At Northern Focus, we take special care when covering stories that involve minors. This Safeguarding & Minors Policy outlines the principles and procedures we follow to ensure that children and young people are protected in our journalism. It applies to all content published by Northern Beacon Media Inc. on northernfocus.org.
How does Northern Focus safeguard minors in its reporting?
We only include minors in stories when their involvement is essential to the public interest and when no harm will result. We generally avoid naming minors or showing identifying details unless parental consent is given and a senior editor determines it is justified. Our default position is to protect anonymity.
This approach reflects the broader standards set out in our Editorial Policy. Our reporters and editors are trained to consider the vulnerability of young people, particularly in stories involving crime, trauma, family disputes, or sensitive personal issues. We never publish images or information that could lead to harassment or stigmatisation of a child, and we remove archived content involving minors if a credible concern is raised. Any exception to the anonymity default must be approved by the Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editor after consultation with our Standards Lead.
What additional review process applies to stories involving children?
All stories that name or feature a minor under 18 receive mandatory additional review by our Standards Lead Andrew Leblanc, who assesses potential risks and ethical implications before publication. This review happens after the standard editorial and fact-checking process.
Andrew works with the reporting editor to determine whether the minor’s identity should be protected, whether proper consent has been obtained from a parent or guardian, and whether the story meets the principles described in our Editorial Policy. He also checks that any source material involving minors – including interviews, photographs, and video – was collected ethically and with appropriate safeguards. If the story involves a child who is a victim or witness of crime, Andrew consults with legal advisers before any content goes live. You can read more about our team and Andrew’s role on our Our Team page.
What you can expect from us
You can expect that Northern Focus will never publish content that exploits, demeans, or endangers a minor. We do not use minors in commercial or sponsored content, and we never allow affiliate links or advertising to influence coverage involving young people.
Our Fact-Checking Policy requires verification of any claim about a minor, including ages, school attendance, or family relationships. If we make a mistake in a story involving a child, we correct it promptly and transparently, following our Corrections Policy. We also review any reader complaint about a minor’s presence in our coverage on an expedited basis. Our Standards Lead, Andrew Leblanc, is notified of every such correction and complaint to ensure consistency across the newsroom.
What should I do if I have concerns about a story involving a minor?
If you believe a story published by Northern Focus has violated this policy or placed a minor at risk, please contact us immediately at complaints@northernfocus.org. Our complaints team will review your concern and, if warranted, the story will be taken down or amended pending full investigation.
Andrew Leblanc, our Standards Lead, oversees all safeguarding-related complaints. He will document the concern, coordinate with the original reporting team, and report the outcome to the Editor-in-Chief, Catherine Roy. You can also refer to our Complaints Procedure for details on how we handle formal submissions. All concerns are treated confidentially, and we will acknowledge receipt within one business day.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about this Safeguarding & Minors Policy or would like to report a potential violation, please write to our Standards Lead Andrew Leblanc at complaints@northernfocus.org. For general inquiries, contact info@northernfocus.org.
This policy is reviewed annually and was last updated in January 2025. You can learn more about our team on our Our Team page and about our broader journalistic standards on our Editorial Policy page.