Implementation of the Child Protection Program and Its Correlates: Basis for a SAFE School-Based Intervention Plan

Aim:This study assessed the level of implementation of the Child Protection Program (CPP) in a large secondary school under the DepEd Catbalogan City Division, focusing on physical violence, sexual abuse, psychological violence, and bullying and peer abuse as the basis for an intervention plan.Methodology: A quantitative-correlational design was employed using a validated survey administered to 375 students and 175 teachers/administrators, totaling 550 respondents.Descriptive statistics determined demographic profiles, weighted means measured the extent of CPP implementation, and Pearson's correlation tested the relationship between program implementation and demographic variables.Results: Findings revealed that the CPP was rated "Fully Implemented" (grand mean = 4.22).Bullying received the highest implementation rating (4.33, Fully Implemented), while physical, sexual, and psychological violence scored slightly lower (4.18,Substantially Implemented).Younger students reported greater vulnerability to violence, and perceptions of school safety decreased as reported experiences of violence increased.Teacher sex was the only demographic variable significantly associated with perceptions of sexual violence. Conclusion:The results informed the development of the School Advocacy for a Friendly Environment (SAFE) Plan, a contextualized intervention program designed to strengthen prevention, reporting, and support mechanisms.While CPP is generally well implemented, gaps remain in addressing different forms of violence.The study recommends institutionalizing the SAFE Plan to further enhance the protection and safety of learners.