Safeguarding international schools in Costa Rica: country guide

The Ministry of Public Education, or MEP, oversees all schools. Private schools need its approval, and many run an IB or US program next to the national one.

MEP also issues protocols for schools on abuse, bullying and violence. Ask your Head of School which protocols your school has adopted.

Many schools also hold CIS, IB or NEASC approval. Read how ITFCP international child protection standards fit with national law.

International schools in San José and across the country must follow MEP rules on child safety. Foreign curricula give good frameworks, but Costa Rican child protection law always comes first before school rules.

Yes. The Children and Adolescents Code, Law No 7739, says heads of schools must report suspected abuse of a pupil to the Public Prosecutor. Staff who fail to report can face legal action.

The duty to report covers teachers, leaders and school staff who suspect that a pupil has suffered abuse, neglect or harm. When a child is in immediate danger, you must call the police or child welfare body right away.

Do not delay while waiting for an internal school meeting. Tell your DSL the same morning so the school can support the pupil and log the case.

Schools also tell PANI, the national child protection agency, so it can protect the child. Compare this rule with other countries in mandatory reporting laws for international schools.

If a child is in danger now, call 911. Then follow your school plan and tell your DSL and Head the same day.

When concerns involve school staff or leadership, follow formal whistleblowing channels and notify designated board governors.

• 911: police, ambulance and fire, open all day and night.
• PANI: the national child protection agency, with a free line listed on its website.
• The Public Prosecutor (Ministerio Público): for reports of suspected crimes against a child.

Many international schools in the Central Valley of Costa Rica educate both local Costa Rican children and expatriate students from across the Americas.

When a pupil discloses abuse or neglect, listen attentively and reassure the child without making unrealistic promises of secrecy.

Write down what the child said using their exact words. Note the time, place and any visible marks or emotions. Hand your written notes to the DSL right after the conversation ends.

• Supportive listening: Reassure the pupil that speaking up was the right action.
• Careful notes: Record factual observations and exact pupil phrasing.
• No direct questioning: Do not cross-examine the child or solicit speculative answers.
• Prompt escalation: Deliver notes to the designated safeguarding lead within two hours.

Schools ask new hires for a criminal record certificate from the Judicial Branch. Costa Rica also keeps records of people convicted of sexual crimes against children.

The criminal record check is the Hoja de Delincuencia from the Judicial Branch. It shows any criminal record or active ban within Costa Rica. Candidates can ask for it online or at judicial offices across the country.

For staff from abroad, get police certificates from each country they lived in as adults. Speak directly to past school leaders by phone rather than relying only on written reference letters.

International staff come from many places, so collect police checks from every country they lived in. Call each referee and log each check on your Single Central Record. See safer recruitment for international schools.

Law No 8968 protects personal data in Costa Rica. The regulator is PRODHAB.

PRODHAB treats child protection files as sensitive personal data. Keep digital records private, lock paper files, and limit access to staff who need to know. Never share details about abuse with staff who are not part of the response.

Have clear rules for how long you keep safeguarding files. When a student moves to a new school, send confidential records safely through official leadership channels.

Train Spanish-speaking support, office and security staff in Spanish. Read why localised staff training matters.

This guide gives general information checked on 11 November 2026. It is not legal advice. Work through these steps in your first term with your Head and a Costa Rican lawyer.

• Find the local PANI office and the Prosecutor's office nearest your school.
• Check that your policy names who reports and how fast.
• Name a deputy DSL who speaks fluent Spanish.
• Add the Judicial Branch record certificate to your hiring checklist.
• Post 911 and the PANI line in Spanish and English around the school.