Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting for Algerian Schools (Loi 15-12)

Rationale

Algeria's Loi n° 15-12 du 15 juillet 2015 defines the enfant en danger and frames the reporting (signalement) of at-risk children as a duty extending beyond the family to those whose functions bring them into contact with children, a group that plainly includes teachers. The law creates the Organe National de Protection et de Promotion de l'Enfance and child-protection delegates, but reporting from Algeria-Watch indicates some textes d'application remained pending years after enactment, leaving the school-level reporting pathway unevenly operationalised. This gap between statutory duty and classroom practice gives the course high training value. Teachers who fail to recognise or report a child in danger risk disciplinary consequences under the statut particulier (Decree 25-54) and the general civil-service statute (Ordonnance 06-03), while children remain unprotected. The course maps directly to the formation-continue duty under Article 78 of Law 08-04 and to the professional-obligations strand of the titularisation and promotion pathway.

Part I: Foundations (Lessons 1-4)

Lesson 1. The child in danger (l'enfant en danger) in Algerian law

The course opens with the statutory definition of the enfant en danger as established by Loi 15-12. Participants examine the precise conditions that trigger protective intervention: physical or psychological maltreatment, neglect, deprivation of care, sexual abuse, and exposure to violence or exploitation. The lesson distinguishes the enfant en danger from the broader category of the child at risk and clarifies that the law's protective reach extends to any child whose health, safety, or moral development is compromised. Participants read the relevant articles of the statute and discuss case examples drawn from Algerian school contexts, identifying which situations meet the legal threshold for action. By the end of the lesson, participants can state the legal definition of the child in danger, list the categories of harm recognised by the statute, and distinguish reportable situations from those that require other forms of school-based support.

Lesson 2. Who must act: the reach of the reporting duty

This lesson establishes that the reporting duty under Loi 15-12 extends to all persons whose functions bring them into contact with children, a category that unambiguously includes teachers, school directors, supervisors, and all school staff. Participants analyse the statutory language that creates this obligation and discuss why the law frames reporting as a duty rather than a discretionary act. The lesson addresses common misconceptions: that reporting requires certainty of harm, that a teacher must first consult a superior, or that the duty applies only to designated child-protection officers. Participants examine the consequences of failing to report, including disciplinary liability under the statut particulier and the general civil-service statute. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify themselves as duty-bearers under the law, explain why the duty is non-delegable, and describe the legal consequences of non-compliance.

Lesson 3. The national child-protection architecture

Participants learn the institutional structure created by Loi 15-12 to receive and process reports of children in danger. The lesson covers the Organe National de Protection et de Promotion de l'Enfance, its mandate, and its relationship to child-protection delegates at the wilaya level. Participants map the referral pathway from the school to the competent authority, distinguishing between urgent situations requiring immediate contact with law enforcement or judicial authorities and non-urgent situations that follow the administrative signalement route. The lesson acknowledges that some implementing texts of the law remained pending according to reporting from Algeria-Watch, which affects how operational the pathway is in practice. Participants discuss strategies for working within the existing system while advocating for fuller implementation. By the end of the lesson, participants can describe the national child-protection architecture, identify the correct authority for different types of concern, and navigate the referral pathway despite gaps in implementation.

Lesson 4. Recognising physical abuse and neglect

This lesson builds participants' capacity to identify indicators of physical abuse and neglect as defined by Loi 15-12. Participants study the statutory categories of maltreatment and deprivation, then examine observable signs: unexplained injuries, patterns of bruising, burns, fractures inconsistent with the child's developmental stage, poor growth, inadequate clothing or hygiene, and repeated absences from school without explanation. The lesson emphasises that teachers are not diagnosticians but observers who document what they see and report concerns. Participants practise distinguishing between accidental injuries and those that raise suspicion, using case photographs and written scenarios drawn from Algerian school settings. The lesson stresses the importance of recording observations factually, without interpretation or speculation. By the end of the lesson, participants can recognise common indicators of physical abuse and neglect, document observations accurately, and determine when the threshold for reporting has been met.

Part II: Core Practice (Lessons 5-10)

Lesson 5. Recognising emotional harm

Participants examine the statutory category of emotional and psychological harm under Loi 15-12, which includes sustained verbal abuse, humiliation, isolation, exposure to domestic violence, and the deliberate undermining of a child's self-worth. The lesson addresses the particular difficulty of recognising emotional harm because it leaves no physical marks and often occurs behind closed doors. Participants study behavioural indicators that may signal emotional harm: withdrawal, extreme anxiety, aggression, developmental regression, self-harm, or a marked decline in academic performance. The lesson emphasises that emotional harm frequently co-occurs with other forms of maltreatment and that teachers who notice a pattern of concerning behaviour should report even when physical evidence is absent. Participants practise documenting behavioural observations in a manner that meets the evidentiary standards of the signalement pathway. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify indicators of emotional harm, distinguish them from ordinary developmental or behavioural challenges, and document concerns appropriately.

Lesson 6. Corporal punishment and the school's duty

This lesson addresses the prohibition of corporal punishment in Algerian schools and the teacher's obligation to model non-violent discipline. Participants examine the relevant provisions of Loi 15-12 and Law 08-04 that establish the school as a safe environment and the teacher as a protector of children's dignity. The lesson distinguishes between lawful disciplinary measures (such as verbal reprimands, loss of privileges, or detention with supervision) and unlawful physical punishment, including slapping, hitting, shaking, or forcing a child into painful positions. Participants discuss the cultural and institutional factors that have allowed corporal punishment to persist in some schools despite the legal prohibition, and they develop strategies for promoting positive discipline among colleagues. The lesson also covers the teacher's duty to report colleagues who use corporal punishment, framing this as a protective obligation rather than an act of disloyalty. By the end of the lesson, participants can state the legal prohibition on corporal punishment, distinguish lawful from unlawful discipline, and describe their duty to report violations.

Lesson 7. The signalement pathway, step by step

Participants learn the procedural steps for making a report of a child in danger under Loi 15-12, from the initial identification of concern to the formal submission of the signalement. The lesson covers: whom to contact within the school (director, child-protection delegate if one exists), what information the report must contain (the child's identity, the nature of the concern, the factual basis, any immediate risk), and to which external authority the report is directed (the child-protection delegate at the wilaya level, the judicial authority, or law enforcement in urgent cases). Participants work through a simulated case from first observation to completed report, practising the documentation and communication steps. The lesson acknowledges that some implementing texts of the law remained pending per Algeria-Watch reporting, which means the pathway may require adaptation in some wilayas. Participants discuss how to proceed when the formal pathway is unclear or unresponsive. By the end of the lesson, participants can execute the signalement pathway from identification to submission, adapt to local implementation gaps, and maintain appropriate records.

Lesson 8. Documentation that holds up

This lesson teaches participants to write factual, dated, non-speculative records of concern that will withstand scrutiny by the child-protection authorities, the inspectorate, and potentially the courts. Participants learn the difference between observation and interpretation: recording what the child said or what the teacher saw, rather than what the teacher concluded. The lesson covers the essential elements of a good record: date and time, exact words used by the child (in quotation marks), description of physical signs (location, size, colour, pattern), names of witnesses, and any action already taken. Participants practise converting vague or interpretive notes into precise, factual records. The lesson also addresses confidentiality: records must be stored securely and shared only with those who have a legal need to know. By the end of the lesson, participants can write a factual, defensible record of concern, distinguish observation from interpretation, and manage records in compliance with confidentiality requirements.

Lesson 9. Confidentiality and the child's best interest

Participants examine the tension between the duty to share information for child protection and the duty to protect the child's privacy and dignity. The lesson establishes that confidentiality under Loi 15-12 is not absolute: the child's best interest and the protective purpose of the law justify sharing information with the competent authorities on a need-to-know basis. Participants learn what information can be shared, with whom, and under what circumstances. The lesson covers the prohibition on discussing a child's case with colleagues who have no role in the protection process, with other parents, or in community settings. Participants practise making disclosure decisions in case scenarios, balancing the child's right to privacy against the protective purpose of the signalement. The lesson also addresses the teacher's own right to confidentiality when making a report: the teacher's identity as the reporter is protected to prevent retaliation. By the end of the lesson, participants can apply confidentiality principles to child-protection cases, make lawful disclosure decisions, and protect both the child's privacy and their own position as a reporter.

Lesson 10. Talking to a child who may be at risk

This lesson equips participants with non-leading, protective conversation techniques for speaking with a child who may be experiencing harm. Participants learn that the teacher's role is to listen, not to investigate; the investigative function belongs to the child-protection authorities and the judicial system. The lesson covers: how to create a safe, private space for the conversation; how to ask open-ended questions that do not suggest answers; how to respond supportively without making promises that cannot be kept; and how to end the conversation without leaving the child distressed. Participants practise these techniques through role-play scenarios based on Algerian school contexts. The lesson emphasises that a poorly conducted conversation can compromise the child's wellbeing and the evidentiary value of any subsequent investigation. By the end of the lesson, participants can conduct a protective, non-leading conversation with a child who may be at risk, document the child's disclosures accurately, and refer the child to the appropriate support services.

Part III: Application and Mastery (Lessons 11-15)

Lesson 11. Working with families without escalating risk

Participants learn how to engage with parents or caregivers when a child-protection concern arises, balancing transparency with the need to keep the child safe. The lesson establishes that Loi 15-12's protective purpose extends beyond the family, meaning that a teacher may need to report a concern without first informing the parents if doing so would increase the child's risk. Participants study scenarios in which parental involvement is appropriate and scenarios in which it would be dangerous. The lesson covers communication strategies for speaking with parents about concerns without accusing, threatening, or escalating conflict. Participants practise these conversations through role-play, learning to frame concerns around the child's wellbeing rather than parental fault. The lesson also addresses the teacher's own safety when dealing with potentially hostile parents and the school's responsibility to provide support. By the end of the lesson, participants can assess when to involve parents and when to report without their knowledge, communicate concerns constructively, and protect themselves and the child during family engagement.

Lesson 12. Bullying and peer violence in school

This lesson addresses school-level prevention of bullying and peer violence as part of the teacher's protection duty under Loi 15-12 and Law 08-04. Participants examine the legal basis for the school's responsibility to provide a safe learning environment and the teacher's obligation to intervene when pupils harm one another. The lesson distinguishes between ordinary peer conflict and bullying that meets the threshold of harm under the child-protection statute, including physical violence, sustained verbal abuse, social exclusion, and cyberbullying. Participants study the indicators of bullying victimisation: withdrawal, avoidance of certain peers or places, damaged belongings, unexplained injuries, and declining academic performance. The lesson covers classroom-level prevention strategies, including establishing clear behavioural expectations, teaching bystander intervention, and creating reporting mechanisms that pupils trust. Participants develop a classroom anti-bullying plan that aligns with the school's broader protection responsibilities. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify bullying that requires protective intervention, implement prevention strategies, and respond effectively when bullying occurs.

Lesson 13. Online risk and digital safety, briefly

This lesson folds basic digital-safeguarding into the protection duty under Loi 15-12, recognising that Algeria has no teacher-facing digital-safeguarding mandate comparable to its child-protection statute. Participants examine how the statutory definition of harm to health and safety applies to online contexts: cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, online grooming, and the non-consensual sharing of images. The lesson covers the indicators that a child may be experiencing online harm: secrecy about online activity, sudden changes in device use, distress after online contact, and reluctance to attend school. Participants learn how to respond when a child discloses online harm, including preserving evidence (screenshots, messages) and reporting through the same signalement pathway used for offline concerns. The lesson does not attempt to create a comprehensive digital-safety curriculum but equips teachers to recognise and respond to online risks within the existing legal framework. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify common online risks to children, recognise indicators of online harm, and respond appropriately within the Loi 15-12 framework.

Lesson 14. The teacher's own conduct and boundaries

This lesson addresses the professional-boundary standards that protect both teachers and pupils under the statut particulier (Decree 25-54) and the general civil-service statute (Ordonnance 06-03). Participants examine the obligations that govern teacher conduct: the duty of reserve, the prohibition on relationships of dependency or exploitation with pupils, the rules on physical contact, and the standards for communication with pupils outside school hours. The lesson uses case scenarios to explore boundary violations that may not be obviously harmful but that create risk: favouritism, private social-media contact, meeting pupils alone in closed spaces, and giving personal gifts. Participants discuss how boundary violations can escalate to situations that trigger the child-protection duty under Loi 15-12. The lesson also covers the teacher's obligation to report a colleague whose conduct raises concern, framing this as a protective duty toward pupils and a professional duty toward the colleague. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify professional-boundary standards, recognise boundary violations in their own and others' practice, and respond appropriately when boundaries are crossed.

Lesson 15. Building a school child-protection routine

The course concludes with participants developing a repeatable child-protection protocol that the whole school staff can follow. Participants synthesise the statutory requirements of Loi 15-12, the procedural steps of the signalement pathway, the documentation standards, and the confidentiality principles into a practical, school-level routine. The lesson covers: designating a child-protection lead (where the school has not already done so), establishing a secure filing system for records, creating a staff training schedule, developing a poster or reference card summarising the signalement pathway, and planning an annual review of the protocol. Participants work in groups to draft a protocol for a typical Algerian school, considering the constraints of large class sizes, limited administrative support, and the uneven implementation of the law. The protocol is designed to be shared with the school director and presented at a staff meeting. By the end of the lesson, participants can produce a school child-protection protocol that meets the requirements of Loi 15-12, train colleagues in its use, and maintain the protocol over time.

This syllabus was designed from primary-source research of this nation's official teacher requirements and passed independent verification. The full course, its lessons, assistant, and materials are live for enrolled educators.