Ethical Storytelling and Consent: Communicating Children’s Stories with Dignity

Stories inspire support—but they must protect the very children we serve. FADOA’s communications practice blends policy and pragmatism so that donors and the public stay informed without compromising privacy, consent, or dignity.

Core Principles

• Best interests first: if a detail is not necessary, we leave it out.
• Informed consent: guardians (and children, when appropriate) understand where and how a story or image will be used.
• Dignity over drama: we refuse imagery or wording that exploits suffering.
• Anonymization by default: names and locations are adjusted unless explicit, informed consent allows otherwise [1][2].

From Policy to Practice

We use a short consent script and form, store approvals securely, and log any restrictions (e.g., time‑bound use). Field staff follow a simple checklist for interviews and photos—no faces without consent; no sensitive context shots; no identifiers in file names. Editors verify compliance before publication.

Responsible Data and Transparency

We report budgets, deliveries, and outcomes using aggregated, anonymized data—consistent with Responsible Data for Children (RD4C) guidance. When we publish stories, we clarify whether names and locations have been changed and why. Transparency builds trust when it is specific and safe [3].

Training and Oversight

Communications and program teams complete annual refreshers on consent, safeguarding, and photo/video protocols. A ‘pause and review’ step allows any staff member to flag concerns before content goes live. These habits keep ethics routine rather than exceptional [1][2].

Endnotes

[1] UNICEF — Ethical reporting on children; Child Protection Strategy. (UNICEF Ethical Reporting)

[2] Keeping Children Safe — Child safeguarding standards for NGOs. (KCS Standards)

[3] UNICEF & GovLab — Responsible Data for Children (RD4C). (RD4C)