British Council has launched a global Safeguarding Toolkit to help schools address rising risks linked to online safety, peer harm, and mental health concerns.
The toolkit will be rolled out across 207 British Council Partner Schools in Bangladesh, reaching nearly 50,000 students, the organisation said in a press release.
Developed with support from UNICEF, the toolkit aims to strengthen early identification of risks, ensure proportionate action, and promote consistent safeguarding practices in schools.
Global data highlight the scale of the challenge, with UNICEF estimating that around 150 million students aged 13 to 15 face peer-to-peer violence, while one in three internet users is a child exposed to online risks.
The World Health Organization estimates that one in seven adolescents lives with a mental health condition, often linked to safeguarding concerns in schools.
British Council Country Director in Bangladesh Stephen Forbes said, “Safeguarding cannot depend on individual instinct or isolated expertise, and clear roles, reliable recording, and consistent escalation are needed for early and proportionate action.”
UNICEF Child Protection Officer Almudena Olaguibel said, “Effective protection depends on systems rather than improvisation, and shared responsibility across school communities is essential as risks become more complex.”
The toolkit is designed as a practical resource for everyday use, supporting a whole-school approach that clarifies responsibilities, strengthens reporting and follow-up, and defines thresholds for action.
It also separates child safeguarding concerns from adult conduct risks, helping ensure accountability and appropriate response.
The framework is intended to support schools in addressing risks such as online grooming, harassment, coercion, impersonation, and artificial intelligence-generated abuse, enabling earlier intervention.
The toolkit will be rolled out across more than 2,500 British Council Partner Schools globally, reaching nearly 1.7 million students, with flexibility to adapt to local contexts while maintaining consistency.
British Council supports education and cultural exchange in more than 100 countries, working to expand access to international qualifications and learning opportunities worldwide.
