1.  POLICY OBJECTIVE

 

1.1 The Victorian Government introduced the Child Safe Standards as compulsory minimum standards for all organisations that provide services for, or are used by, children to ensure the protection of children from harm.

 

1.2 The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that all Staff employed or engaged by the Organisation are aware of the Organisation’s commitment to and obligation of providing a child-safe environment.

 

1.3 This Policy aims to communicate the Organisation’s:

 

(a) Commitment to child safety such that it can be understood by all, including children; and

 

(b) Approach to meeting the Child Safe Standards.

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2.  SCOPE

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2.1 This Policy applies to:

 

(a) All Staff employed or engaged by the Organisation; and

 

(b) Associated organisations and entities which the Organisation regulates.

 

2.2 This Policy applies to a broad range of situations where interaction with children may occur, including when Staff come into contact with children through:

 

(a) Services provided, or activities organised, by the Organisation; and

 

(b) Incidental contact with children.

 

2.3 It is important that all Staff are aware of their obligations with respect to Reportable Conduct, whereby allegations of Staff misconduct involving children may be made against a Staff member even if the relevant conduct occurred outside of their work which is normally performed as part of the Organisation’s Services.

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3. STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

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3.1 The Organisation:

 

(a) Is committed to child safety and the best interests of children;

 

(b) Is committed to providing training and education on Child Abuse risks to its Staff;

 

(c) Is committed to promoting cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and a safe environment for children with a disability;

 

(d) Has zero tolerance towards Child Abuse and will take all allegations of Reportable Conduct and safety concerns seriously by ensuring that such conduct is addressed in accordance with the Organisation’s values, policies and procedures and its legal obligations;

 

(e) Has legal and moral obligations to contact relevant authorities where there are any concerns about a child’s safety;

 

(f) Will uphold the right of all children, who come into contact with the Organisation, to feel safe and protected;

 

(g) Will prevent Child Abuse by identifying such risks early and removing and reducing these risks; and

 

(h) Will actively empower children who come into contact with the Organisation.

 

3.2 The Organisation requires all Staff to uphold these commitments. The Organisation has specific policies, procedures, recruitment practices and training in place that support its Staff to achieve these commitments.

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4. APPROACH TO CHILD SAFETY

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4.1 This section provides an overview of the Organisation’s measures in place to support child safety across the Organisation.

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A Child Safe Environment

 

4.2 All Staff have a responsibility to support the Organisation’s commitment and obligations to create a child safe environment.

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Child Safe Code of Conduct                                   

 

4.3 All Staff must ensure that they display appropriate standards of behaviour towards children at all times to ensure that children’s rights are respected, that they feel safe and protected, and that their concerns are treated seriously.

 

Training and Supervision

 

4.4 The Organisation is committed to ensuring that its Staff have access to appropriate professional learning and

training opportunities to develop and maintain an understanding of child safety and prevention of harm.

 

4.5 In addition to position-specific training requirements, training will be available to all Staff who are likely to come into regular contact with children. This training will include how to identify, assess and minimise risks of Child Abuse and to detect potential signs of Child Abuse.

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Recruitment and/or Selection of Staff

 

4.6 The recruitment and/or selection of Staff aims to support the Organisation’s commitment to promoting an organisational culture of child safety.

 

4.7 The Organisation has robust selection processes, which involve reference checks and police record checks to ensure that the right people are recruited.

 

4.8 For positions that involve contact with children, selection of Staff is based on an individual’s clear commitment to and understanding of child safety.
 

4.9 All people, including volunteers, engaged in “child-related work”, as defined in the Working With Children Act 2005, are required to:

 

(a) hold a Working with Children (“WWC”) Check; and

 

(b) provide evidence that the WWC Check is valid at all times whilst employed or engaged by the Organisation.

 

4.10 In addition, positions that may have contact with children due to their working environment are assessed as to whether a WWC Check is required to minimise the risk of harm to children.

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Reporting a Child Safety Concern

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4.11 The Organisation works to ensure all children, families, and Staff understand their obligations and know how to make a report if they are a victim or observe Child Abuse or inappropriate behaviour.

 

4.12 The Organisation takes all allegations of Child Abuse and Reportable Conduct seriously. It is committed to ensuring that such allegations are addressed in accordance with the Organisation’s processes for responding to and reporting suspected Child Abuse.

 

4.13 If a Staff member has a reasonable belief that a Reportable Conduct incident has occurred, then they must report the incident to the Organisation’s Child Safety Officer in the first instance. If the incident is of a criminal nature, the incident must also be reported to the police.
 

4.14 In order for the Organisation to perform its functions under the Child Safe Standards, it may be required to collect personal information about an employee, consultant, contractor, volunteers or student and disclose that information to a third party.

 

4.15 Personal information which is collected and/or disclosed about an individual will be managed in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005.

 

Contact

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4.16 Please contact the Child Safety Officer in relation to any matters arising under this Policy:

Child Safety Officer

Email: childsafe@fjet.com.au

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DEFINITIONS

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Child

Means a child or young person under the age of 18 years.

 

Child Abuse

Means:

(a) any act committed against a child involving:

(i) a sexual offence; or

(ii) an offence under Section 49M(1) of the Crimes Act 1958; or

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(b) the infliction on a child of:

(i) physical violence; or

(ii) serious emotional or psychological harm; or

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(c) the serious neglect of a child.

 

Child Safe Standards

Means the standards established under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005.

 

Staff

Includes all employees, consultants, contractors or volunteers employed or engaged by FJ Elite Training.

 

Organisation

Means:

(a) FJ Elite Training (ABN 61 205 194 439);

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(b) Maeng Ho Taekwondo Academy; and/or

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(c) Krav Maga Advantage.

 

Policy

Means this Child Safe Policy, as amended from time to time.

 

Reportable Conduct

Means:

(a) A sexual offence committed against, with or in the presence of, a child, whether or not a criminal proceeding in relation to the offence has been commenced or concluded; or

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(b) Sexual misconduct, committed against, with or in the presence of, a child; or

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(c) Physical violence committed against, with or in the presence of, a child; or

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(d) Any behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child, or significant neglect of a child.

 

Services

Means the provision of martial arts and self-defence training.

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