Safeguarding Policy

1. Our commitment

House of Amaezan works with people in vulnerable situations — including children, survivors of abuse and displacement, and people in recovery from addiction. We are committed to protecting every person who engages with our rehabilitation, safe space, and education programs from harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and to responding seriously, promptly, and confidentially to any concern raised — whoever it's about, and whoever raises it.

2. Who this applies to

This policy applies to all House of Amaezan staff, volunteers, board members, contractors, and anyone representing the organization while engaging with clients, program participants, or the communities we serve — regardless of seniority or length of service.

3. Definitions

• Child — anyone under the age of 18.
• Vulnerable adult — anyone whose circumstances (crisis, displacement, addiction recovery, disability, or dependency on our services) make them less able to protect themselves from harm or exploitation.
• Abuse — physical, emotional, sexual, or financial harm, or neglect, whether a single incident or a pattern of behavior.
• Exploitation — using a position of trust or power to take unfair advantage of someone we serve, including their labour, finances, or vulnerability.
• Safeguarding concern — any reasonable suspicion, disclosure, or observation that a person we serve has been, is being, or is at risk of being harmed.

4. Legal framework

This policy operates alongside Nigeria's child and adult protection legislation — including the Child's Rights Act, 2003 and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 — and any corresponding Delta State legislation. It does not replace legal reporting obligations; where a concern involves a criminal offence, we cooperate fully with the relevant authorities.

5. Our standards

• We have zero tolerance for abuse, exploitation, or harassment of any person we serve, by any staff member, volunteer, contractor, or representative.
• Staff and volunteers maintain appropriate professional boundaries with clients and program participants at all times — including outside of program hours and on personal social media.
• No staff member or volunteer works alone with a child or vulnerable adult without appropriate oversight, wherever program design allows it.
• Concerns are recorded, escalated, and acted on — never dismissed or handled informally, regardless of who is involved.
• Anyone who raises a concern in good faith is protected from retaliation, whether they are staff, a volunteer, a client, or a member of the public.

6. Screening & training

Anyone working directly with children or vulnerable adults is screened before starting (including references and, where available, background checks) and inducted on this policy before beginning program duties. Staff and volunteers in client-facing roles receive periodic safeguarding refreshers so this stays a living practice, not a document read once.

7. Reporting a concern

If you have a safeguarding concern about a House of Amaezan client, staff member, volunteer, or program — including anything you've witnessed, experienced, or been told — please report it as soon as possible:

• Email [email protected] with "Safeguarding" in the subject line, or
• Call +234 813 132 7055.

You can report anonymously if you prefer. If a child or adult is in immediate danger, please contact local emergency services first, then let us know.

8. What happens next

Every concern is reviewed promptly and confidentially by our designated safeguarding lead. Depending on the concern, this may involve engaging relevant authorities, temporarily suspending someone from program duties during a review, and providing support to anyone affected. We keep the person who raised the concern informed of the outcome where we're able to, within the limits of confidentiality owed to everyone involved.

9. Confidentiality & records

Information about a safeguarding concern is shared only with those who need it to assess and respond — never discussed casually or more widely than necessary. Records of concerns and how they were handled are kept securely and separately from general program records, for as long as needed to protect the people involved and meet our legal obligations.

10. Protection for whoever reports

Nobody will be penalized, demoted, excluded from services, or otherwise disadvantaged for raising a safeguarding concern in good faith — even if, after review, the concern turns out to be unfounded. Deliberately false reports made in bad faith are treated separately as a conduct issue.

11. Review

This policy is reviewed periodically by our board of trustees to keep it aligned with best practice and applicable law in Nigeria, and after any significant concern where a lesson can be learned.

12. Contact

[email protected] · +234 813 132 7055 · Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.