CHILD PROTECTION AND PARTNERSHIPS

Student safety and well-being is our highest priority in RETSD. All staff employed in RETSD must have clear criminal record and child abuse registry checks. They must disclose any new criminal charges or child abuse investigations as a condition of ongoing employment. See policy GCI — Employee Obligation to Disclose Criminal Charges and Child Abuse Investigations for more information.

RETSD staff follow the procedures outlined in the Reporting of Child Protection and Child Abuse: Handbook and Protocols for Manitoba Service Providers (2013) to identify, report, and manage suspected child abuse cases. Additionally, policy JLEB — Children in Need of Protection and associated regulation JLEB-R2 — Reporting a Child in Need of Protection guide our approach to reporting child welfare concerns. We also work closely with partners in the Winnipeg Police Service, various child welfare agencies, the legal system, and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. 

In addition, RETSD has a Code of Conduct for Child Protection that outlines behavioural expectations for all adults employed or volunteering in schools to ensure they are modeling safe and healthy boundaries and relationships with students. This includes how teachers communicate with students online. Failures to follow this Code are investigated and may result in disciplinary action. Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning has also created the Office of the Commissioner of Teacher Professional Conduct to review concerns about the professional conduct or competence of certified teachers and school clinicians. Find out more at Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning.