CHILD PROTECTION PROCEDURES AT GRAND TATRY

Preamble

Taking into account the guidelines of the United Nations on business and human rights, and recognizing the important role of business in ensuring respect for children’s rights, in particular the right to dignity and freedom from all forms of harm, GRAND TATRY adopts this document as a model of principles and procedures in cases of suspected harm to a child staying at the property, as well as for preventing such risks.

The child protection policy in our hotel/chain will be implemented through the following principles.

Grand Tatry conducts its operations with the utmost respect for human rights, especially the rights of children, as persons particularly vulnerable to harm.
Grand Tatry recognizes its role in running a socially responsible business and in promoting desirable social attitudes.
Grand Tatry particularly emphasizes the legal and social obligation to notify law enforcement authorities of any suspected crime against children and commits to training its staff in this regard.
Grand Tatry undertakes to educate staff about circumstances indicating that a child staying at the facility may be at risk of harm, and about ways of responding quickly and appropriately to such situations.
One of the effective forms of preventing harm to children is to identify the child staying at the hotel and their relationship to the adult with whom they are staying. Staff will take all possible steps to conduct this identification.

Procedure in Case of Suspected Child Harm

Whenever possible, the identity of the child and their relationship to the adult they are staying with should be verified.
In unusual and/or suspicious situations suggesting a possible risk of harm to a child, identification must be carried out by the reception staff.

To identify the child and their relationship to the accompanying adult:

Request the child’s identification document (ID card, passport, student ID) and record the data in the hotel guest register.
Ask about the relationship of the child to the adult with whom they arrived or are staying.
If there are no documents confirming kinship or guardianship, ask both the adult and the child about their relationship.
If the adult is not the parent or legal guardian, request a document showing parental consent for the trip (e.g. written declaration).
If the adult cannot provide such consent, ask for the parents’/guardians’ phone number to confirm their knowledge and consent.
In case of refusal to present documents and/or explain the relationship, clarify that the procedure is designed to ensure children’s safety at Grand Tatry and was prepared in cooperation with NGOs.
Once the matter is clarified positively, thank them for their cooperation and emphasize that the procedure is in place to ensure child safety.
If doubts remain about the adult’s intentions, discreetly notify the supervisor and security staff (if present). For example, excuse yourself by saying you need to use back-office equipment, and ask the adult to wait with the child in the lobby or restaurant.
From the first moment of suspicion, both the child and the adult must remain under staff observation and not be left alone.
The supervisor decides whether to notify the police or to continue the conversation for clarification.
If the suspicion of attempted or actual harm is confirmed, the supervisor notifies the police.

If unusual or suspicious situations are observed by other departments (cleaning, room service, bar/restaurant, spa, security, etc.), they must immediately inform their supervisor, who will decide on the next steps, including whether to notify the police.

Procedure in Case of Circumstances Indicating Child Harm

If there is reasonable suspicion that a child at the hotel is being harmed, the police must be notified immediately by calling 112 and describing the circumstances. Depending on the situation, the call is made by the direct witness (employee/supervisor). If an employee calls, they must also inform their supervisor.

Reasonable suspicion exists when:

The child discloses harm to the staff.
A staff member witnesses harm.
The child has visible signs of harm (e.g. scratches, bruises) and gives inconsistent or evasive answers, shows embarrassment, or other circumstances indicate possible harm (e.g. discovery of child sexual abuse material in the adult’s room).

In such cases:

The child and the suspected adult must not be allowed to leave the premises.
If necessary, a citizen’s arrest of the suspected adult may be made. Until the police arrive, the person should be kept in a separate room under the supervision of two employees, away from other guests.
The child must be kept safe and under the care of a staff member until the police arrive.
If the suspected crime involves the child’s contact with the perpetrator’s biological material (e.g. semen, saliva, skin), prevent the child from washing, eating, or drinking until the police arrive.
Once the child is taken into police care, preserve CCTV footage and other relevant evidence (e.g. documents) and provide copies to the prosecutor or police upon request.
After the intervention, describe the incident in the incident log or another designated document.

Glossary

Child – any person under 18 years of age.
Unrelated adult – any person over 18 who is not the child’s parent or legal guardian.
Child harm – any crime committed against a child.
Crime against a child – includes all crimes that can be committed against adults, as well as specific crimes against children (e.g. sexual exploitation under Article 200 of the Penal Code). Given the nature of hotels, where seclusion is possible, the most common crimes are those against sexual freedom and morality, in particular:
- rape (Art. 197),
- sexual exploitation of incapacity or helplessness (Art. 198),
- sexual exploitation of dependency or vulnerable situation (Art. 199),
- sexual exploitation of persons under 15 (Art. 200),
- grooming of a minor using remote communication (Art. 200a).

Child Protection Procedures at Grand Tatry