Module 1.1

1.1 Definition of a Child and Child Protection

Correctly identifying a child and understanding what child protection means are the starting points of professional policing. Every police action involving a child whether during patrol, complaint handling, investigation, or community engagement, must be guided by these foundational concepts.

A. Who Is a Child?

For the purposes of this Manual, a child is any person under the age of 18 years.

This definition applies without exception, regardless of:

• Physical appearance or perceived maturity
• Type of work performed
• Marital status
• Gender identity or social role
• Family, economic, or migration background

Age verification may be carried out through:

• Form or birth certificate
• School records
• NADRA or other official documentation
• Medical or official age determination procedures, where legally required

Operational Rule for Police

If age is unclear, the person must be treated as a child until age is lawfully verified. Police officers must never rely on assumptions when determining age.

B. What Is Child Protection?

Child protection refers to all measures and actions taken to prevent harm, respond to risk, and ensure the safety, care, and well-being of children from abuse, exploitation, neglect and other situations that place them at risk.

From a policing perspective, child protection includes:

• Preventing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation
• Acting promptly when a child is at risk
• Ensuring children are treated with dignity and sensitivity
• Connecting children to appropriate protection and support services

Note

Child protection is often misunderstood as protection only from unknown or external offenders. In practice, children may face harm or risk from a wide range of sources, including strangers, employers, traffickers, criminal networks, and, in some cases, family or community members. Child protection therefore, extends beyond identifying perpetrators and includes recognising situations, relationships and conditions that place a child at risk of harm. Child protection applies whether or not a criminal offence has been reported.