(In accordance with the Protocol on School Response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect and the International School Code of Conduct) “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 011/2024 of 14 February 2024.

Enters into force on 22 February 2024.

Pursuant to Article 111, paragraph 13 of the Law on the Foundations of the Education System (“Official Gazette of RS”, Nos. 88/17, 27/18 – other law, 10/19, 6/20, 129/21 and 92/23) and Article 17, paragraph 4 and Article 24 of the Law on the Government (“Official Gazette of RS”, Nos. 55/05, 71/05 – correction, 101/07, 65/08, 16/11, 68/12 – CC, 72/12, 7/14 – CC, 44/14 and 30/18 – other law), and on the basis of the Rulebook on the Protocol of Procedures in Educational Institutions in Response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect, International School adopts its own Protocol on Procedures in Cases of Violence, Abuse and Neglect as an annex to the Rulebook on Measures, Methods and Procedures of Protection and Safety of Students of August 2025.

The aim of this Procedure is to define a clear protocol of conduct and institutional action in situations of violence, abuse and neglect of students, employees, parents/guardians and third parties within the school environment.

Team for the Prevention of Violence, Abuse and Neglect

International School has established a special Team for the Prevention of Violence, Abuse and Neglect, as the school’s official body responsible for the identification, response, monitoring and prevention of situations that may endanger the safety, dignity and wellbeing of students, employees and other participants in school life.

Purpose and Responsibilities of the Team

The Team performs the following tasks:

prepares the protection programme and plan for students in line with the specificities of the school, as well as measures for improving protection based on situation analysis;
assesses incidents at the second and third levels of violence and participates in drafting the student protection plan / enhanced educational support plan;
informs students, employees and parents about planned activities and available forms of support and assistance;
participates in training and projects aimed at developing staff competencies for prevention and intervention in situations of violence, abuse and neglect;
proposes prevention and protection measures, organises consultations and participates in risk assessment and decision-making in cases of suspected or reported violence, abuse or neglect;
involves parents in preventive and intervention measures and activities;
monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of measures undertaken and submits recommendations to the Principal;
cooperates with professionals from other competent authorities, organisations, services and media to ensure comprehensive protection of students;
maintains and stores documentation in the electronic archive and in hard copy with official signatures and stamps;
reports to the school professional body and the school governing body.

Composition of the Team

The Team for the Prevention of Violence, Abuse and Neglect consists of:

Tamara Ćeranić – Team Coordinator (School Exam Coordinator, teacher and pedagogue with experience, homeroom teacher, mentor)
Dušanka Anđelović – School Pedagogue, experienced in working with students and parents, school life organisation and extracurricular activities
Lara Filipović – School Psychologist, with extensive experience in providing support to students
Aleksandra Strugar – Timetable Coordinator, with long-standing experience in teaching and organisational work at the school
Nadežda Šućur – Teacher with experience in school organisational processes and teaching implementation
Tatjana Vilček – Principal of the School

Levels of Violence in Accordance with the Official Protocol and the International School Code of Conduct

International School applies a Code of Conduct that is reviewed annually and harmonised with the official Protocol for the prevention of violence, abuse and neglect.

The Protocol distinguishes three levels of violence, according to the severity of consequences, frequency and intent.

Level I – Lower-Intensity Violence

Examples of physical violence: pushing, light hitting, pulling hair, pinching, scratching, throwing objects without intent to cause serious injury.

Examples of psychological violence: mocking, humiliating, teasing, name-calling, insulting, spreading rumours.

Examples of social violence: excluding someone from the group, emphasising and favouring differences, intentional ignoring.

Examples of sexual violence (lower intensity): inappropriate comments, gestures of sexual connotation.

Digital violence: sending disturbing messages, offensive comments on social media.

Note: If Level I behaviour is repeated, it shall be treated as Level II violence.

Level II – Moderate Violence

Physical violence: slapping, stronger blows, pushing with intent to injure, taking away or destroying personal property, locking someone in or physically preventing movement.

Psychological violence: blackmailing, threats, manipulation, unjustified punishment.

Social violence: organised exclusion of a student from the group, exploiting or manipulating social position in the group.

Sexual violence: inappropriate touching, showing pornographic content.

Digital violence: publishing videos or photos with the intent to humiliate, offensive posts aimed at damaging someone’s reputation.

Level III – Severe Violence

Physical violence: serious physical injuries, attack with a cold or dangerous object, placing a person in a state of physical endangerment.

Psychological violence: continuous and serious intimidation, coercion and extortion.

Social violence: organised group violence against an individual.

Sexual violence: coercion into a sexual act, abuse of authority, situations with elements of a criminal offence.

Digital violence: threats to life and safety via electronic networks, misuse of content for blackmailing purposes.

Level III violence is treated as a serious violation of the law. Competent authorities are involved (Centre for Social Work, police, public prosecutor’s office).

Note

Violent behaviour at Level III may be treated as a serious breach of obligations and a violation of legal prohibitions, depending on circumstances (consequences, intensity, frequency, participants, time, place, method, etc.), as assessed by the Protection Team and the Principal.

In school premises and during extracurricular activities organised by the school, repeated minor breaches of obligations are treated as more serious violations in accordance with the law regulating student standards. Educational and disciplinary proceedings are conducted in accordance with the law, the School Code of Conduct and this Procedure.

International School distinguishes between minor and major breaches of the Code of Conduct committed by students/teachers/parents.

Minor Breaches of the School Code of Conduct

A minor breach exists, for example, when a student:

does not respect decisions of the School’s competent bodies, the Code of Conduct or other general acts of the School;
fails to follow instructions or requests of the homeroom teacher, subject teacher or other school employee;
refuses to wear the school uniform in school premises or at other places where teaching and learning take place;
comes to school or to other places where educational activities are conducted inappropriately dressed, untidy or neglecting personal hygiene;
behaves rudely, aggressively or disrespectfully towards other students, teachers, professional associates, employees or other people in the School or at any place where school activities are organised;
fails to safeguard school property or the property of other organisations during school trips, excursions or off-site classes;
intentionally damages the school building, premises, furniture, installations and equipment, or commits vandalism in the school and school yard;
fails to protect from damage or intentionally appropriates the property and personal belongings of other students, teachers or employees;
neglects personal hygiene and neatness, as well as the cleanliness and neatness of school premises;
eats and drinks in classrooms or corridors instead of in the canteen;
enters the staff room and other official premises without being invited or allowed;
stays in corridors or other premises during lessons;
intentionally avoids oral or written assessments by seeking unnecessary help from professional associates or other teachers;
throws litter in school premises, the yard or in the vicinity of the school;
posts, removes, moves or rotates posters or notices without permission or interferes with monitors displaying school information;
unjustifiably refuses to participate in school-organised activities (public events, community service, initiatives, events, etc.);
leaves school premises during class, lunch or long break without the consent of parents or teachers;
smokes in school premises or in places where smoking is prohibited by law, including electronic cigarettes;
refuses to observe safety measures during classes, excursions, fieldwork or other school activities;
misuses medical certificates or other documents to justify absence from school;
is not in class and ready when the lesson starts, arrives late or leaves class before the end;
behaves undisciplined in the classroom and other school premises during lessons, tests or any other educational, sports or cultural activities;
brings laser devices, mobile phones or other electronic devices that may disturb classes or damage school equipment;
uses a mobile phone, iPad or laptop for activities not planned by the lesson;
does not attend classes regularly and has 10 unjustified absences during the school year;
violates the provisions of the School’s Plagiarism and Copyright Policy;
through gross negligence, damages the school’s ICT resources used for educational purposes;
indirectly participates in activities that lead to damage of the School’s ICT resources;
jeopardises or attempts to jeopardise electronic communication by disabling or disrupting the School’s ICT resources;
deliberately damages or destroys the School’s ICT resources;
plans to disable, damage or destroy ICT devices used by the School;
conceals damage, disabling or destruction of ICT devices;
jeopardises learning and communication platforms (Student Platform, Distance Learning Platform, Teacher Platform, UIS, etc.);
endangers information security: uses platforms without authorisation, stores digital data negligently, shares data without permission, uses them to cheat or appropriates others’ data as their own;
uses group email addresses without permission;
publishes content that discredits, mocks or humiliates teachers, students, employees or the reputation of the School;
impersonates another person in electronic communication;
uses unauthorised methods to access information, interferes with Wi-Fi signal, disables devices or compromises network cryptographic security.

Major Breaches of the School Code of Conduct

A major breach exists when a student:

destroys, damages, conceals, alters or inserts data in school records;
alters or inserts information in an official public document issued by the School;
destroys or steals the property of the School, a company, entrepreneur, student or employee;
uses or possesses alcohol, narcotics or other psychoactive substances, or encourages or gives them to another student;
brings weapons, pyrotechnics or other dangerous items into the School;
behaves in a way that physically or psychologically endangers their own safety or the safety of others during classes or off-site school activities;
uses electronic devices to violate others’ rights or cheat in the assessment process;
has more than 25 unjustified absences in the school year (of which 15 after written warning to parents);
repeatedly commits minor breaches during the school year.

In the event of three minor breaches, the homeroom teacher is obliged to file a Report on a major breach in accordance with the School Code of Conduct.

Measures Applied According to Levels of Violence at International School

Students are accountable for breaching the following prohibitions:

prohibition of discrimination;
prohibition of violence and abuse;
prohibition of discriminatory behaviour, shaming, humiliation or violation of personal dignity.

International School implements measures to ensure that the educational process runs smoothly from an academic, social, behavioural and emotional perspective, and that every person actively involved in the educational process is protected in terms of dignity and wellbeing.

Educational and Disciplinary Measures

Warning by the homeroom teacher or mentor;
Written warning issued by the homeroom teacher in the form of an Incident Report for minor breaches;
Consultation with the school counsellor;
Written warning issued by the homeroom teacher in the form of an Incident Report for major breaches;
Disciplinary proceedings with the Team for the Prevention of Violence, Abuse and Neglect and the Principal;
Voluntary or humanitarian service;
Temporary suspension of the student with the obligation to attend classes via the Distance Learning platform;
Expulsion from school.

In line with the new Protocol of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, the school has formed a Team for the Prevention of Violence, Abuse and Neglect as an additional school body that supports teachers and the school counsellor and pedagogue in adequate interventions. The new procedure of acting in cases of minor and major breaches is explained below.

Intervention by the International School Prevention Team According to Levels of Violence, Abuse and Neglect

It is of utmost importance that all levels of violence or breaches of the School Code of Conduct are documented in writing. If a student behaves inappropriately in any way that constitutes a breach of this document, parents must be informed in written form, not only by phone calls or informal SMS/MMS messages.

To support the homeroom teacher and the International School Prevention Team, the protocol to be followed in case of minor, major or violent behaviour is described below.

In Cases of Level I Violence

At Level I of violence, abuse or neglect, the homeroom teacher assesses the situation and undertakes actions independently, in cooperation with the parent, through enhanced educational work with the class community, a group of students or individually. The homeroom teacher may consult the school psychologist/pedagogue for support if needed.

In exceptional cases, if violent behaviour is repeated, if enhanced educational work has not been effective, if consequences are more serious, if there is group violence and abuse against an individual or if the same student repeatedly suffers violence and abuse, the homeroom teacher involves the International School Protection Team. Based on available information, the Team assesses the level of violence and undertakes further actions.

The homeroom teacher is obliged to follow the International School Code of Conduct and, using the list of minor breaches and the measures for the prevention of violence, abuse and neglect from this document, issues a Guidance on a Minor Incident to the student(s) concerned.

In Cases of Level II Violence

At Level II, teachers, in cooperation with the International School Protection Team and with obligatory participation of the parents of the students involved, work on developing enhanced educational support and may propose the initiation of educational and disciplinary procedures.

At this level, the homeroom teacher initiates a meeting with the International School Prevention Team and personally sends an official email informing the Team about the situation and requesting consultation and monitoring of measures.

In Cases of Level III Violence

At Level III, measures are undertaken primarily by the Principal with the International School Protection Team, with mandatory involvement of parents and competent authorities and organisations (Centre for Social Work, health services, police, public prosecutor’s office and others). At this level, educational and disciplinary proceedings must be initiated.

The International School Protection Team assesses whether it is necessary, during the educational and disciplinary procedure, to remove the student from direct participation in teaching and other educational activities for a minimum of five working days, and at most until the end of the educational procedure, taking into account risks, the student’s past behaviour and imposed measures, consequences and circumstances of the situation, safety, age and developmental characteristics of the child, etc.

For third-level peer violence, the Principal immediately initiates educational and disciplinary procedures against the student(s), no later than within two days from the day the school becomes aware of the incident. The Principal informs the parent or other legal representative no later than the next working day.

In these procedures, the student, in the presence of a parent or other legal representative and all other participants and witnesses, must be heard and provide a written statement. If the parent or other legal representative, who has been duly informed, does not respond or refuses to participate, the Principal immediately appoints a psychologist or pedagogue, no later than the next working day, to represent the best interests of the student, and informs the Centre for Social Work accordingly.

The educational and disciplinary procedure is concluded, after enhanced educational work with the student, by issuing a decision within 30 days from initiation. Before the decision is made, all relevant facts must be established. The measures applied to the student also depend on the results of enhanced educational work and any positive behavioural changes.

Measures of the Prevention Team and the Principal

In addition, the International School Protection Team assesses whether it is necessary to suspend a student – that is, to remove them from participation in other forms of educational and non-educational activities – when educational and disciplinary procedures are initiated due to serious breaches of obligations related to possession, encouragement, assistance, giving or using psychoactive substances (alcohol, drugs, nicotine products), as well as bringing weapons or pyrotechnic devices into the school or to another place where the safety of others may be endangered.

The role of the International School Protection Team is to gather all facts relevant for the treatment and qualification of the breach. The Team’s assessment is an integral part of the decision to remove the student from direct participation in educational activities.

Alongside the parents, the School informs the competent Centre for Social Work about the removal of the student, in order to coordinate actions and develop an enhanced educational plan for the student during the removal/disciplinary period.

During suspension, the student is still obliged to attend Distance Learning classes via the online platform so as not to miss lessons, and to communicate periodically with subject teachers, homeroom teacher and mentor when assistance is needed.

If, despite repeated notifications, the competent Centre for Social Work does not act, the institution informs the competent Ministry responsible for supervision of Centres for Social Work.

During the implementation of activities within the enhanced educational plan, the parent is responsible for ensuring the child’s regular participation in planned activities. After the student returns to school, enhanced educational work and monitoring continue in line with the plan.

Students younger than 14 years of age are neither criminally nor misdemeanour liable, and criminal or misdemeanour proceedings cannot be initiated against them for violence; instead, measures from the education, health and social protection systems are applied. When students are older than 14 years, they are considered criminally and misdemeanour liable. For these students, the school may inform the juvenile public prosecutor and the police, and activities are conducted under the jurisdiction of the education, health and social protection systems of the Republic of Serbia.

When violence between students occurs outside school premises, or at another location where the school conducts educational activities, after receiving information from external protection services, the International School Protection Team meets, analyses the situation in line with available information and may assess the level of violence. Based on the established facts, the Team proposes to the teacher an enhanced educational plan, taking into account: consequences of the event for the participants, the student’s previous behaviour at school and continuity of risky behaviour.

For a student who has suffered violence outside school premises or other locations where the school operates, the Protection Team proposes that the teacher prepare a student protection plan and, as needed, includes external protection services (Centre for Social Work, police, etc.). In the enhanced educational plan, the institution must involve the student’s parents and relevant external services supporting the student and family.

When a parent does not cooperate with the institution and recurrent student violence is present, the institution notifies the competent Centre for Social Work and applies measures under family or criminal law relating to parental responsibility. Lack of cooperation is documented through a table of parent meetings and action records in the school’s electronic portal. It is vital that records in the portal be up to date, with meeting dates entered in the comment section of each action.

When a parent commits violence, abuse or neglect against a child and their involvement in the process is not in the child’s best interest, the institution must involve the competent Centre for Social Work. If there is suspicion or knowledge of violence, abuse and neglect of children and students in the family, the Principal immediately notifies the public prosecutor’s office, the police and the Centre for Social Work, which act in accordance with the law.

If there is suspicion or knowledge that a student is involved in promoting, advocating or supporting ideologically motivated violence (violent extremism), the Principal convenes the Protection Team, which reviews the situation, decides on further measures within the school and informs the parents and competent public prosecutor’s office.

Whenever an employee is the perpetrator of violence, abuse or neglect against a child/student, the Principal undertakes measures against the employee in accordance with the law and ensures protection of the child.

Protection of Employees

When a student is the perpetrator of violence against an employee, the Principal is obliged to immediately inform the parents and the competent Centre for Social Work; to initiate educational and disciplinary proceedings and to impose educational and disciplinary measures, in accordance with the law, for students up to 14 years of age, and for students older than 14, in addition to the aforementioned actions, to also notify the competent public prosecutor’s office and the police.

In the case of defamation, damage to the reputation and dignity of an employee by a student, the measures and activities prescribed for the third level of peer violence shall apply.

It is of great importance to understand the elements of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia and how sanctioning measures are applied in cases of insult. For a better understanding of the law on insult to honour, dignity and threats, the following text serves as an annex and further explanation of what the Law stipulates.

When a parent or a third party is the perpetrator of violence against an employee, or when an employee is attacked, the Principal is obliged to report this to the police and the competent public prosecutor’s office, and when the parent is the perpetrator of violence, to inform the competent Centre for Social Work, within the time limit prescribed by law.

If the institution becomes aware that a parent or a third party is, on social media, disparaging, insulting, threatening or inciting violence against an employee, including against the professional role of the employee, the institution is obliged to inform the competent public prosecutor’s office within the time limit prescribed by law.

Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia on Insult to Honour and Dignity

A person’s statement or behaviour is insulting only when it objectively represents the belittling and degradation of another person. Therefore, it is not decisive whether the perpetrator intended to insult the other person, nor whether the other person experienced it as an insult, but whether such behaviour by the perpetrator, according to an objective assessment, constitutes an expression of disrespect for the dignity of the other person and of their humiliation.

According to criminal law theory, this assessment is made by the court, starting from the social understanding of the protection of honour and reputation, the norms and customs of the environment, as well as the circumstances under which the event occurred, the mutual relationship between the perpetrator and the person to whom the allegation refers, etc.

Thus, there is a violation of another person’s honour when the unlawful act causes a feeling of insult, harm and diminishes their reputation in society, which the court assesses according to general views at the given time and in the given social environment. The insult must be directed at a specific person, who may be clearly named in the statement, but it is sufficient that from the content of the statement or the behaviour of the perpetrator it can be unambiguously determined to whom it refers.

The criminal offence of insult exists when the insulting statement is addressed to the person concerned, or when such a statement is addressed to a third person but refers to the victim. Therefore, the insult must become known either to the person to whom it relates or to a third person. The definition of this criminal offence begins with the words: “Whoever…”, which means that the perpetrator can be any person. Guilt requires intent, i.e. that the perpetrator is aware that their statement or behaviour represents the belittling of another person and that it contains offensive content.

In addition, the Criminal Code prescribes special grounds for exemption from punishment:

If the injured party responds with an insult, the court may punish or exempt from punishment both parties or one of them.

It also prescribes grounds for excluding unlawfulness of the act:

“The perpetrator shall not be punished for the act if the statement was given as part of serious criticism in a scientific, literary or artistic work, in the performance of an official duty, journalistic profession, political activity, in the defence of a right or the protection of legitimate interests, if from the manner of expression or other circumstances it can be seen that they did not intend to belittle.”

Protocol for Responding to Violence, Abuse and Neglect

Steps in the International School protocol in cases of violence, abuse and neglect:

Verification of suspicion or detection of violence, abuse or neglect is carried out by collecting information – directly or indirectly.
Stopping the violence or abuse and calming the parties involved.
Notifying the homeroom teacher, the psychologist, the pedagogue and the Principal.
Notifying the parents by the homeroom teacher or the Principal (if the parents cannot be reached – the social services are notified).
Assessment of harm; if there is physical injury, the homeroom teacher or mentor calls 194 – Emergency Medical Service, and informs the parents that the ambulance has been called.
If physical violence cannot be stopped by teachers or school staff, the police must be notified, and parents of both parties informed that the police or social services have been called.
The psychologist remains with the injured/victim in a safe place within the school, away from the perpetrator.
The homeroom teacher or another teacher remains with the perpetrator.
Parents should accompany both parties involved in the incident either home or to another institution, if required by the police or emergency service.
If the parents are unable to be present at the scene, the psychologist or mentor safely escorts the child home.
After all parties leave the school, all involved persons write statements about their actions — the teacher, mentor, homeroom teacher and Principal; an additional written report is submitted to the school.
The Team for the Prevention of Violence, Abuse and Neglect convenes to assess further measures and procedures.
Measures and activities are implemented for all forms and levels of violence and abuse. A Student Protection Plan is created for the specific situation and level, for students who have experienced or witnessed violence and abuse.
An Enhanced Educational Plan is created for Level III cases — for students who committed, encouraged or passively supported violence. Both the Student Protection Plan and the Enhanced Educational Plan may be prepared for an entire class or educational group. The activities must be concrete, specific and clearly aimed at the behavioural change we want to achieve.
The Student Protection Plan / Enhanced Educational Plan includes: activities providing support to participants; activities aimed at behavioural change (enhanced educational work); work with parents; work with the class community; involvement of the student parliament and, if necessary, the governing body; responsible persons; timeline; and ways to ensure reintegration of all participants into the wider school community.
The institution monitors the effects of implemented measures and activities. It also monitors the involvement of parents and other competent authorities, organisations and services. The effects of the measures are monitored by the Ministry’s competent services.

Critical Situations

A crisis event is, in most cases, an unforeseen incident with potentially negative consequences. Such an event and its outcomes may cause significant harm to individuals who are directly or indirectly exposed to the crisis. Crisis events are characterised by the number of victims (injured or deceased), material damage, psychological reactions of individuals and/or the community as a whole, as well as the solidarity demonstrated in efforts to eliminate the consequences.

Crisis events include

Natural death of a child/student;
Attempted murder or murder of a child/student (within or outside the institution);
Attempted suicide or suicide of a student (within or outside the institution);
Natural death, suicide, or murder of an employee within the institution;
Traffic accident in which a child/student and/or employee is injured or killed;
Disappearance of a child/student;
Mass poisoning on the premises of the institution;
Notification of an explosive device planted in the institution or a terrorist attack;
Kidnapping;
Large-scale violence (mass fights, multiple homicides, terrorist attacks);
Technical and technological hazards (explosion, leakage, evaporation of toxic substances, fire);
Natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, fires, etc.);
An epidemic affecting the area/municipality where the institution is located;
Other crisis events, as defined by this regulation.

In the event that an emergency situation or state of emergency is declared, the institution acts in accordance with the rules prescribed for such circumstances.

The institution is obliged to continuously improve its procedures in order to ensure effective actions aimed at eliminating or minimizing the consequences of a crisis event, maintaining the organisation and functioning of the institution, and protecting the physical and psychological well-being of individuals.

Strengthening the institution’s resilience is based on the following principles:

Continuity
Collaboration
Availability
Efficiency

The institution establishes a Crisis Event Team within the Team for the Protection from Discrimination, Violence, Abuse and Neglect, as its mandatory component. The Crisis Event Team is formed with the aim of ensuring effective management of the institution in crisis situations. The institution’s action plan for crisis events is created as a mandatory and integral part of the overall protection programme against discrimination, violence, abuse and neglect, which forms a component of the school’s operational framework. Accordingly, the work plan of the Protection Team is included as part of the institution’s annual work plan.

The Crisis Event Team is formed when a crisis situation occurs and may include parents of students, members of the school board, other representatives of the institution, as well as members of the International School Prevention Team. The Principal directly coordinates the Crisis Event Team.

Coordination includes activities such as planning, organisation, cooperation with external protection networks, monitoring and evaluation.

Psychosocial support includes activities such as monitoring responses, assessing the need for psychosocial assistance, providing individual and group support, evaluating the need to involve a mobile crisis team, and, when applicable, collaborating with that mobile team.

Information management includes activities such as gathering, verifying, selecting and distributing information, as well as preparing official announcements.

Institution Procedures in the Event of a Crisis Situation

When the institution becomes aware that a crisis event has occurred, the Crisis Event Team is activated immediately, and no later than within 24 hours. The team is responsible for the following tasks:

Collecting data, assessing needs, and notifying the competent authorities;
Establishing cooperation with the external protection network;
Collaborating and coordinating actions with the mobile crisis intervention team;
Providing timely information to children/students, parents, employees, and the media about the event;
Ensuring psychosocial support for children, students, and employees.

Emergency Response Plan:

Data Collection, Needs Assessment, and Notification of Competent Authorities	The team collects information about the incident (a description of the event, the place and time it occurred), identifies who has been affected by the crisis event and what type of assistance they require, where they are located and in what condition, as well as what actions have already been taken by the institution. Depending on the type/form of the crisis event, the next step involves the immediate notification of the police, emergency services, the fire department, and any other relevant authorities/services. Staff members are required to follow the institution’s crisis response plan and, depending on the nature of the crisis, the evacuation plan as well. The Crisis Event Team informs the school’s Teaching Council and other relevant institutions.
Establishing Cooperation with the External Protection Network (Social and health services, police, public prosecutor’s office, local government units, mobile crisis team)	Based on the collected data, and with the obligation to immediately notify the external protection network, the institution assesses whether it can act independently or whether it requires assistance and support from external protection representatives. Together with them, it develops a unified action plan, procedures, and reporting methods. Depending on the form/type and the level of intensity of the crisis event, the institution determines which members of the external safety network need to be involved.
Cooperation and Joint Action with the Mobile Crisis Intervention Team	If the crisis event involves three or more injured or affected individuals, the Principal is obliged to immediately notify the relevant institutions in order to activate the intersectoral mobile crisis team, formed in accordance with the Protocol on Cooperation in Social Crisis Situations adopted by the Working Group of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, which provides the necessary support. When the mobile crisis team is engaged, the institution’s Crisis Event Team becomes an integral part of the mobile team. The school’s Crisis Event Team provides all necessary information to the mobile team and participates in joint planning, organisation, and implementation of psychosocial support. In cooperation with the mobile team, the institution’s team monitors and identifies children/students and employees who require assistance, and provides psychological support, first aid, and other necessary forms of support.
Timely and Clear Communication with Students, Parents, Staff, and the Media About the Event	The Principal appoints individuals responsible for preparing official informational documents for parents, students, staff, and the media. These announcements aim to ensure continuous communication with staff, parents, students, and the media, providing the most recent, verified, and accurate information received by the institution, in order to plan appropriate support and implement all necessary measures.
Psychosocial Support for Children, Students, and Staff	The crisis team monitors the reactions of students, parents, and staff, identifies those who require assistance, and organises the appropriate psychosocial support. When providing psychosocial support, psychological first aid is used as the primary intervention. Depending on the type, intensity, and consequences of the crisis event, the team assesses the need to involve representatives of the healthcare protection system to ensure adequate psychosocial support and/or to involve the intersectoral mobile crisis team for emergency situations.
Design and Implementation of the Institution’s Work Plan in Altered Conditions and Stabilisation of Operations	The Crisis Event Team, in cooperation with the institution’s relevant teams, creates an operational plan based on the adapted and revised work plan. The institution’s mode of operation must be adjusted to the consequences of the crisis event, as well as to the capacities and needs of students and staff, in order to ensure the continuation of all school activities immediately after the crisis. Additional rules within the work plan must include specific activities/measures the institution intends to implement, the responsible persons (executors) for each activity, the timeline, the method of implementation, and the methods of monitoring and reporting. When developing the plan, it is essential to take into account the type of crisis event, the number of individuals affected, the assessment of future risks, the reaction of the local community, and all relevant legal aspects.
Organisation of Possible Commemorations of the Event	In the case of crisis events with a fatal outcome, the team participates in organising and planning appropriate commemorations of the event.
Monitoring the Implementation of the Plan and Evaluation	It is necessary to monitor the implementation of the work plan (as part of the Protection Team’s operational plan) under the altered conditions, as well as the possibility of correcting or supplementing the plan depending on the assessed level, scope, and consequences of the crisis event and the actions taken. Every step of the protocol must be documented and recorded as an action log with corresponding dates.
Documentation Management and Reporting	The team is also required to maintain documentation on all activities undertaken in response to the crisis situation. A report on the institution’s actions must be submitted to the competent school administration no later than 15 days after the event.

Documentation, Analysis, and Reporting on Violence, Abuse, and Neglect

In carrying out preventive and intervention measures and activities, the institution:

monitors the implementation of the institution’s protection programme;
records cases of violence, abuse, and neglect at the second and third levels;
monitors the implementation of specific protection plans for the second and third levels;
involves parents in educational work in accordance with the type and level of violence, as well as in monitoring the effects of implemented measures and activities;
monitors the implementation of socially useful or humanitarian work;
monitors the implementation of the institution’s action plan in crisis events;
records crisis events;
analyses the situation and reports accordingly.

The homeroom teacher, or subject teacher, records incidents of first-level violence; supervises and evaluates the effectiveness of the measures and activities undertaken, as documented in the pedagogical records.

In cases requiring the involvement of the Protection Team (second and third level), all documentation (official notes and all other forms of record-keeping related to the individual, the event, and the measures taken) is maintained, stored, and analysed for the needs of the institution by the school psychologist or pedagogue, and, in exceptional cases, by another member of the Protection Team appointed by the Principal.

The Protection Team submits a report on the implementation of preventive and intervention activities twice a year.

The report on the implementation of the Violence Protection Plan forms an integral part of the institution’s annual report and is submitted to the school’s governing board and/or the competent school administration. This report also constitutes a component of the semi-annual and annual school reports.

International School

Šumatovačka 45

Beograd, Vračar

Tatjana Vilček

Principal

February 2024 – Updated October 2025.

Enrolment for class 2026/27 is underway! Click here to register »

Procedure for the Prevention of Violence, Abuse and Neglect