Child protection policy
Heartfire Books is an organization that holds all children regardless of faith, ethnicity, race, economic status, orientation, and ability in high esteem and with the utmost respect. As such, policies are in place to help children participating in Heartfire Books events to feel safe and protected.
The first measure Heartfire Books takes is to produce wholesome and enriching material that adds to the general welfare and good will in the world at large and in local communities. That does not mean that every book or activity has the same appeal to all audiences. It does mean that careful attention is given to the content and underlying message portrayed, and that such content is presented in a way that is uplifting to children of diverse backgrounds.
The second measure is the policy of safeguarding a child’s physical and emotional wellbeing through methods of protecting personally identifying information, hiring competent employees who have completed youth protection training, and most importantly ensuring that each interaction with a minor occurs with at least two responsible adults present.
The latter policy bears further explanation, and is as much for the protection of the child as well as the staff of Heartfire Books.
Beyond the standard implementation of COPPA (Child Online Privacy Protection Act), Heartfire Books conducts business with the following guidelines:
All direct communications is done through an authorized adult representative (ie: a parent or school staff member) when coordinating activities for youth. Communications such as emails or letters will be sent either directly to the staff or guardian, or in carbon copied format where a second responsible adult is included in all communications.
Any likenesses of a child obtained in a non-public setting will be used only with written authorization from a guardian or school administration.
All meetings (virtual or in-person) will only be conducted with a second responsible adult present with the participating minor. No exceptions. Not providing an adult during virtual or in-person visits will be considered a breach of contract. The event or activity will not proceed until an adult can be provided. Failure to provide adult supervision may result in a cancelled event and no refund will be issued.
If concerns arise regarding the safety and wellbeing of a child, that information will be directed to the proper authorities.
Should you have questions or concerns about the Heartfire Books child protection policy, you can direct those inquiries to [email protected].