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Policy · Child safety, safeguarding and PoSH
Every child safe, supervised and heard.
This policy sets out how The Institute of Human-Centred Design keeps children and young people safe in every programme we run: HCD Labs in schools, residential immersions at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad, online sessions, and apprenticeships with partners. It also sets out how we prevent and respond to sexual harassment under the PoSH Act, 2013.
Who this covers
Everyone who works with our students.
The policy applies to every child or young person under 18 in an HCD Institute programme, and to every adult who works with them.
Our people
Staff, faculty and fellows
HCD Institute staff, faculty, fellows and the DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad faculty who teach on our programmes.
Volunteers
Mentors and scholars
Mentors, PhD scholars, jury members and volunteers, paid or unpaid.
Partners
Partners and vendors
Apprenticeship partners, programme agencies, transport operators and lodging providers.
This policy works alongside each school's own safeguarding policy and, on campus, IIT Hyderabad's rules. Where they differ, the stricter rule applies.
Our principles
What we stand by.
01
The child first
A child's safety and wellbeing come before any programme, schedule or partner.
02
Zero tolerance
No abuse, harassment, bullying or discrimination, in person or online.
03
Listen and act
Every concern is taken seriously, recorded and acted on the same day.
04
Never alone
Children are supervised at all times, and no adult is alone with a child behind closed doors.
05
Privacy
Concerns, records and children's data are kept confidential and shared only on a need-to-know basis.
Adults who work with children
Checked, briefed and accountable.
- Background-verifiedEvery adult working directly with children is background-verified before the programme, and their name and contact are shared with the school in advance.
- BriefedAll adults are briefed on this policy, on the no one-to-one-behind-closed-doors rule and on how to report a concern.
- Code of conductAdults sign our code of conduct: respectful language, no physical punishment, no gifts or favours, and no private contact with students outside the programme.
- Women adults for girlsGirls' cohorts are supported by a trained woman adult at all times; in residential programmes, a qualified woman counsellor stays with the group day and night.
- Group communicationAdults contact students only through group channels the school or parents can see, never through private messages.
On our programmes
Safe from arrival to departure.
These measures apply to school programmes and residential immersions at DIC Hub, IIT Hyderabad.
Supervision
Accounted for at all times
A buddy system pairs every student; headcounts at every session, visit and journey; no student leaves a session, building or visit alone.
On campus
IIT Hyderabad
A gated campus with controlled entry. The cohort list is shared with campus security in advance, and IITH's security, medical and welfare systems cover the group.
Workshops
Tools under supervision
Workshop and prototyping tools are used only after a safety briefing, and only under supervision.
Travel
Dedicated vehicles
Contracted vehicles with a registered operator, verified driver, GPS tracking and first-aid kit. Never public transport or app cabs; no unscheduled stops.
Lodging
Vetted stays
Licensed properties with 24-hour reception, CCTV in common areas and working fire safety; students grouped on their own floor, no visitors in rooms, night roll call.
Health
Ready for care
Medical history, allergies and emergency contacts collected before travel, with signed parental consent. Parents and school informed within the hour if a student is unwell.
Parents receive a daily update through the school's group, and every student signs a code of conduct before travel.
Apprenticeships and internships
Learning placements, never child labour.
- Learning, not employmentPlacements for students under 18 are structured learning experiences with a project and a mentor, in line with the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986.
- ConsentStudents under 18 take part only with the consent of a parent or guardian and, where it applies, their school.
- Vetted partnersPartners agree to this policy before they can offer a place, and name a supervisor for every placement.
- Supervised settingsOffline placements run in groups, at school, at DIC Hub or at partner sites; online sessions run on monitored, group channels.
Online, photos and data
Safe online, private by default.
- Online sessionsRun on group channels with at least two adults or a recorded, monitored session; no private video calls between an adult and a child.
- Photos and videoTaken and shared only with consent. We don't publish a child's full name, school and photo together.
- Children's dataCollected only when needed, with verifiable parental consent as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 requires, and kept securely.
PoSH Act, 2013
Zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
HCD Institute follows the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. It protects our staff, faculty, scholars, students and visitors at every place where our work happens, including classrooms, campuses, field visits, lodging, transport and online sessions.
01
Prevent
Everyone on our programmes is briefed on what sexual harassment is, and how to report it.
02
Report
A complaint can be made in writing to our Internal Committee, in confidence, at dic@hcd.institute.
03
Inquire
The Internal Committee inquires fairly and confidentially, and recommends action as the Act provides.
04
Protect
No retaliation against anyone who complains or helps an inquiry; interim protection while it runs.
On the IIT Hyderabad campus, the IITH Internal Committee under the PoSH Act also covers students, scholars and visitors, confidentially.
Report a concern
If you're worried, tell us today.
Anyone can raise a concern: a student, parent, teacher, partner or member of the public. You don't need proof; you only need to tell us.
01
Tell someone
Speak to the counsellor, any adult on the programme, or write to dic@hcd.institute with 'Confidential' in the subject.
02
Same-day escalation
The concern goes to the programme lead and the Child Safety & Safeguarding Committee the same day.
03
School and parents
The school and parents are informed, unless doing so would put the child at risk.
04
Authorities
Any suspected sexual offence against a child is reported to the police or Special Juvenile Police Unit, as the POCSO Act, 2012 requires.
| In an emergency | Number |
|---|---|
| National emergency number | 112 |
| Childline (children in distress) | 1098 |
| Police / ambulance | 100 / 108 |
Who is responsible
Child Safety & Safeguarding Committee.
A standing committee of HCD Institute oversees this policy and the handling of every concern raised.
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Chair | Dr Kawahya Tizhe |
| Members | Jacinta Bell · Mathew Sebastian |
We review this policy every year, and after any serious concern. Last updated: 28 October 2026.
Questions about this policy