This includes violence instigated by teachers or any adult member of staff working with children, Schmit stated.
According to the ombudsman, there is a lot of room for improvement in Luxembourg, which is why he presented several recommendations and guidelines.
The focus is on prevention, intervention, and mediation. For instance, Schmit proposes the introduction of a professional or deontological code for teachers, a confidential counsellor available to all young people in every building, a child protection officer, and clear procedures on reporting and how to react if an incident was reported.
It is not just about violence that could have criminal consequences, Schmit stressed, but about all forms of violence, some of which are still subject to social taboos or stigmata.
The ombudsman recommends that every school should give itself a child protection policy and appoint a child protection officer. Schmit thinks that similar to how every school has a security protocol in case of fire, the protocols and procedures in case of violence inflicted upon students should be just as clear.
The ombudsman’s recommendations also apply to facilities where students might spend their free time, such as sports clubs.
