Safeguarding & Child Protection

In line with international school best practice, AIS Vienna maintains strong child protection policies and procedures.

AISV fully recognizes its moral and legal duty to promote and uphold the right of every child to be protected from harm, abuse, and exploitation. The welfare of students is our overriding focus. AISV aims to provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the holistic development of the individual child or young person. All adults, including temporary staff, administrators, faculty, volunteers and Board members, have a full and active part to play in protecting children from harm.

AISV has adopted the definition of child abuse and neglect as defined by the World Health Organization: “Child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill‐treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment [including failure to act to prevent harm] resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.”

AIS Vienna Staff members are regularly trained about child and young people protection and their responsibilities therein.

Additionally, AIS Vienna runs complete reference and background checks permitted under law as a precondition of employment. Background checks include proof of lack of police records from each country of residence in the previous 10 years. AIS Vienna completes new background checks of all current employees every five years. A written record is maintained in each personnel file to document that the checks have been completed.

The Director reviews this Child Protection Policy annually for compliance and effectiveness, and the results of this review are reported to the Board.

It is our collective attention to shared ethics of responsibility, accountability, and student success which supports The American International School Vienna as a safe, remarkable place for students, families, and staff.