Child Rights

The Kingdom’s governance is underpinned by the principle of providing social care to all its citizens on an equal footing. The Basic Law of Governance provides for promotion and protection of this right, stipulating in Article 10 that “The State shall aspire to promote family bonds and Arab-Islamic values. It shall take care of all individuals and provide the right conditions for the growth of their talents and skills”. The Law guarantees all individuals comprehensive care and protection, giving special focus to child rights, requiring that free-of-charge healthcare be provided to children, including access to mandatory vaccinations as well as healthcare services free of charge. The Law also guarantees child’s right to free education for education and academic stages, in addition to employing curricula to achieve social and cultural development that ensures sound upbringing of children and encourages them acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. In addition, the Kingdom grants rewar


What are Child Rights?

A set of human rights set for persons under the age of eighteen that take account of their nature and vulnerability. In general, children enjoy their own rights - in addition to basic human rights – that observe the child's special needs that are commensurate with his age, vulnerability, and the importance of developing and supporting him. There are many types of children’s rights in the Kingdom, foremost of which are the right to life, right to having a name and nationality (right to identity), right to education, food, health, freedom, and protection, which includes to protect him against physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, and even neglect.
 

Key Child Protection Regulations

The Kingdom has paid great attention to the regulations and measures that protect the child rights, most notably:
In addition to many other initiatives, programs and institutions aimed at protecting and promoting child rights (To be referenced later).
 

Regional and international child-related human rights instruments ratified by the Kingdom

The Kingdom has become a party to a number of regional and international human rights instruments related to children, foremost of which are:
  • The Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified by Royal Decree (No. M/7), dated 16/04/1416 AH, corresponding to 12/09/1995 AD.
  • The Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam ratified by Royal Decree No. (M / 54), dated 27/08/1427 AH, corresponding to 20/09/2006 AD.
  • The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, child Prostitution and Child Pornography ratified by Royal Decree No. (M/38) dated 18/07/1431 AH, corresponding to 30/06/2010 AD.
  • The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict ratified by Royal Decree No. (M/39) dated 18/07/1431 AH, corresponding to 30/06/2010 AD.

Child Protection Law

This Law is concerned with protecting every person under eighteen years of age, and confronting abuse of all its types and neglect that a child may be subject to. The Law emphasizes the child rights established under Sharia as well as other international regulations and conventions that the Kingdom has joined.
  • For more information about the Child Protection Law, click here.
 

Protecting Children from Juvenile’s Employment

Chapter Ten of the Saudi Labor Law regarding the employment of juvenile states the following:
  • Article (161): Juveniles may not be employed in hazardous jobs or harmful industries, or in occupations and businesses that are likely to endanger their health, safety, or morals, due to their nature or the circumstances in which they are performed. The minister determined by a decision from businesses and industries and professions referred to.
  • Article (162): It is not permissible to employ any person who has not completed fifteen years of age and is not permitted to enter the workplace, and the Minister may raise this age in some industries or regions or for some categories of juveniles by a decision from him. As an exception to Paragraph (1) of this Article, the Minister may permit the employment or work of persons between (13-15) years of age in light work, in which the following shall be observed: is not likely to be harmful to their health or development, and that does not disrupt their school attendance and their participation in orientation or vocational training programs, nor does it impair their ability to benefit from the education they receive.
  • Article (163): It is prohibited to employ Juvenile during a period of the night not less than twelve consecutive hours, except in cases specified by the Minister by his decision.
  • Article (164): Juveniles may not be employed for more than six hours per day for the rest of the months of the year, except for the month of Ramadan, in which the actual working hours must not exceed four hours. The working hours are organized so that the Juvenile does not work for more than four consecutive hours, without a period or more for rest, food, and prayer, of no less than half an hour at one time, and so that he does not stay in the workplace for more than seven hours. Juveniles may not be employed on weekends, holidays, official holidays, and annual leave. The exceptions stipulated in Article 106 of this system shall not apply to them.
  • Article (165): Before employing a juvenile, the employer must obtain from him the following documents: National identity card or official certificate of his birth, A certificate of fitness for the required work, issued by a specialized doctor, and certified by a health authority, and The consent of the juvenile’s guardian. These documents must be saved in the file for the Juvenile.
  • Article (166): The employer must inform the competent labor office of every juvenile that he occupies during the first week of his employment, and he must keep at the workplace a special register for the juvenile workers in which he shows the name of the juvenile, his age, the full name of his guardian, his place of residence and the date of his employment.
  • Article (167): The provisions stipulated in this chapter do not apply to work performed by children and juveniles in schools for the purposes of general, vocational or technical education, and in other training institutions, and they do not apply to work performed in establishments by persons who have reached at least fourteen years of age if this work It is carried out in accordance with conditions determined by the Minister, and the work was an essential part of the following: An educational or training course the primary responsibility of which rests with a school or training institution. A training program, the largest part of which will be implemented, or all of it, in an establishment if the competent authority has approved it. An advisory or orientation program designed to facilitate the choice of profession or type of training.

Rights of Persons with Disabilities

 Disability is a state of incapacity that an individual experiences as a result of a partial or total deficiency in physical, sensory or mental capabilities, which prevents or impedes the individual from performing his usual day-today activities. The concept of disability includes the loss of an organ, sensory impairment, such as hearing or sight impairment. According to the World Health Organization, disability is defined as: “an umbrella term for impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions.”, while the Saudi legislator has defined disability in Article 1 of the Disability Law as “..to have one or more of the following impairments: Visual, hearing, mental, physical and motor disabilities, learning disabilities, speech disorders, behavioral and emotional disorders, autism, double and multiple disabilities, and other disabilities requiring special care”.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken care of persons with disabilities guaranteeing their access to all rights related to disability and supporting the services provided to them, by providing all means of prevention, care and rehabilitation. The Kingdom has worked to build a protective wall through a set of medical, psychological, social, educational, media and regulatory measures that aim to prevent, reduce and enable early detection of disability as well as to reduce its effects. The Kingdom has ensured the provision of comprehensive care services to all who need care according to his health condition, degree of disability or social status. It has also made available all necessary medical, social, psychological, educational and vocational services to help disabled persons unleash their full potential, adapt to the requirements of his natural and social environment, develop his abilities to be self-reliant and productive member of society.

What are the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?

The rights of persons with disabilities include all the rights and freedoms that must be guaranteed to persons with disabilities, be them of social, economic or legal nature. Perhaps the key principle that underpins all of these rights is the principle of equality and non-discrimination, which is the basis upon which the right to education, work, healthcare and social protection are built. The rights underpinned by the principle of equality and non-discrimination include:
  • The right of persons with disabilities to education.
  • The right of persons with disabilities to work.
  • The right of persons with disabilities to healthcare.
  • The right of persons with disabilities to social protection.
Key measures to protect the rights of persons with disabilities:

Domestic Violence

Human societies have known domestic violence since ancient times, as the first case of human violence recorded in history in all nations, cultures and civilizations dates back to the first beginnings of human existence on earth, when Cain killed his brother Abel, and therefore the first case of human violence recorded in history was domestic violence.
 Violence may take different forms and patterns, the manifestations of which are reflected in the mutual hostility between husbands and wives, between parents and their children, between brothers and sisters among themselves, between them and relatives and in-laws, or towards domestic workers such as nannies, servants and workers. Domestic violence is to show any form of hostile behavior towards any of the family members.
As a result of the transformations and changes in the social, cultural and economic aspects of the culture of Saudi Arabian society, different patterns and forms of domestic violence have emerged, which were not familiar before in the culture of society, such as the killing of parents, suicide and abuse of children, wives, the elderly, servants, people with disabilities and other family members.


The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has devoted its efforts and human resources to reducing the phenomenon of domestic violence and its consequences, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has established a number of programs and services in this regard, such as The National Family Safety Program, Law of Protection from Abuse, the National Project to Reduce Bullying and Peer Violence and other programs and regulations that contribute to addressing the issue.
In order for each party to properly carry out its duty, it is necessary to define a clear and comprehensive concept of domestic violence that is consistent with religion, customs, traditions, regulations, and regulations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and should be agreed upon by all concerned parties to serve as a foundation and starting point for determining mechanisms to address the problem.
The guide to defining the concept of domestic violence is an initiative that is part of the project "Developing cooperation mechanisms between the authorities concerned with domestic violence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia", which aims to provide clear mechanisms on which all parties concerned with domestic violence can rely when dealing with cases of domestic violence.

Types of Domestic Violence in the Society
  • Physical violence
  • Verbal violence
  • Psychological and emotional violence
  • Sexual violence
  • Financial and economic violence
  • Neglect
  • Cultural and social violence
  • Electronic violence
To file a domestic violence report, click here.

Child's Health


National Program for Early Screening of Newborns to Reduce Disability

Most babies appear healthy after birth, but sometimes they can carry rare genetic diseases that may not be visible until they are examined or detected. The National Newborn Screening Program is an essential part of the health system in most developed countries. The overall objective of the program is to reduce rates of sickness, disability, and mortality due to genetic diseases covered by the program.

What are metabolic diseases?

The nature of metabolic diseases is the lack of certain enzymes from birth; these enzymes are important for converting one nutrient into another substance in different parts of the body.   Metabolic diseases are part of the genetic diseases that are transmitted from what is known as the recessive gene, that is, the mother and father carry the genetic characteristics of the disease and pass it on to their children at a rate of 25% in each pregnancy (the ratio of one infected baby to three unaffected). Known metabolic diseases are estimated at more than 400 metabolic diseases. The number of diseases covered by the neonatal screening program is 18 so far, including: endocrine diseases, amino acid diseases, organic acid diseases, urea cycle diseases, lipid diseases, and sugar diseases. 
 
How to perform the examination?

This procedure should be done within 24 to 72 hours after birth, with several drops taken from the butt of the baby's foot before leaving the hospital.  The hospital then sends these samples to the laboratory to be tested.
 
What are the complications if you do not get medical care in time?
  • Delay in the growth and development of the child
  • Learning difficulties
  • epilepsy
  • Coma
  • Accumulation of toxic substances inside the child's body
  • Failure of internal organs such as liver, kidneys and heart

To learn more, click here.

Vaccination

Immunization is the cornerstone of public health. It is a way to protect people from infectious diseases. A vaccine contains dead or weakened bacteria or viruses (not capable of causing a disease) that are administered to individuals to encourage the immune system to recognize them and to consequently produce antibodies that can identify the germ early on. This allows the individual to fight the germ if it encounters it again, therefore preventing disease.

Types of vaccines

There are several types of vaccines, and each type helps the immune system fight a certain type of germs and the diseases they cause. They include: 
  • Live-attenuated vaccines: They use an attenuated (or weakened) form of the germ that causes a disease. These vaccines are very similar to the natural infection and therefore help protect against the infection by creating a strong and long-lasting immune response. Just 1 or 2 doses (of most live vaccines) can provide a lifetime of protection against a germ and the disease it causes.
  • Inactivated vaccines: They use the dead version of the germ that causes a disease. The immunity (protection) they provide is usually not as strong as that provided by live vaccines. Therefore, several doses may be needed over time to gain ongoing immunity against diseases.
  • Subunit/conjugate vaccines: They use specific parts of the germ (e.g., protein, sugar, or the casing around the germ). Since these vaccines use only specific parts of the germ, they provide a very strong immune response that targets key parts of the germ. This type of vaccine can be used on almost everyone who needs it, including people with weakened immune systems and chronic health problems. However, one of their disadvantages is that booster shots may be necessary to get ongoing protection against diseases. 
  • Toxoid vaccines: They use the harmful product (toxin) made by the germ that causes a disease so that the immune system can fight this toxin rather than the germ. Like other vaccines, booster shots may be necessary to get ongoing protection against diseases.

Consequences of delayed vaccination

Vaccines provide children with lifelong protection from dangerous diseases. The effect of a vaccine is optimal when it is taken on time. Any delay in vaccination may put the child at risk of developing the targeted diseases. The timely administration of vaccines is one of the parents' key responsibilities.
  • To Reach the Vaccination Reminder Service, click here.
  • To book an appointment at a healthcare center that provide vaccines, click here.

For further information, click here.

Stages of growth and development of the child

From the first month of life until the age of five, the child's skills begin to develop. Parents must constantly monitor the child and ensure that he receives periodic regular visits to clinics to maintain proper development. Knowing the stages of the child's motor and neurological development is essential for the mother to know in order to avoid and manage any problems that could happen to the child. Child development refers to the steady acquisition of numerous skills from birth in an age-appropriate way. These skills include:
  • Cognitive Development: It is the child’s ability to solve problems, such as a 3-month-old baby bringing the toy closer to his mouth, or a 5-year-old child solving a simple math exercise.
  • Social and Emotional Development: This means his interaction with those around him, such as the child at the age of 6 weeks smiling, or the child making a farewell movement at the age of 10 months.
  • Speech and Language Development: It includes understanding and using the language, the child at the age of one speaks a few words, and the child at the age of two knows what the word eye means.
  • Fine Motor Skill Development: such as using the hands and fingers, i.e., small muscles, to pick up small objects, and then use the pen.
  • Gross Motor Skill Development: the use of large muscles, the ability to sit, walk and then jump.

Are all children developing the same way and speed?

It should be noted that each child develops differently from the other despite the existence of these general standards, and it is natural that there are slight differences between one child and another.

To learn more, click here.

Premature Babies

A premature baby is one who was born before the 37th week of pregnancy. (three weeks before the birth date). A premature birth may be accompanied by medical complications, and the baby may require special care and hospitalization in the newborn care unit. Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely around the world.

Causes

The causes of a preterm birth are often unclear but there are some common risk factors that may cause it, including:
  • Some chronic conditions (e.g.  high blood pressure, diabetes) 
  • Smoking or using drugs 
  • Psychological stress  
  • Infections 
  • Physical trauma

Symptoms
  • The body is small and disproportionate to the head 
  • Thin and see through skin 
  • Fine hair covering much of the body
  • Low body temperature, especially immediately after birth, caused by low fat supplies in the body 
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

For further information, click here.

Bedwetting in children

Bedwetting in children is defined as spontaneous and frequent leakage of urine during sleep in children aged five and older (at least twice a week for at least 3 consecutive months). Boys are 3 times more likely than girls and are diagnosed with secondary urinary incontinence when bedwetting returns after a period of six months of dry nights.

How often does bedwetting occur in children?

The incidence of nocturnal or daytime wetness in children aged five is about 15-20%, and it is about 7% at the age of seven and 5% at the age of ten years. About 2-3% of adolescents (13-19 years) experience clinical wetness at least once a month.
  
What are the causes of bedwetting in children?

Bedwetting is a rather complex phenomenon, but there are some causes, combined or individually, that can delay learning to control the bladder or cause bed wetness in children who have previously been able to control:
  • Some children do not produce enough Anti-Diuretic Hormone that would reduce the amount of urine excreted by the kidneys at night.
  • Decreased bladder capacity in children.
  • Psychological factors (such as stress or exposure to a particular trauma)
  • Emotional problems (such as the birth of a new child or separation of parents, illness or death of a family member, sexual harassment or assault).
 
What can a mother do?
One of the most important things you can do is to talk to your child calmly about the problem, which reduces his/her fear and embarrassment. Explain to him/her that this problem is normal and can occur in children and that he is not alone. Assure him that this problem will not reduce your love for him and provide him with all the necessary support. You should consult your doctor if symptoms of secondary bedwetting appear or your child is 7 years old and still cannot control urine, it is possible that There's another problem.  Remember that bedwetting is common and there is no need to worry and isolate the child socially or reduce his self-esteem. Always be close to your child and provide him with the necessary support to confront and treat this condition.

Childhood Cancer

Cancer is a broad term given to a collection of related diseases involving the abnormal growth and division of cells in an uncontrolled way with the potential to invade nearing tissue or spread to other parts of the body. The cause of childhood cancer is still unknown, but in some cases, cancer develops due to genetic abnormalities. As a result of modern developments in treatment options, more children survive cancer than ever before.

The most common types of cancer among Saudi children (2014 statistic)
  • Leukemia (34.6%).
  • Brain and nervous system cancers (15.1%).
  • Hodgkin lymphoma (11%).
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (7%).
  • Kidney cancer (6.4%).
  • Bone cancer (6.1%).
  • Sarcoma (3.9%).
  • Eye cancer (3.3%).
  • Adrenal cancer (2.6%). 
  • Liver cancer (2.3%).

Symptoms

The symptoms depend on the type of cancer, its stage, and its effect on other parts of the child's body. For example, Leukemia may lead to anemia and frequent infections, or it may lead to abnormal bleeding and bruising. Brain cancer causes frequent headaches and nausea upon waking up in the morning, as well as general weakness and vision problems. Cancer of the lymphatic system leads to swollen lymph nodes, high temperature and intense sweating in the evening.

Diagnosis
The purpose of the diagnosis is to detect cancer, determine its type, as well as where it has spread (stage). Common diagnostics options include:
  • Laboratory tests, including blood and urine tests.
  • Ultrasound scans
  • X-ray scans
  • MRI scans 
  • Biopsy.
 
Treatment
Childhood cancers are not always treated like adult cancers. The types of treatments that can be administered to a child depend on the cancer's type and stage. Common treatments include: 
  • Surgery. 
  • Chemotherapy.
  • Radiation therapy.
  • Stem cell and bone marrow transplant.
 
To learn more, click here.

Child Dental Care

It is important to learn about the teething stage to help make it a less painful and irritating experience for children.  For example, Deciduous teeth are the first set of teeth a person has. They are a total of 20. Most common problems for deciduous teeth:  Caries (cavities), pain and infection, thumb sucking and using a pacifier for longer than the average age. A child's face and teeth may also be injured, affecting the permanent tooth that would replace the injured primary tooth. Therefore, Care guidelines for children's teeth and mouths should be followed and taken seriously. 

To learn more, click here.

School Health

The Ministry of Education is committed to establishing an appropriate school environment that provides a safe and healthy learning environment for all members of the school community while also providing health care to build future generations. The Ministry of Education has worked to establish a department called "School Health Affairs Department," as well as units and sections within other education departments in all regions and governorates. School health is preparing a set of concepts, principles, systems, and services to be provided to all students with the aim of promoting their health at an early age and contributing to the promotion of community health. School health prepares a set of specialized programs that refer to public health and global health programs and directs their attention to students.

To learn more, click here.

Child Nutrition

Healthy nutrition is what helps people develop and improve their overall health, which ensures efficient and effective daily activities.

COLOSTRUM (Gold Liquid)

Taking care of the baby after birth begins with feeding him colostrum which is called “Gold Liquid” Because it is the first secretion of mother's milk within the first hour of birth. It is generally yellow in color, and it is rich in healthy nutrients that the child needs to start a healthy and safe life. Colostrum consists of a high percentage of: Protein, Fats, Magnesium, Carbohydrates, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, and Vitamin C.

What are the main components of golden Colostrum?
  • Lactoferrin: a protein component that strengthens the immunity of the body and protect it from diseases.
  • White blood cells: the antibodies that enhance the immune system.
  • Beta-carotene: colostrum’s yellowish color is due to the presence of beta-carotene, and it is rich in mineral elements (sodium, potassium, and chloride).

The Importance of Healthy Nutrition and Dietary Diversity 
Dietary diversity and eating a variety of foods from each food group is crucial for supplying the individual with all the essential nutrients that the body needs, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water, so that the body can function properly and generate energy, grow, repair damaged tissue, and regulate the body's biochemical reactions.
It is generally recommended to avoid foods and beverages containing large amounts of calories and are high in fat, sugar, or salt to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and some types of cancer. It is also important to maintain dietary diversity because relying on one type of food will not be enough to sustain the body’s nutritional needs.

For more information, click here.

Physical Activity

The World Health Organization, WHO recommends that Children should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily. Such activities include Walking, running, football, basketball, and cycling.
 
Guidance on Increasing Physical Activity in Children:
Protecting your child from obesity should be your top health priority. However, if your child becomes overweight or obese, you should interfere to change their lifestyle (nutrition and physical activity), while ensuring that this change is enjoyable for the child.
Below are some guidance tips to help your child increase their physical activity: 
Encourage your child to move: In the past, It was common to see children moving and playing everywhere, but nowadays, it has become a rare occurrence.
Set up screen time limits for your child: The less time your child spends using electronic devices, the more physically active he will become. In addition, parents should take into consideration that their children imitate them and this is why the whole family should reduce the time spent using electronic devices.

Child weight management

There are many ways to help your child lose weight without affecting his growth as they are aimed at making sure the child's weight is suitable for his height. Those ways include:
  • Being mindful of the child's psychological state when dealing with his weight and encouraging him to play and exercise. 
  • Engaging your child in an ongoing, preferably group, sports activity of average intensity. 
  • Ensuring that your child has high-fiber and low-sugar breakfast meals.
  • Providing your child with options that are as healthy as possible (such as vegetables and fruits) while maintaining attractive presentation of them.
  • Calculating the needed daily calorie intake and training students to monitor the nutritional value of their food. 
  • Dividing the child's daily meals to five small meals to be served on fixed time. 
  • Increasing whole grains in your child's meals, such as: Oats, wheat grains, brown rice, and chickpeas. 
  • Ensuring that your child drinks two cups of water before eating.   
  • Gradually reducing the amount of sugar added to your child's beverages. 
  • It is preferred to provide your child with low-fat dairy products.
  • Making sure that your child's meal does not include more than one type of carbohydrates.
  • Avoid having your child eat fruits or sweets right after eating their meals.
  • Serving natural juices rich in fiber and educating students about the dangers of soft drinks and energy drinks, as well as the need to refrain from them.
  • Avoiding the use of terms like “diet".    
  • Making sure that those who surround your child follow the same healthy habits.
  • Using healthy cooking tools (like electric fryers) to provide the child's favorite foods with the lowest calories.
  • Allowing your child to eat whatever he desires once or twice a week. It is preferred that he eats such meals in the morning time. 
  • Measuring your child's weight on the weighing scale once every 10 days. It is preferred to find different exciting ways to encourage them to hop on the weighing scale.
 For more information, click here.

Child Safety

Child safety at Home

Home injuries and accidents can occur at any time; some of their causes are obvious and others may not be easily noticeable. Below are some guidelines that can help in preventing home accidents:

Kitchen
  • Keep your children away from the kitchen when cooking.
  • Keep the handles of pots and pans away from the outer side of the oven, and make sure that you use the internal cooking stoves rather than the ones near the outer side of the oven.
  • Keep hot food away from the reach of children, and do not leave it on the edges of table surfaces.
  • Keep sharp objects away from the reach of children and place them in closed cabinets.

 Bedroom

  • Make sure that the child's bed or crib is safe and that it has railings to prevent your child and falling on the ground while sleeping.
  • Avoid putting cotton toys near your sleeping child to prevent any accidental suffocation.

Bathrooms

  • Observe your child continuously when he is taking a bath. If you had to leave them, even to get a phone call, you must take him out of the shower with you. 
  • Make sure that the water temperature is suitable to avoid burns.
  • Keep electrical devices (such as: Hair dryers) away from water, and make sure the devices are disconnected while the child is taking a bath.
  • Make sure that all bathroom and laundry rooms are closed.

In-car Child Safety

Road accidents cause the deaths of many children every year. Accidents have increased significantly since 2015 due to several reasons (such as distracted driving). Such accidents are difficult to prevent if the driver uses smart devices while driving. Meanwhile, even if you drive safely, this does not necessarily mean that other drivers do. Having your child sit in a properly installed car seat, that is appropriate for his age, in the back seat, would help protect your child, and reduces the risk of suffering from serious injuries in road accidents; whose victims are mostly children.

To view the types of child seats and instructions when choosing it, click here.

Children Protection From Internet Content

Children can now access the Internet and browse websites from a variety of locations, including their homes, schools, libraries, public meeting places that offer Internet access, and even mobile phones that are compatible with this service. This widespread network access is what motivates you to educate and warn your child about the dangers of the Internet and safe ways to use it, just as you do with other dangerous things like fire, water, roads, and vehicles; raising awareness will reduce the risk that we may face when using the bad Internet. Many parents believe that their children know more about the Internet than they do, however parents can still guide their children when they use the Internet is as follows:
  • Creating a list of good sites for children and provide them for a direct access to these websites.
  • Monitor children closely and follow the sites they visit.
  • Limiting email correspondence to a known group of the child's friends and relatives.
  • Defining the risks of participating in chat rooms or irregular groups.
  • Continuous discussion with the child about the benefits and risks of using the Internet.
  • Activating the child's self-monitoring and providing them with adequate and clear information and methods to be able to browse safely.
  • Activating their role in introducing the rest of the family to the knowledge they acquire through the Internet, sharing useful and useful information, and warning of the dangers they discover.

Ten things you can do to keep your child safe from mobile phone risks

  1. Knowing all the specifications of the device that you will buy for your child and asking how to cancel services that you do not want your child to use.
  2. Ensure that the device is suitable for the child's age and experience.
  3. Fully aware of the technologies that your child will use on the mobile phone, whether they are alone or with friends.
  4. Do not provide a mobile phone to your child as soon as they request, but there must be an urgent need for that, and you must be aware of the risks that it may face.
  5. Establishing a family system to ensure that the time and material limits for using the device are not exceeded.
  6. Educating children about everything related to using the device, whether it is use the Internet, communicating, or otherwise, and sharing responsibility in controlling the financial costs of these services.
  7. Do not use prepaid recharge cards if you want to monitor your child's use.
  8. Some people can access mobile phones via Bluetooth, so it should be set to do not show this device.
  9. Use the password to operate the mobile phone, in order to protect it from unauthorized use, and make sure to store this number in a safe secret place.
  10. Make sure to save the serial number of your device, so that it can be recognized by the police in case of theft.
To view the guide to protecting children from the dangers of the Internet, click here.

Protecting and empowering children in the cyber world

Prince Mohammed bin Salman's initiative to protect children in the cyber world aims to enhance protection and awareness of cybersecurity by strengthening and supporting children, parents, teachers and decision-makers around the world to raise awareness of cyber risks and threats.

Challenges
  • Cyberbullying.
  • Children are increasingly targeted online.
  • Identity theft.
  • Electronic harassment.
  • Intellectual influence.

Aspirations

  • Promote children's cyberspace security and protect them in cyberspace.
  • Raising the level of awareness for children and parents regarding suspicious content on the Internet and clarifying the risks in cyberspace.
  • Collaboration to develop best practices, develop policies, and support implementation by assessing the global level of awareness of children.
  • Launching training programs and supporting decision-makers and educators to use best practices for protecting children on the Internet.

Child Education

The education sector is one of the most prominent sectors that have received the attention of the government for its importance in the field of human resource development, increasing its productivity and keeping with scientific and technical developments. And to confirm this interest, Article (30) of the Basic Law of Governance stipulated (The state provides public education ... and is committed to combating illiteracy) as stipulated in Article 29 of the same system: (The state sponsors science, literature and culture and is concerned with encouraging scientific research, preserving Islamic and Arab heritage, and contributing to Arab and Islamic civilization and humanity).The development plans included a focus on the quality of public education and increasing the capacity of the number of students.

Early Childhood Development And Care

The Ministry of Education has laid down the basics of physical, social, emotional, and mental development for students and their simultaneous development in early childhood, between the ages of 3 and 8 years. This process depends at each stage on the abilities achieved by the child at the previous stage. These policies have evolved to address the unique needs of young learners, raise performance levels, and create plans to build and institutionalize the child's entry and preparation for higher education stages.
The organizational guide of the Ministry issued by Cabinet Resolution No. (511) dated 9/2-1440 AH stated: "The general objective of the work of the General Department of Early Childhood of the General Education Agency is based on working to provide distinguished educational services for children (from the age of 3 until the third grade of elementary school). In addition, follow-up on the performance of the early childhood stage according to the approved indicators to prepare students for enrollment in basic education".
  • To view Early Childhood Development Initiatives and Projects, click here.

Registration of New Students

The "Noor" system provides all students, and parents in Saudi Arabia with all services related to registering and following up on the educational status of their children, free of charge. The system facilitates the procedures that should be followed in the process of registering children, bypassing traditionalism, switching to e-government, and responding to the requirements of the times. In addition, the system keeps pace with the aspirations of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, to facilitate procedures for citizens and achieve the Kingdom’s 2030 vision in developing electronic government services.
  • To access Noor System, click here.

Education for People with Disabilities

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken upon itself to provide opportunities for a decent life for all its citizens alike, including education. The Kingdom, in accordance with its capabilities, is concerned with providing equal opportunities to educate individuals with mental and physical disabilities by developing a variety of cultural training curricular that are in line with their situations. This development is done to provide care to people with special needs by providing them with the necessary education and training to help them develop appropriate skills to reach the best levels of education, compatible with their abilities.
  • Personalized Education: There are many governmental institutes for various disabilities, such as Institutes of Intellectual Education, Institutes of Visual Impairment, Institutes of Hearing Impairment. According to needs, these institutes are equipped to provide compatible curricula with disabled students through specialized teachers and provide rehabilitation services to different groups of people with disabilities.
  • Inclusive Education: Including students with disabilities in general education schools while ensuring that they receive the necessary educational support and rehabilitation services, allowing them to advance with their peers in various classrooms such as learning difficulties, behavioral disorders and autism. The Ministry of Education is keen on creating an educational environment in schools by training its staff to obtain a healthy and stable educational environment suitable for special needs students' desires.

Services to help people with disabilities participate in education

  1. Disability Assessment: It is an electronic service that enables persons with disabilities to submit a request to register their disability data in order to be included among the beneficiaries of social development services.
  2. Noor Registration Service: An electronic service provided by the Ministry of Education that enables parents to register their children in schools without going to schools and supervisory centers, in order to the enrollment of students in the early stages of education.
  3. Maeen for Special Education: A free scholarship provided by the Ministry of Education to study in a private school or special education program for the target group ( primary, intermediate, secondary, and kindergarten education) according to certain requirements and standards.
  4. To view the educational map of special education institutes and programs in the Kingdom, click here.
  5. For questions and answers on all that helps students with disabilities learn in school, click here.
  6. Madrasati platform: An educational platform developed by the Ministry of Education for male and female students of general education, as an interactive educational alternative to study about Dr.
  7. For more information about Early Care Services for Children with Disabilities in the Preschool Age, Click here.
  8. For more information about Education for Children with Disabilities, click here.
  9. For more information about Distance Education and E-Learning for Children with Disabilities, click here.

    Care for Orphans and Children of Unknown Parentage

    The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been concerned with the matter of orphans and has promoted their care, and this care extended, and its foundations were confirmed, and the responsibility was assigned to follow up the conditions of orphans, touch their needs, and take their hands to ensure their dignity and achieve their self-reliance.
    The General Administration for Orphans is the agency for social welfare and family in the Ministry which is responsible and supervising all the affairs of orphans and their care, and aims to work towards setting general policies for the care of orphan children and those of similar status and social groups with special conditions of unknown parents and their inclusion in care, education and reform in accordance with the principles of the tolerant Islamic Sharia With modern scientific methods through residential homes and institutions, or following up their care within foster or friendly families, the General Administration for Orphan Care provides its services through two specialized technical departments: the Department of Orphans Affairs and the Department of Residential Care.
    Includes:

    1 - Department of Orphan Sponsorship Affairs

    The Department of Orphan Sponsorship Affairs is based on the firm belief and conviction that the natural family atmosphere is the appropriate environment for upbringing and caring for an orphan child from socio-psychological and mental aspects, and considering joining one of the residential branches as the last practical solutions and the last stage of the orphan care when the social research proves that this family atmosphere is not available to take care of the orphan with one of their relatives or any foster family, and this department also supervises the foster families system and the friendly family system.
    The Department of Orphan Sponsorship Affairs studies the sponsorship requests in accordance with the terms and regulations for this.
    The foster family and the friendly family programs supervised by the administration:

    • The foster family

      • It is that a family takes care of an orphan child from among the orphans who are supervised by the Ministry completely and permanently, providing them psychological safety and emotional satisfaction, and earns them the optimal social norms and values, where the orphan child is a member of the family according to the Sharia regulations governing this matter.

    • The friendly family

      • It is a program that aims to compensate orphan children who have not had the opportunity to embrace by handing over to families wishing to take care of them partial care according to a system whereby one of the normal families in the community connects with one or more orphan children residing in one of the social housing homes of the Agency for Social Welfare and Development in order to host him with them. During a specific period, such as the vacation period (holidays, weekend or summer vacation), then the child is returned after the leave or the specified period ends to the home or institution in which he resides.

    One of the most important objectives of the Department of Orphan Sponsorship Affairs is to receive the requests of families who wish to sponsor this group and who wish to be rewarded from God that have the ability and competence to care for orphan children and compensate them for their loss of their parents, as the opportunity is available to decent families who wish to take care of orphans. The foster families and friendly families are chosen according to special social criteria so that they have the right social climate and the desired elements of social upbringing, and they express a desire to take care of these children within the family members, and thus are entrusted with the care and upbringing of orphans and those of similar status, and these children are subject to continuous supervision and follow-up from the Ministry’s branches. Financial aid is paid for each child in exchange for his care, the amount of which reaches (2000) riyals per month for the family that sponsors a child under the age of six years and an amount of (3000) riyals per month for the family that sponsors a child over the age of six (for those who apply for it from families The sponsor), and at the end of the sponsorship period, the foster family will receive a reward of (20,000) riyals for each child whose sponsorship period has expired.

    2 - Residential Care Department

    The Residential Care Department works to create proper family stability for children covered by residential care within nurseries, social education homes and model education institutions, and prepares statistical, technical and administrative reports on childcare programs, and supervises social nurseries and social education homes for boys and girls and model education institutions.

    Social Nurseries

    The first stages of caring for orphans. The social nurseries are social institutions affiliated with the Social Affairs Agency, and they aim to provide comprehensive care for young children, including orphans and those with special circumstances of unknown parents and the like, who do not have proper care in the family or natural community.
    Social nurseries have been prepared to provide the appropriate social and psychological climate for children from birth until the age of six, in addition to full accommodation to compensate the child as much as possible for the absence of a natural family, as they find appropriate health, social, psychological, educational and recreational care for such a stage of life. These homes are supervised by the Department of Residential Care, one of the departments of the General Administration of Orphan Care.

    Conditions for admission to social nurseries

    1. Only Saudi children are accepted into the nursery, who are not available to take care of their families or suitable alternative families.
    2. To be among the cases of people with special circumstances who are orphans or of unknown parents and those of similar status, or from cases of family disintegration or the death of those entitled to custody of the child or his affliction with an intractable mental, nervous or physical disease.
    3. Younger than 7 years old.
    4. Shall not be suffering from contagious diseases.
    5. The consent of the person who takes care of the child in writing to enroll him in the foster home after it is proven that he is unable to care for him.

    Aspects of appropriate care provided by social nurseries

    First: Comprehensive care inside the home, includes

    1. Offering housing and care for an orphan.
    2. Providing food according to health standards and under medical supervision.
    3. Periodic health follow-up on children and preventive medical examination.
    4. Maintaining the cleanliness of the child in his body and clothes.
    5. Dressing the child in appropriate clothes to his age and gender, according to the specifications prepared by the specialists.
    6. Providing an appropriate social environment that fills as much as possible the deficiency resulting from the absence of a natural family for children.
    7. Rising them with the Islamic values according to what their age allows, and according to the recommendations of educational experts.
    8. Providing pre-school education opportunities for children, according to their aptitudes and ages, to accustom them to self-reliance and to provide them with the opportunity to discover and distinguish the personal characteristics of others.
    9. Enrolling a group of children in an outside kindergarten to achieve the opportunity to mix with other children to develop their perceptions and abilities.
    10. Enrolling children in primary schools after the age of six, and providing all possible means to achieve a good level during their studies.
    11. Saving an amount of money from the time the child deposited a monthly bonus in his private account until his registration at the home is terminated.
    12. Psychological care for the child, which includes conducting psychological tests and speech sessions according to the type of case.
    13. Providing educational, recreational and cultural programs for children and giving them the opportunity to practice them individually and collectively under the supervision of incubators.

    Second: Internal programs and activities

    In the field of internal activity, nurseries pay attention to develop the child's experiences and provide him with social, cultural and other skills through the activities that they implement for children inside the home under the supervision of the administrative and technical apparatus at the home. The internal programs and activities include simple games and, in the garden, and the practice of sports activity under the supervision of the incubator and practicing an educational activity for children from two to four years under the supervision of a social worker, in addition to children's participation in the kitchen activity to know the names of natural nutrients, developing cultural activity by conducting cultural and educational competitions, presenting puppet theater activities, practicing agricultural activities, and providing an atmosphere of competition between children, in addition to implementing recreational activities include preparing incubators, supervising a social worker for children, preparing and developing the capacities of infants, and enrolling children from the age of 4-6 years in the internal kindergarten at the home under the supervision of the kindergarten supervisor and teachers.


    Third: External programs and activities

    It depends on a diverse activity that is carried out at specific times and aims to integrate children into the external community and includes the following:

    1. Visiting commercial centers and malls, popular markets, artistic and cultural exhibitions, as well as public facilities and cultural landmarks, going to farms and organizing targeted outdoor leisure trips.
    2. Attending some social events such as marriage parties.
    3. Participation in social parties and hospital parties.
    4. Participation in some internal and external camps implemented by one of the social homes of the Agency for Social Affairs and under its supervision.
    5. Organizing visits for children over the age of six to the Home of Social Education for boys at the end of each week as a preliminary measure for their transfer to the cubs section in the home.

    Homes of social education for boys and girls

    The social education homes aim to accommodate orphans, of unknown parents and those of similar status of both sexes, and to create the appropriate climate for the home to act as a trusted breadwinner alternative to the natural family, and to provide integrated care for these children for their healthy growth and adaptation to themselves and their society through the social education homes for boys and the social education homes for girls.
    These homes receive orphans who have reached the age of six, and have been prepared to accommodate, care for and raise them so that it is as close as possible to the natural family home.
    Students continue with the social education home for boys until the age of twelve, and then the model education institutions receive them after this age until they finish their studies in schools affiliated with the Ministry of Education, or they are enrolled in suitable work, or are prepared to reside in the external community. Meanwhile, female students remain in girls' social education homes until they are prepared to become housewives capable of preparing a decent family life.
    Each male and female student in the social education home receives remuneration according to their stages of study, for the male and female students in the elementary stage their monthly remuneration is (500) riyals, and the students of the middle stage in the education homes or model institution, their monthly remuneration is (700) riyals. As for high school students in educational homes or a model institution, their monthly remuneration is (900) riyals. As for undergraduate students, their monthly remuneration is (1200) riyals.

    Who can be accepted to social education home

    Social education homes accept the following:

    1. An orphan of one or both parents.
    2. Unknown parentage.
    3. Children with broken families.

    Conditions for joining the social education homes for boys and girls:

    1. That the person to be enrolled or attached to the home must be one of the previous categories.
    2. That the age of the child at the time of submitting the application for admission is not less than six years and not more than twelve years for students only.
    3. They should not have a family from their relatives that can take care of them.
    4. That the living conditions surrounding them threaten to deviate them if they continue in them.
    5. That the social research proves the applicability of the conditions and their eligibility to enter the home.
    6. They must not be suffering from infectious diseases, disabilities and mental illnesses.
    7. The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs may exempt from one or more conditions of acceptance when necessary and in special exceptional cases (orphan - age - nationality).

    Model Education Institutions:

    The model educational institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are considered the next stage for caring for male orphans who graduate in social education homes after obtaining the primary certificate, and these orphans are usually excellent students who excel in theoretical studies, and model education institutions aim to accommodate and embrace them to provide opportunities for care and intermediate education And secondary to them afterwards.


    Conditions for joining model education institutions:

    For the student to be admitted to the Model Education Institution, the following conditions are required:

    1. To be an orphan of one of the parents.
    2. The Social Education Home to which they were enrolled must submit a report explaining the current living conditions of the student that require his enrollment in the Model Education Institution, along with providing this institution with the entire student file of the Social Education House.
    3. That the student fulfills the conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Education to accept students for intermediate education in terms of age and total grades in the elementary certificate.
    4. The student should be willing to enroll in intermediate education, or technical or vocational institutes.
    5. The medical examination must prove his safety from the diseases that hinder his benefit from his accommodation and care in the Model Education Institution.
    6. That he during elementary school an example of diligence and diligence and excels in study, good conduct and behavior during his previous stay in the Social Education House.

    Aspects of social welfare and activities in model education institutions:

    The model educational institutions depend on planning sponsorship programs and various activities, and supervising their implementation and follow-up by a technical committee formed for this purpose, where coordination is made between social, cultural and sports activities, occupying leisure time with useful hobbies, organizing study times, and so on. The institution’s social department supervises all activities and programs inside and outside the institution.


    Orphans Marriage:

    Since the Ministry is the alternative legal guardian for orphan girls and those of similar status, the issue of raising up and marrying girls is one of the most important work that the agency carries out, as conditions and controls are set for the applicant for marriage. During the completion of the marriage forms, which include two parts, a special section for the applicant to marry and include all the necessary data about him, in addition to attaching health and social documents about him as well, and the other part of the form includes the necessary data about the girl and her care and other documents about the girl’s desire to enter married life and accept the applicant.

    Child Benefits

    In The Kingdom, child benefits form an essential part of social security, reflecting the government's commitment to supporting children and ensuring the well-being of the family. Regular disbursements of child benefits have been contributed to covering various expenses related to education, healthcare, and basic needs, contributing to the overall development and welfare of children and families in the country. The provision of child benefits is a testament to the nation's dedication to nurturing its future leaders and fostering a strong and resilient community. The Kingdom’s efforts in this field have been fruitful in several initiatives and programs, among them are:

    Initiatives and services provided by the Ministry of Health

    Vaccination Reminder Service

    Within the framework of the efforts carried out by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to maintain the health of children in the Kingdom, and protect them and the community groups of diseases, it established this service to remind parents of the deadlines of the basic vaccinations against diseases targeted by immunization according to the MOH new vaccinations schedule, in terms of sending a reminding message of the vaccination date on the mobile phone, e-mail by the vaccination child week.
    For the list of basic vaccinations, click here.

    Child Health

    To access the services, please visit this page.

    Initiatives and services provided by the Ministry of Education

    Early childhood development and care

    The Ministry of Education laid down the basics for students' physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development and their development simultaneously, in the early stages of childhood between the ages of 3-8 years, and that process at each stage depends on the capabilities achieved by the child in the previous stage. These policies came to touch the special needs of young learners, to raise performance levels, and to develop plans to build, and institutional formation, for the child's entry and preparation for higher education stages.
    To access the service, click here.

    School Health

    It is a set of concepts, principles, systems and services provided with the aim of promoting student health at an early age to raise the level of public health, by making use of health sciences such as: public health, preventive medicine, health education, biostatistics, nutrition as well as educational sciences, in addition to employing communication and media to spread health awareness directly in School, or indirectly into the general community.
    To access the service, click here.

    Initiatives and services provided by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

    Child protection law

    To access the service, click here.

    Care for orphans and children of unknown parentage

    To access the service, click here.

    Juvenile care

    To access the service, click here.

    Awareness of the causes of family violence #talatf

    To access the service, click here.

    Related Agencies


    Important Links

    • Elderly