection, and will have been through a thorough recruitment process. We do regular assessments and visits to ensure that children are being cared for well and that the funds are being used appropriately. In Palestine too, a reporting procedure allows for any suspicions or allegations to be raised directly with SKT Welfare.

While are child-centric programmes are in primarily two countries, we respond to emergencies all around the world and are always striving to support more vulnerable people in need. Our existing systems and procedures enable us to support children with safety, respect and integrity anywhere in the World at any time. 

For more information please email: [email protected]