Safeguarding international schools in Canada: country guide

Canada has no national ministry of education. Each province and territory runs its own school system and sets its own rules for private schools.

Most international schools in Canada are private or independent schools. Many teach the IB or another curriculum and hold CIS or other approval. Provincial law still applies to them in full.

Child welfare is also provincial. Reports go to the local child welfare agency, such as a Children's Aid Society in Ontario or the Ministry of Children and Family Development in British Columbia.

International schools across Canada must follow provincial education rules and local child protection laws. Accreditation from CIS or the IB gives good standards, but provincial laws must always come first.

Every province and territory has a law that requires adults to report a child who may need protection. In most places this duty applies to all adults, including educators and the wider community.

In Ontario, Section 125 of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 sets the duty. Teachers and others who work with children can be fined if they fail to report.

The duty is personal. A staff member must report directly and cannot pass the duty to the safeguarding lead. The lead can support the call and keep the record.

• Report directly: The person with the concern makes the call.
• Do not delay: Report as soon as there are reasonable grounds.
• Tell the lead: Inform the safeguarding lead after the call.
• Write it down: Record facts, times and the agency contact.

International schools in Canada educate students from diverse linguistic and national backgrounds. Children may speak English or French as an additional language.

When a pupil discloses harm, listen calmly and offer reassurance. Never promise secrecy, but confirm that the school will take their words seriously and arrange support.

Record the disclosure using the student's exact words immediately after the conversation. Note the time, date, location and visible emotions before delivering the file to the safeguarding lead.

• Attentive listening: Give the pupil time to speak without interruptions or judgment.
• Exact words: Record verbatim phrasing rather than personal impressions.
• No investigative questioning: Avoid asking leading questions or attempting to verify facts.
• Prompt delivery: Hand written notes to the designated safeguarding lead within one hour.

In Ontario, the Ontario College of Teachers registers teachers in publicly funded schools and handles complaints. Its public register shows each member and any discipline result.

Ontario employers must report to the College when they end or limit a member's duties for misconduct. Other provinces have similar bodies and rules.

For hires from abroad, check the teaching regulator in each country where the person taught. Our guide to prohibition order checks covers the UK side.

Schools in Canada ask staff to provide a police vulnerable sector check before work with children. It shows criminal records and some record suspensions for sexual offences.

The check only covers Canadian records. Staff who lived abroad also need police papers from each country. Our vulnerable sector check guide explains the steps.

Log each check on the single central record with the issue date, the checker and the renewal date.

Provincial school rules expect thorough checks for all teachers and school staff. Beyond the police check, schools must check identity, qualifications and past work history.

Contact past school employers directly to request references, asking clear questions about conduct and student safety. For overseas hires, collect police certificates from each country where they lived.

Maintain a staff code of conduct that clearly defines boundaries for physical contact, electronic messaging and one-to-one tutoring settings.

• Credential checks: Verify teacher licensing with provincial regulatory bodies.
• Verbal references: Speak directly with previous heads of school by phone.
• Overseas police checks: Collect official background checks from prior countries.
• Staff boundaries: Ensure all staff sign and follow the school code of conduct.

Private schools follow federal or provincial privacy law, depending on the province. Child protection law lets schools share facts with the agency when they make a report.

Under Canadian privacy rules, child protection files are sensitive personal data. Store digital records in secure databases and paper files in locked cabinets.

Keep safeguarding records apart from general student files. Limit access to staff who need them, and follow provincial rules on how long to keep them.

Schools must set clear rules for how long to keep child welfare files. When families move to new schools, make sure records transfer safely through official school channels.