Help a Child is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and quality in all its programs. Because of that, we have extensive procedures and policies in place.
Codes and policies
Integrity
We expect everyone who represents Help a Child to comply with international law and to uphold the highest standards of integrity. Our integrity policy, aligned with the Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (IASC), includes our Code of Conduct (annex 1), our Child Safeguarding Policy (annex 2) and procedures on anti-fraud and corruption (annex 3), feedback, complaints and whistleblowing (annex 4) as well as regulations for confidential counselling (annex 5).
Help a Child Integrity Policy
Annex 1: Code of Conduct
Annex 2: Child Safeguarding Policy
Annex 3: Anti Fraud and Corruption Policy
Annex 4: Feedback, Complaints & Whistleblowing Procedure
Annex 5: Confidential Counselling Scheme
Child Safeguarding
Help a Child is committed to protecting children from harm and abuse. Our Child Safeguarding Policy, which is part of our Integrity Policy, describes our procedures to minimize risks and how to respond to child protection concerns in our organization. Within our Disaster Response Program, Help a Child has employed protection experts to carry out proper protection management, contextualize policies and to increase support for child protection within the project communities.
Child Safeguarding Policy – Help a Child
Help a Child declares to adhere to the internationally recognized child safeguarding standards, set out by Keeping Children Safe, to ensure that our organization does no harm through its activities, staff, partners, or volunteers. In 2021, Help a Child became a full member of the Keeping Children Safe Network.
Humanitarian Standards
Our organization adheres to the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. Help a Child is a signatory of the ICRC Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief. In conflict situations, the Code of Conduct will be interpreted and applied in conformity with international humanitarian law. Help a Child aligns its work to the nine commitments of the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), and is since 2022 a full member. A self-assessment, carried out in 2022, was approved for the coming two years until the end of 2024.
Financial Compliance
Help a Child complies with several requirements of tax authorities in both the Netherlands and countries where we have registered offices. In the Netherlands, we comply with ANBI, Erkend Goed Doel and with the accounting principles for charities in the Netherlands (RJ650). Our quality management system complies with the norm of ISO 9001:2018 which is audited by an external auditor. Also, see tab ‘Our Quality Management’.
Help a Child has several policies and procedures to manage its finances. This includes an anti-fraud and -corruption policy (part of our Integrity Policy), a procurement policy and a finance manual. The financial statements of each office are audited by an external auditor on an annual basis.
Safety & Security
Working in our field of expertise, especially in certain areas in the world, comes with risks towards our staff and our programs. Our policy describes our main safety and security principles, as well as the responsibilities of staff in various roles to contribute to a safe and secure international working environment.