Lagos implements executive order on child protection

Lagos State Government yesterday said it has commenced implementation of the executive order recently ratified by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode which established the Lagos State safeguarding and child protection policy.
The Coordinator of Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT)  Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi who disclosed this to newsmen  said the executive order highlights the importance and priority which the state government placed towards protecting the lives of children.
According to her, it applies to all state government organisations, all schools, child centred institutions, orphanages and child related institutions located in the State, both public and private.
Vivour-Adeniyi said the state government was determined to implement the Executive Order to ensure the protection of children.
She said the need for the landmark engagement was crucial considering the fact that schools have resumed and there was need for key stakeholders such as principals, school administrators, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), public and private school guidance counsellors, evaluators and others, to become conversant with and abreast of the provisions of the policy.
Vivour-Adeniyi said, “The Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy must be used wherever services are provided for children and care givers are mandated to adopt a Child Protection policy in their respective institutions, nuanced to suit their respective peculiarities.
“The major aim of the policy is to provide clear direction for reporting disclosures of abuse and commitment to the development of good practice and sound procedures to keep children safe.
“The policy also ensures that child protection concerns are identified, referrals are handled sensitively, professionally and in ways that support the needs of the child’s wellbeing.”
The DSVRT Coordinator who sounded a very clear warning to all Child centred institutions both public and private, added that the state government would no longer tolerate negligence in ensuring the safety of children under their supervision.
She affirmed that failure to adopt and implement the policy would amount to both civil and criminal actions; copies of the policy in the form of booklets were being distributed in the state