By Dan Furness, CIS Head of Safeguarding and Wellbeing; Council of International Schools and Dr Leila Holmyard, International Safeguarding Researcher and Advisor

 

 

In 2018, the International Taskforce on Child Protection (ITFCP) developed a comprehensive managing allegations protocol in response to several high-profile child protection cases.

In 2024, they updated the protocol to reflect the current regulatory environment and up-to-date guidance, helping school leaders address allegations of abuse effectively.

In this post, we discuss the shift in language and terminology from ‘low-level concerns’ to ‘adult conduct concerns’ and the Taskforce's reasons for making this change.

 

Shifting our language from low-level concerns to adult conduct concerns

The Managing Allegations of Child Abuse by Educators and Other Adults Protocol for International Schools provides a framework for understanding adult conduct in schools and defines what constitutes an allegation.

While managing allegations can be challenging, they can be clear-cut and often require immediate action, usually under the direction of law enforcement or in alignment with legal obligations. The protocol offers comprehensive guidance for handling such situations and has been a valuable resource for schools worldwide.

One of the most complex, ongoing challenges facing international school leaders and safeguarding leads is how to address less serious (or less obvious) adult conduct concerns.

These concerns may involve breaches of normal practices or boundary-crossing behaviours that do not meet the threshold of harm and thus the criteria of an allegation. It is crucial to pay attention to adult conduct concerns, as they can indicate patterns of behaviour that require monitoring and action.

Example: In 2014, a serious abuse case highlighted the importance of monitoring what were then referred to as ‘lower-level’ adult conduct concerns.

A comprehensive case review revealed that concerns about the individual had been raised and, when taken together, formed a pattern warranting intervention. However, there was no tracking system in place at the time for making the pattern visible. 

Many international schools globally have since developed ‘low-level concerns’ policies and procedures to address adult conduct and log, track, and challenge behaviours before they escalate into allegations. This proactive approach helps set clear boundaries around adult behaviour in a school community.

It's also important to note that concerns may arise even from well-intentioned behaviours which inadvertently create a culture in which grooming can occur.

Example: Displaying student work on glass windows and doors. Well-meaning teachers may do this to celebrate student achievements.

However, in a school context where teachers regularly obscure windows and visibility panes in doors, this undermines their safeguarding purpose and reduces visibility. By allowing and normalising this practice, a school can inadvertently create a context in which someone seeking to harm children can block windows or visibility panes without being challenged.

Schools should therefore clearly state expectations in their code of conduct and take action to support teachers in understanding not only the expectations but also the reasons behind them. Violations of clear expectations, especially if repeated, should be taken seriously and addressed as adult conduct concerns.

 

Why change the terminology?

Some international schools have interpreted the term ‘low-level concerns’ as referring to student behaviour or to concerns about student welfare that do not meet the threshold of a child protection concern.

Logging low-level concerns about students in this way can help spot early signs of abuse or harm, and so we don’t want to discourage this in any way.

This, however, has led to confusion regarding adult conduct.

Schools may believe they have addressed low-level concerns in their policies and procedures when, in fact, they have not addressed concerns about adult conduct, leaving gaps in their safeguarding practices.

Further, the term ‘low-level concerns’ derives from the UK context and is not necessarily suited for all international schools, especially where translations are required.

 

What alternatives have we considered?

We have been considering alternative terms to reduce confusion and provide a plain-language approach to terminology which supports understanding and translation.

Terms like ‘boundary crossing behaviour’ and ‘misconduct’ have been considered, but these terms rely on clear boundaries being established, which is not always the case.

Other terms, like ‘unprofessional behaviour’, carry judgmental connotations that we want to avoid.

We want to encourage people to self-disclose if they have breached the code of conduct, and so it’s important to avoid judgment and instead build safety and trust.

 

Why have we chosen ‘Adult Conduct Concerns’?

Going forward, each International Taskforce on Child Protection founding association* will be using the term ‘adult conduct concerns’ because it is straightforward and non-judgmental. It clearly describes concerns about adult behaviour without implying allegations.

As in this blog, we will also use the term "low-level adult conduct concerns" as a bridging term to facilitate a smooth transition to the new terminology.

The term "adult" was carefully chosen to avoid confusion with student behaviour and to ensure that all adults in the school community, including volunteers, contractors, board members, parents, and interns, are included.

The term "conduct" focuses on observable behaviour that needs to be addressed. We want people to feel comfortable sharing their concerns about adult conduct.

Ultimately, international schools should use whichever term best fits their community, taking account of their school’s cultural, legal and linguistic context, as well as any shared understandings that may already exist around terminology.

The goal of the ITFCP in making this change is to ensure that resources and training use a common language that can be clearly understood across all international contexts.

This helps create a supportive community where people understand expectations and feel safe reporting concerns.

Success in this area can be measured by increasing the number of self-reported incidents and the trust people have in the system.

When developing policies on adult conduct concerns, we recommend that schools take the necessary time to create a supportive community where individuals feel safe reporting their own conduct or that of others. This trust in the system is crucial for effective safeguarding.

 

Resources

• A recording of the live webinar highlighting the points made in this article.

• CIS Perspectives Blog. 5 common questions about low-level concerns

• Farrer & Co, 2023. Developing and implementing a low-level concerns policy: a guide for organisations which work with children

 

*Founding Members of the International Taskforce of Child Protection (ITFCP)

• Academy of International School Heads
• Association for the Advancement of International Education
• Council of International Schools
• Council of British International Schools
• ECIS the Educational Collaborative for Schools
• International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children
• International Schools Services

Learn more about the ITFCP and its work.

 

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Key questions this post answers:

• Why is there a shift in language used by the International Taskforce on Child Protection from  ‘low-level concerns’ to ‘adult conduct concerns’?
• What are the risks of not proactively addressing adult conduct concerns related to child abuse, child protection and safeguarding in international schools?
• How should international schools implement and communicate the new terminology and existing guidance in the Managing Allegations of Child Abuse by Educators and Other Adults Protocol for International Schools?