child safe Policy

THORNLEIGH WEST PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS’ AND CITIZENS’ ASSOCIATION

Thornleigh West Public School Parents and Citizens Association Child Safe Policy

Commitment to Child Safety

Thornleigh West Public School Parents and Citizens Association (Association) is committed to the safety, participation and empowerment of children involved in its activities. The Association supports and respects children and their families, as well as the Association’s employees, contractors, and volunteers.

The Association has a zero-tolerance policy of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently in accordance with our robust policies and procedures.

The Association has legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when there is a concern regarding a child’s safety. The Association is committed to preventing all forms of child abuse and identifying risks early, and to removing and reducing these risks.

The Association is committed to the cultural safety of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including that of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.

The Association has specific procedures in place that support its Executive Committee, employees, contractors, and volunteers to achieve these commitments.

The Association complies with:

• The Child Protection (Working with Children) Act (2012);

• The Child Protection (Working with Children) Regulation 2013; and

• the Working with Children Check requirements set out by the Office of the Children’s Guardian.

• All members of the Association’s Executive Committee are required to be familiar with this policy and to use best endeavours to ensure compliance with this policy.

• This policy applies to all activities of the Association.

Definitions

• Child: A person who is under sixteen years of age.

• Young Person: A person who is aged sixteen years or above but who is under the age of eighteen years.

• Child Abuse: Any behaviour that harms a child. It can take many forms, including physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, as well as neglect and exploitation.

• Working with Children Check: A clearance that involves a national police check and a review of findings of any workplace misconduct.

Children’s Participation

This policy is intended to empower children involved in the Association’s activities. The Association commits to involving children, in an age-appropriate way, when making decisions, especially about matters that directly affect them. The Association listens to children’s views and respects their opinions. The Association promotes diversity and tolerance and welcomes all children.

Obligations of staff and volunteers

Employees, contractors, and volunteers of the Association are required to enact this policy to the extent of their role in the administration or activities of the Association.

All employees, contractors, and volunteers of the Association who have face to face contact with children in the course of performing their role for the Association (Child- Facing Worker) are required to obtain a Working with Children Check, unless exempt under the relevant legislation for the role being undertaken, and to provide the Association with evidence of the outcome of the check. It is also a requirement that Child-Facing Workers obtain and provide the Association with evidence of the outcome of, an updated Working with Children Check if requested to do so by an Office Bearer of the Association.

Prior to engaging in, or continuing to engage in, any role for the Association involving child-facing contact with children, a Child-Facing Worker is to provide evidence of the outcome of their Working with Children Check to the Association by:

1. Sending their Working with Children Check Number, full name, and date of birth to the Association’s Secretary via email to officebearers@twpspandc.org.

There is no obligation for a prospective Child-Facing Worker to inform the Association of a Working with Children Check Number associated with a “barred” decision.

However, any prospective Child-Facing Worker that fails to provide the Association with a Working with Children Check Number will, unless exempt, be ineligible to perform any role for the Association that involves face to face contact with children.

For all non-exempt Child-Facing Workers that provide the Association with a Working with Children Check Number, the Association will verify the Working with Children Check outcome associated with the Working with Children Check Number.

Unless exempt, any Child-Facing Worker must, if the status of their Working with Children Check changes:

• immediately inform the Association via email to officebearers@twpspandc.org; and

• immediately cease performing any role for the Association that involves face to face contact with children.

The Association will maintain and securely store a Working with Children Check Register, that includes the following details for each Working with Children Check:

• full name;

• date of birth;

• working with children check clearance number and expiry date; and

• date and outcome of online verification.

An Office Bearer of the Association will be responsible for administering Working with Children Checks for the Association. This Office Bearer will be required to report regularly to the Association.

Two Office Bearers of the Association must be appointed as official contacts in relation to Working with Children Checks.

Exemptions to Requiring a Working with Children Check Clearance

The Association may require any Child-Facing Worker to provide proof of exemption.

Child-Facing Workers who are parents or close relatives of a child at the school are generally exempt from requiring a Working with Children Check Number unless they are also an employee or contractor of the Association, work as part of a formal mentoring program, are involved in the intimate personal care of children with a disability or are attending an overnight camp for children.

Roles where an exemption from requiring a Working with Children Check Number may apply include, but are not limited to:

• A worker (other than a school cleaner) who provides administrative, clerical or maintenance services, or other ancillary services, if the work does not ordinarily involve contact with children for extended periods;

• A worker who works for a period of not more than a total of 5 working days in a calendar year, if the work involves minimal direct contact with children or is supervised when children are present; and

• A worker who is under the age of 18 years.

Recruitment

The Association will maintain a rigorous and consistent recruitment, screening, and selection process for prospective employees.

All child-related employment positions advertised by the Association will clearly state Working with Children Check requirements.

The Association’s employment contracts for Child-Facing Workers shall include a clause that stipulates the need to maintain a cleared Working with Children Check for the duration of employment.

Additional Strategies to Keep Children Safe

The Association will not allow a person to work as a Child-Facing Worker if the person: fails to provide a Working with Children Check Number, unless exempt; or provides a Working with Children Check Number associated with a barred decision.

During Association events or activities:

• Association employees, contractors, or volunteers are not to be alone with a child unless they are the legal guardian of the child;

• Association employees, contractors, or volunteers are to have the door open if inside a room with a child;

• If an Association employee, contractor, or volunteer is responsible for a group of children (Responsible Adult) and a child needs to leave the group for any reason:

  • • at least two children will be sent together;

    • children leaving the group should not result in a child being left alone;

    • the Responsible Adult shall monitor that the children return in a timely manner and investigate promptly if that does not occur.

To minimise misunderstandings, the Association discourages physical contact with children.

In the event of an off-site activity of the Association that involves children:

• unless otherwise arranged and appropriately authorised, it is expected that transport of a child will be arranged by the child’s legal guardian;

• the Association will provide the legal guardian of each child with the following information on the off-site activity:

  • • full address of destination;

    • expected arrival and departure times;

    • details of parking arrangements (if available/relevant); and

    • name and contact details of an Activity Contact Person who will be available for contact by parents.

• in the event of an overnight activity:

  • • the legal guardian of each child will be required to complete documentation with regards to permission for the overnight stay; and

    • children staying overnight will share rooms with children of the same sex only.

Children will be designated separate toileting areas to adults. No adult will enter a children’s toileting area unless extenuating circumstances, such as a medical emergency, exist. Children will go in pairs or more when toileting.

Complaints Management and Reporting

The Association takes all allegations of inappropriate conduct and abuse very seriously and has practices in place to investigate thoroughly and quickly.

The Association will work to ensure all children, families, employees, contractors, and volunteers know what to do and who to tell if they observe or are a victim of inappropriate conduct or abuse.

The Association has a responsibility to report an allegation of abuse if it has a

reasonable belief that an incident involving abuse took place. Reasonable belief refers

to the need to have an objective basis that a child may be at risk of abuse and/or neglect based on:

• First hand observation of the child and/or family;

• What the child, caregiver, or other person has disclosed; or

• What can easily be deduced based on observation, professional training, and/or experience.

Upon receiving a disclosure of abuse of a child involved in an activity of the Association, the Association employee, contractor, or volunteer involved in the activity will:

• ensure the immediate safety of the child, and remove them from the activity if required; ensure access for the child to immediate medical treatment, if required;

• listen attentively to the child and remain calm and supportive;

• find a quiet place to talk allowing the child to tell their story in their own words;

• avoid asking leading questions or probing for information that the child is not ready to disclose;

• not promise not to tell anyone;

• reassure the child/young person that they have done the right thing in revealing the information and that they have a right to feel safe but that they will need to talk to someone who can help keep the child safe;

• only ask enough questions to confirm the need to report the matter;

• not attempt to conduct an investigation or mediate an outcome between the parties involved;

• document the matter as soon as possible so the details are captured accurately, including:

  • • time, date, and place of the disclosure;

    • using the words of the child where possible and include what was said,

    • including anything they said and any actions that have been taken; and

    • date of report and signature;

• notify: the Association Office Bearers; the relevant Association Subcommittee Convenor, if any; and the Thornleigh West Public School Principal; and

• contact the Child Protection Helpline on 132 111 regarding the incident.

If the Association receives a notification of abuse, the Association must keep all records of allegations, investigations, and findings about the notification for at least thirty (30) years (check with the Office of the Children’s Guardian for any changes to this requirement), unless the records are given to the Office of the Children’s Guardian.

If the reporting party or any successor to the reporting party ceases to exist all records must be lodged with the Office of the Children’s Guardian before the reporting party, or the successor to a reporting party, or the Association ceases to exist.

Training, Support, and Supervision of Employees

The Association promotes respect, fairness, and consideration of its employees, contractors, and volunteers.

All Association employees will have an Association Office Bearer assigned to support and supervise their work.

All new employees, contractors, and volunteers will be required to access and read this Child Safe Policy, which is available at www.twpspandc.org.

Other Legislation, Standards, or Internal Policies

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Thornleigh West Public School Parents and Citizens Association Code of Conduct and Grievance, Complaints, and Disputes Procedures, which are available at www.twpspandc.org.

Communication

The Association will notify its employees, contractors, and volunteers of this policy as follows:

• Publicly on the Association’s website at www.twpspandc.org at all times;

• Upon commencing employment or work for the Association;

• During event briefings for significant activities coordinated by the Association; and

• Upon request to the Association.

Review

The Association welcomes comments and feedback on this policy. If you have any comments, feedback, questions, or concerns about this policy, please contact the Association via email to officebearers@twpspandc.org.

The Association is committed to continuous improvement of child safe policies.

This policy will be reviewed and updated by the Association from time to time. The current version of this policy will be the version published on the Association’s website at www.twpspandc.org regardless of whether or not specific notice of any change to the policy has been given.

Signed President: Melannie Hogan NAME: Melannie Hogan

Witnessed Vice President: Gary Capell NAME: Gary Capell

Date: 15th March, 2022