Toybox knows how important it is for you to hear the stories of the children that you have supported – as well as those who are still living in danger, fear and poverty.
We know that it takes a great deal of courage for these children to share their stories with us and they trust us to tell them truthfully and sensitively.
This is our promise to you and the children we work with:
Before we share a child’s story, we will ensure that we receive full and informed consent from them and, if possible, their parent or main care giver. Part of this consent will be ensuring that they understand how we might share it, who we will share it with and how their identity will be protected. This consent should be written or documented where possible. In a situation where a child is unable to give their own consent (for example due to age or disability), then this will be obtained from their parent or main care giver. Children are able to withdraw their consent at any time and the process for this explained to them during the collection of the story.
- We will always tell a child’s story truthfully, without exaggeration or embellishment.
- We will only hold a child’s story for re-telling for a maximum period of five years. If we wish to use it after this time, permission will be re-sought.
- When we are telling a child’s story we will change the name we use, in order to protect their identity.
- We will not publish any information that could make a child’s location identifiable either from their story or any accompanying images.
- Where a child’s experience is such that using their image would make them more vulnerable, other, more abstract imagery will be used.
- We will never include details of a child’s story or use an image that does not protect the dignity of the child.