Child Safety and Safeguarding Policy

1. Purpose and zero tolerance position

M/s. NVK WELLNESS LLP, trading as MAAI, connects families with independent childcare professionals. This Policy sets minimum safeguards across screening, matching, in-home care, communications, incident response and account action. MAAI prohibits abuse, neglect, exploitation, grooming, sexual misconduct, trafficking, forced/child labour, corporal punishment, humiliating treatment and retaliation.

The best interests, dignity, privacy and evolving capacities of the Child guide decisions. Safeguards are applied without discrimination based on caste, religion, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, language, health, family form, socioeconomic status or other protected status.

2. Scope and roles

• MAAI: Set and enforce safeguards; complete/display stated checks; minimise data; support emergencies/reports; preserve evidence; take proportionate protective action; cooperate with authorities.
• Parent/guardian: Have authority; provide accurate care/emergency information; create a safe environment; disclose cameras/hazards; complete handover; remain reachable; respect the professional.
• Service Professional: Be 18+; personally attend; actively supervise; follow care instructions; maintain boundaries/confidentiality; act and report promptly when safety is at risk.
• Staff/vendors: Use least access; follow reporting, confidentiality and security procedures; do not suppress or privately settle safeguarding concerns.
• Everyone: Put immediate safety ahead of account, payment or reputation; protect the Child’s identity; cooperate lawfully; avoid retaliation.

3. Professional eligibility and screening

• Only adults aged 18 or above may offer childcare through MAAI.
• MAAI requires government-ID/age and address verification and may verify references, experience, training, and criminal/court or police-verification information through lawful sources/processors.
• The profile must identify the checks actually completed and avoid implying a guarantee. Coverage, jurisdiction, source recency and identity-match limitations are documented internally.
• A trained human reviews possible matches/discrepancies and gives a correction opportunity before non-urgent adverse action. Serious/credible risk may justify immediate temporary restriction.
• Re-verification occurs on a risk-based schedule and after relevant identity, legal or safety changes. Professionals must disclose material later restrictions/investigations to the lawful extent.
• No account sharing, substitute, helper, visitor or undisclosed second caregiver. MAAI may use OTP and proportionate live/profile identity matching at handover.
• Assigned orientation may include child protection, age-appropriate supervision, professional boundaries, emergency action, privacy, first response and reporting. Profiles state only training actually completed.

4. Before every Booking

• Parent: Confirm age/number of Children and disclose allergies, disability/access needs, medicines, routines and relevant risks.
• Professional: Review the Booking and accept only if competent, available and comfortable with disclosed needs.
• Parent: Provide two reachable emergency contacts and authorised collection names; identify who will complete handover.
• Professional: Confirm route/timing, phone charge, emergency access and any questions before arrival.
• Parent: Disclose pets, pools/balconies, weapons, hazards, smokers, contagious illness, other people and CCTV/audio monitoring.
• Professional: Raise unaddressed hazards; decline or contact MAAI if conditions are unsafe/outside scope.
• Parent: Secure medicines, chemicals, weapons and dangerous items; provide food/supplies and safe sleep arrangements.
• Professional: Do not bring another person; carry only lawful, safe personal items; arrive fit for duty.
• Both: Confirm whether transport/outings, bathing/toileting or medication assistance are permitted and document boundaries. Never assume permission for a sensitive activity.

5. Arrival identity and handover

1. The Parent compares the attending person with the booked profile. Any mismatch means no handover and no Booking OTP.
2. Both parties confirm Children present, service end time, emergency contacts, allergies/medication, collection authority, restricted areas, hazards and communication method.
3. The Parent discloses monitoring devices and introduces any other adult present. The professional must not be required to work in hidden surveillance or private areas with unlawful recording.
4. Check-in/OTP confirms the correct Booking and person; it is not consent to a new scope or waiver of a complaint.
5. Departure handover occurs only to the Parent or a recorded authorised adult whose identity is reasonably confirmed. Never release a Child to an unknown or impaired person; contact MAAI/emergency services if safety is threatened.

6. Standards of care

• Maintain active, age-appropriate supervision. Never leave a Child alone or transfer supervision to an unauthorised person.
• Use calm, respectful and developmentally appropriate guidance. No hitting, shaking, painful restraint, humiliation, threats, isolation as punishment, deprivation, or frightening content.
• Follow written instructions on food, allergy avoidance, sleep, routines, screens and outings. Use safe sleep practices appropriate to age and the Parent’s lawful instructions; no co-sleeping by the professional.
• Medication requires clear written Parent authorisation, labelled instructions and competence. Record the time/dose where provided. No diagnosis, invasive procedure, controlled medicine handling outside law/training or concealment of an error.
• Bathing, toileting and dressing assistance must be necessary, age-appropriate, respectful, within agreed boundaries and protect privacy. No sexualised touch or unnecessary exposure.
• No smoking/vaping, alcohol, intoxicants, illegal drugs, weapons, sexual activity, pornography, gambling, solicitation or unrelated visitors while responsible for a Child.
• Personal device use must not impair supervision. No photos, videos, audio, livestreams, social posts or sharing a Child/home/location except minimum emergency evidence requested by authorities.
• No transport or outing unless expressly included with Parent consent and all licence, insurance, restraint, route and supervision requirements met. Never use an unsafe vehicle or unauthorised driver.
• Do not accept cash/off-platform changes that bypass identity, booking, payment or safety records. Record extensions and changes through MAAI.

7. Professional boundaries and grooming prevention

• Keep communication with the Parent through approved channels where practicable and about legitimate care/Booking needs.
• Do not ask a Child to keep secrets, form an exclusive/romantic bond, give unexplained gifts, seek private contact, move communication to disappearing channels or meet outside an authorised Booking.
• Do not share personal contact, address, school, routine, image or vulnerability with others or use it to locate/contact the Child later.
• Do not request a Child’s password, social-media connection, intimate image or private message. Report sexualised or exploitative online contact immediately.
• Physical contact must be child-led or care/safety-necessary, age-appropriate, non-sexual and consistent with recorded family boundaries and training.

8. Parent home safety duties

• A reachable authorised adult must remain available throughout and return on time. Provide a lawful plan if the Parent becomes unreachable.
• Do not ask the professional to perform hidden, illegal, humiliating, discriminatory, sexual, hazardous or materially undisclosed work.
• Do not leave extra Children, a contagious/high-risk condition, dangerous pet, intoxicated/violent person or unsafe premises without disclosure and acceptance.
• CCTV/audio must be lawful, disclosed and absent from bathrooms/changing areas or other places of reasonable intimate privacy. Recordings must not be posted, sold, threatened or used to harass.
• Respect working boundaries, meals/restroom access appropriate to the Booking, and protection from harassment. A professional may leave immediate danger only after securing the Child and escalating appropriately.

9. Missing child injury illness and emergency

1. Protect life and call 112 first for serious injury, breathing difficulty, anaphylaxis, fire, violence, missing Child or imminent danger.
2. Provide only first response within training, follow emergency instructions and contact the Parent and MAAI as soon as safe.
3. For a missing Child, immediately check immediate hazards without abandoning other Children, call police/112 and Parent, preserve last-known details and do not delay for an internal search threshold.
4. For medicine/allergy error, disclose it immediately and follow medical/emergency advice; never conceal, induce vomiting or improvise treatment unless directed by a qualified responder.
5. Record objective facts, time, actions, people contacted and instructions. Do not alter messages, stage evidence, speculate publicly or share the Child’s identity.

10. Suspected abuse neglect or POCSO offence

Any person who has knowledge that an offence under the POCSO Act has been committed, or apprehension that it is likely to be committed, must provide the information to the Special Juvenile Police Unit or local police as required by section 19 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. Failure to report may carry statutory consequences. Internal uncertainty should be escalated immediately; MAAI will not require proof beyond the reporting threshold before a lawful report.

• Ensure immediate safety and seek urgent medical/police help where needed.
• Listen calmly; do not interrogate, repeatedly interview, blame, confront the alleged person, promise secrecy or suggest answers.
• Record the Child’s words and objective observations accurately, using no identifying information in general channels.
• Report promptly to SJPU/local police and notify MAAI safeguarding support; an MAAI report is additional, not a substitute.
• Preserve original digital/physical evidence and restrict access. Do not circulate images or details to family groups, social media or unauthorised staff.
• Do not privately mediate, settle or condition payment/account action on withdrawal of a report. Cooperate with authorities and protect the Child’s identity under law.

11. MAAI response

MAAI will triage immediately on receipt, direct imminent danger to emergency services, and may temporarily restrict accounts, block rematching, preserve records and limit data access. It will separate safeguarding, payment and account processes so a commercial dispute does not delay protection or reporting.

MAAI’s internal fact review is limited to platform protection, evidence preservation and lawful cooperation; it is not a police investigation. Those affected ordinarily receive a fair chance to respond unless safety, privacy, law or an official investigation prevents disclosure. Final action may include education, warning, retraining, rematch block, suspension, termination and authority referral. Good-faith reporting is protected from retaliation.

12. Privacy and record handling

Collect and share the minimum necessary safeguarding data. Child identity, health, address, images and allegations are highly restricted. Use approved case systems, not personal messaging/storage. Retain evidence for the period justified by child protection, law, limitation periods, official direction and legal hold; then securely delete or minimise. The Privacy Policy provides broader details.

13. What screening and the Platform cannot guarantee

Checks may be incomplete, delayed, limited by jurisdiction/source or unable to predict future conduct. Ratings can be mistaken or manipulated. MAAI’s controls reduce risk but do not replace attentive handover, accurate disclosure, active supervision, emergency action or reporting. This limitation does not excuse negligent screening, misleading claims, ignored reports or another non-excludable legal duty.

14. Training audit and review

MAAI will maintain role-based safeguarding training, incident escalation, access review, processor controls and trend analysis. It will periodically test identity/substitute controls, emergency contacts, complaint handling, mandatory-report knowledge, data access and removal/appeal consistency. This Policy is reviewed after material incidents and legal/operational change, and at least annually.

Contact Information

Grievance and Nodal Officer: Ms Nehal Rajendra Saraf

M/s. NVK WELLNESS LLP, LLPIN ACR-7862

F/504, Sterling Court, Maheshwari Nagar, Chakala MIDC, Andheri (East), Mumbai – 400093, Maharashtra, India