From August 2024 to April 2025, Maestral International worked with a global partner to promote child safeguarding practices among businesses and childcare providers in Jordan, Lebanon, and El Salvador by developing two practical training sessions on child safeguarding. The trainings were designed to be tailored and delivered in different markets to promote and support the implementation of internationally recognized good practices, including the UN Global Compact’s Children’s Rights and Business Principles.
Initially focused on trainings for businesses and childcare providers in Jordan and Lebanon, the project expanded to include El Salvador where the country’s enactment of “Ley Crecer Juntos” requires all businesses with 100+ employees to ensure access to Early Childhood Care Centers (CAPIs) for their employees with children under five years old.
Maestral developed half-day trainings for businesses and full-day trainings for childcare providers in Jordan and Lebanon, and a briefing for businesses in El Salvador. Following the trainings, 100% of participants across countries reported that their safeguarding knowledge and skills had improved as a result of the training. Participants shared key insights during and after the trainings. Many recognized the importance of improving recruitment and vetting procedures and ensuring all team members understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Others highlighted the need to embed safeguarding into daily routines and organizational culture, not just policies. These reflections underscored a strong commitment to action and a desire for practical tools to help implement change.
Along with the trainings, Maestral also developed safeguarding criteria for businesses and childcare providers that are rooted in international standards and good practices and can be adapted for other safeguarding settings. Materials are available to the partner’s teams working to advance access to quality, affordable childcare globally, and Maestral will start work in Sri Lanka to roll out a similar project.
Maestral’s project team comprised Leonora Borg (UK), Sirsa Qursha (Jordan), Nadia Badran (Lebanon), and Sully Santos (Guatemala). If you are interested in partnering with Maestral on similar safeguarding work, please contact Leonora Borg at lborg@maestral.org.