Collaborative on Global Children's Issues

Child safeguarding is the responsibility of both organizations and individuals to ensure they do no harm to children. Across academic, program, and other field-based settings, researchers and staff often engage with children and other vulnerable populations. In the absence of clear safeguarding frameworks, these interactions can expose individuals to harm, even unintentionally.

Led by Senior Fellow Mattito Watson, this workshop will provide faculty, staff, and students with a practical, child-centered, and rights-based introduction to safeguarding children and other vulnerable populations. It will cover the distinction between child protection and child safeguarding, principles of child safeguarding (including prevention), conducting risk assessments, safe program design, codes of conduct, recognizing and responding to concerns, and survivor-centered responses and referral pathways. Through real-world examples and interactive discussion, participants will explore roles and responsibilities, common safeguarding risks, and strategies for fostering a culture of accountability and care aligned with Georgetown University’s values, global standards of child safeguarding, and “Do No Harm” practice.

This workshop will be in person and will not be recorded.