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Child Safe Organisation Policy

​Dysart Lifestyle Centre is committed to providing a child-safe, child-friendly environment.

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Commitment to Child Safety

  1. Dysart Lifestyle Centre is committed to providing a child-safe, child-friendly environment and has a zero tolerance of child abuse (physical, sexual, emotional and serious neglect).

  2. Dysart Lifestyle Centre vision is to provide quality fitness and recreational programs that are supported by best practice coaching so that our children are able to develop to their full potential. Our aim is to provide an inclusive, supportive and nurturing environment. Harm prevention is central to our vision and practice. Integrity is a key value of Dysart Lifestyle Centre because it comes from a basis of trust, ethics and accountability and these inform our policies and practices to keep children and young people safe.

  3. Dysart Lifestyle Centre is aware that all children are vulnerable and require adults to keep them safe. Some children are even more vulnerable to abuse and disrespect than others. Dysart Lifestyle Centre has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion and are attuned to cultural sensitivities and those with additional needs. ALL children have the human rights to be safe, are equally valued, and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Dysart Lifestyle Centre recognises this and is committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island children, other cultural and linguistic diverse children, children with a disability and LGBTQI.

Policy Purpose and Scope

  1.  The purpose of this policy is to outline Dysart Lifestyle Centre commitment to child safety, the child abuse prevention measures it has in place and outlines how we will respond to concerns about child safety. Everyone involved with Dysart Lifestyle Centre must adhere to this policy and Employees, Volunteers and sub-contractors are required to understand and implement this policy, the Child Safe Code of Conduct and all associated Dysart Lifestyle Centre policies.

  2. Dysart Lifestyle Centre encourages and actively seeks feedback from children, parents/carers and host organisations about ways to improve the quality and safety of our programs. Our child safe policy is linked to the website for easy accessibility. Dysart Lifestyle Centre seeks feedback from children, parents and host organisations for the development and review of our policies and practices.

Definitions

  1. For the purpose of this policy a child is a person under the age of 18 years. The word ‘child’ will be used to describe both young children and youth up to the age of 18 years old.

  2. This policy relates to all forms of child abuse including:

    1. Physical Abuse

    2. Sexual Abuse

    3. Family Violence

    4. Severe Neglect

    5. Serious Emotional Harm

  3. Host organisation: Dysart Lifestyle Centre works in partnership with other organisations to run its programs and they will be referred to as host organisations.

Child Safety Responsibility and Accountability

  1. Dysart Lifestyle Centre management accept ultimate responsibility for ensuring Dysart Lifestyle Centre is child-safe and operates within a best practice framework that complies with legislation and regulation. They are responsible for policy and procedures, for recruitment of suitable employees and subcontractors as well as the design of programs and activities.

  2. Ashleigh Stokes (Manager) has adopted the child safety portfolio as the Child Protection Officer (‘CPO’). The CPO is responsible for overseeing the development, implementation and monitoring of Dysart Lifestyle Centre child safe policies and practices. She creates reports where required to be analysed and monitored to ensure policies and procedures are effective. Ashleigh is responsible for ensuring the accountability of all subcontractors, volunteers and employees and responds to any concerns. Ashleigh will ensure risk is assessed and mitigated while ensuring incident trends are analysed and addressed.

  3. All those in leadership have a level of responsibility for ensuring a child safe culture is modelled and actioned. The Leadership Team and Team Leaders at Dysart Lifestyle Centre have a clear set of accountabilities within their roles. Each Team Leader is responsible for ensuring the implementation and supervision of child safety in our facility. Any concerns noted should be immediately reported to the CPO.

  4. All employees, volunteers, and sub-contractors are responsible for implementing Dysart Lifestyle Centre commitment to child safety as outlined in policy, training and employment contracts. If they have any concerns, they are required to immediately report those concerns to the CPO and authorities.

  5. At the centre of wellbeing is respectful relationships. Dysart Lifestyle Centre requires employees, volunteers and subcontractors to meet or exceed the standards set out in the Child Safety Code of Conduct. It also expects all host clients to meet it’s child safety obligations. Participants will be expected to adhere to respectful, safe behaviour including peer to peer interactions.

Risk Management

  1. Dysart Lifestyle Centre undertakes a range of processes to identify risk and prevent harm. Risk management plans consider all the risks posed by the organisation’s settings, activities and the physical environment. Online risks are addressed through the Child Safety Code of Conduct. The organisation regularly reviews, evaluates and improves child safe practices.

  2. Risk assessments are undertaken for each program/activity and the organisation cannot go ahead with an activity unless ‘Permission To-Proceed’ has been granted by the CPO. This is a critical, risk-based principle for child-related operations at Dysart Lifestyle Centre.

  3. Dysart Lifestyle Centre works in partnership with other community groups and organisations who are also required to ensure they are compliant child safe organisations and that environmental and other risks associated with child safety are addressed.

Recruitment and Screening

  1. Dysart Lifestyle Centre is committed to high quality programs and in order to achieve that they recruit high quality employees, trainers, volunteers and contractors. Dysart Lifestyle Centre undertakes screening and recruitment practices to ensure only those most suited to working with children are involved with our organisation and our programs.

  2. Those who work for Dysart Lifestyle Centre must provide certified copies of qualifications, have a Working with Childrens Check (WWCC) and undergo interview and referee checks. A person must have a valid ‘Working with Children Check’ as per their State legislative requirement (as outlined in Dysart Lifestyle Centre's Recruitment, Induction & Training Policy).

  3. All applicants must undertake a recruitment process that involves best practice recruitment processes such as application screening, interviews and referee checks in accordance with child abuse prevention best practice.

  4. A person who has been charged with a violent or sexually-related offence (whether convicted or not) cannot be involved in child-related programs or work in immediate proximity to child-related programs.

Training

  1. Dysart Lifestyle Centre ensures that employees, volunteers and contractors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe through ongoing supervision, education and training.

  2. All employees, trainers, volunteers and contractors receive mandatory training (face-to face and/or online) so that they understand child abuse and know who to prevent and respond in a child informed, child safe practices.

  3. The CPO maintains a training register of those trained and ensures refresher training is undertaken every 2-3 years.

Child Safe Code of Conduct

  1. Every person involved in programs and activities of Dysart Lifestyle Centre must treat the safety and care of children as paramount.

  2. Dysart Lifestyle Centre requires all employees, volunteers and contractors to role model the organisational commitment to child safety and to demonstrate appropriate behaviour towards children. The Child Safety Code of Conduct outlines acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and must be signed as part of the employment procedure to ensure they are clear about their expectations. Each person involved in operations in Dysart Lifestyle Centre, must comply with the Codes of Conduct. Failure to do so will result in discipline. The only person authorised to speak to the media in relation to any Dysart Lifestyle Centre operations is Ashleigh Stokes, Manager. No other person is authorised to speak to the media.

Child Safety Complaints Procedure and Reporting Process

  1. Dysart Lifestyle Centre has a range of strategies in place that build on a culture that facilitates participation and is responsive to the input of children and families. There are a range of feedback options that are provided that are child friendly including online, by phone, and through the host organisations.

  2. At the beginning of each activity/program children are advised that their feedback is welcome and how they can raise any concerns including peer to peer abuses.

  3.  Dysart Lifestyle Centre has an accessible child focused complaint handling policy which clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of employees and subcontractors regarding different types of complaints.

  4. Allegations of abuse are very serious and require a high degree of care when handling. Children should be believed, and therefore appropriate action taken in response. The common basis for responding is based on the premise of ‘reasonable belief’ of the allegation and/or disclosure. Children or their families can report their concerns directly to the CPO.

  5. All Incidents must be reported by employees, volunteers and contractors to the CPO.

  6. Dysart Lifestyle Centre will ensure that reports are made to the relevant authorities and Dysart Lifestyle Centre will fully co-operate with their investigation.

Record-keeping

  1. Information and documents that contain personal information will be stored confidentially and securely in accordance with Dysart Lifestyle Centre Privacy Policy
    Review

  2. This policy must be reviewed and updated anually or sooner if there are regulatory or legislative changes.

Child Safe Organisation
Reporting Policy

Purpose
This policy sets out our organisation’s policy on child safe reporting and complaint handling.
Everyone in our organisation must:

•know what to report, who to report to and how to report

•report any concerns about the safety or welfare of a child or young person immediately

•ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child is paramount when responding to a disclosure or allegation about a child being harmed or at risk.

 

This policy applies to all staff, volunteer, contractor, committee members, parent, child and any other person involved with our organisation.

 

Policy Review

This Child Safe document is reviewed at least annually, or earlier if there are any incidents.

 

Standards and Guidelines

Child Safe Organisation Act 2024

Children’s Guardian Act 2019

Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012

Child Protection (Working with Children) Regulation 2013

Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998

Crimes Act 1900

Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth)

 

Child Safeguarding

Officers in Our Organisation

Ashleigh Stokes – CHILD SAFETY LEADER – 0409 564 798

Rosemary Kulu – CHILD SAFETY CHAMPION – 0458 445 606

Bree Day – Child Safety Champion – 0438 763 683

 

Definitions

Psychological abuse (also known as emotional abuse)

This includes bullying, threatening and abusive language, intimidation, shaming and name calling, ignoring and isolating a child, and exposure to domestic and family violence.Physical abuseThis includes behaviours such as pushing, shoving, punching, slapping, kicking and unauthorised use of restraint.

Sexual abuse

This includes the sexual touching or sexual assault of a child, grooming, and production, distribution or possession of child abuse material.

Grooming

This is a process where a person manipulates a child or group of children and sometimes those looking after them, including parents, carers, teachers and leaders. They do this to establish a position of ‘trust’ so they can then later sexually abuse the child.

Misconduct

This is inappropriate behaviour that may not be as severe as abuse but could indicate that abuse is occurring and would often be in breach of an organisation’s Child Safe Code of Conduct. This could include showing a child something inappropriate on a phone, having inappropriate conversations with a child or an adult sitting with a child on their lap.

Lack of appropriate care

This includes not providing adequate and proper supervision, nourishment, clothing, shelter, education or medical care.

Reportable Conduct

Children’s Guardian Act 2019 defines reportable conduct as:

a sexual offence

sexual misconduct

ill-treatment of a child

neglect of a child

an assault against a child

an offence under s 43B (failure to protect) or s 316A (failure to report) of the Crimes Act 1900

behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child.

 

The definitions of harm and abuse listed below are based on those in part 4, section 20 of the Children’s Guardian Act 2019.

Sexual Offence

A sexual offence is an offence of a sexual nature under a law of NSW, another state/territory, or the Commonwealth committed against, with or in the presence of a child, such as:

sexual touching of a child

a child grooming offence

production, dissemination or possession of child abuse material.

 

An alleged sexual offence does not have to be the subject of criminal investigation or charges for it to be categorised as a reportable allegation of a sexual offence.

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Sexual Misconduct

Sexual misconduct of a child means any conduct with, towards or in the presence of a child that is sexual in nature (but is not a sexual offence). The following are examples of sexual misconduct:

descriptions of sexual acts without a legitimate reason to provide the descriptions

sexual comments, conversations or communications

comments to a child that express a desire to act in a sexual manner towards the child, or another child.

Ill-treatment

Ill treatment of a child means conduct towards a child that is:

unreasonable, and seriously inappropriate, improper, inhumane or cruel. Ill-treatment can include a range of conduct such as making excessive or degrading demands of a child; a pattern of hostile or degrading comments or behaviour towards a child; and using inappropriate forms of behaviour management towards a child.

Neglect

Neglect of a child means a significant failure to provide adequate and proper food, supervision, nursing, clothing, medical aid or lodging for the child that causes or is likely to cause harm to the child, by: a person with parental responsibility for the child, an authorised carer or an employee if the child is in the employee’s care.

Neglect can be an ongoing situation of repeated failure by a caregiver to meet a child’s physical or psychological needs, or a single significant incident where a caregiver fails to fulfil a duty or obligation, resulting in actual harm to a child or where there is the potential for significant harm to a child. Examples of neglect include failing to protect a child from abuse or exposing a child to a harmful environment.

Assault

An assault can occur when a person intentionally or recklessly:

applies physical force against a child without lawful justification or excuse - such as hitting, striking, kicking, punching or dragging a child, or

causes a child to apprehend the immediate and unlawful use of physical force against them, such as threatening to physically harm a child through words and/or gestures.

Behaviour that causes emotional or psychological harm to a child

Behaviour that causes significant psychological or emotional harm is conduct that is intentional or reckless (without reasonable excuse), obviously or very clearly unreasonable and which results in significant emotional harm or trauma to a child.

 

For a reportable allegation involving psychological harm, the following elements must be present:

an obviously or very clearly unreasonable or serious act or series of acts that the employee knew or ought to have known was unacceptable, and;

evidence of psychological harm to the child that is more than transient, including displaying patterns of ‘out of character behaviour’, regression in behaviour, distress, anxiety, physical symptoms or self-harm, and an alleged causal link between the employee’s conduct and the significant emotional or psychological harm to the child.

 

Unacceptable Behaviours

Our Child Safe Code of Conduct provides a list of unacceptable behaviours around children and young people that breach our Child Safe Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct can be found at www.dysartgym.com.

 

Types of Complaints (What to Report)

All complaints should be reported. This includes:

•criminal conduct

•disclosures or reports of abuse

•risk of significant harm (ROSH)

•reportable allegations (an allegation that an employee has engaged in conduct that may be reportable conduct)

•unacceptable behaviour around children and young people that breaches our Child Safe Code of Conduct.

 

Making an External Complaint/Report

It can be a criminal offence for adults not to report to police if they know, believe or reasonably believe that a child abuse offence has been committed against another person. In addition, it can be a criminal offence for people employed in an organisation that provides child-related services if they fail to reduce or remove the risk of a child becoming a victim of child abuse.

In addition, children and young people, their families or advocates and members of the community who may interact with our services are encouraged to disclose and report to our organisation and will be supported when doing so.

 

How to Make an External Complaint/Report

It is of the utmost importance that criminal allegations be reported to police at the earliest opportunity and that entities obtain guidance from police before taking any action that could compromise a criminal response. Sometimes, it will be very clear that a report to police is required. For example, if you receive a report about sexual assault of a child, or a serious physical assault. At other times, it may be less clear. The QLD Police encourages all matters to be reported. It is critical that criminal allegations be reported immediately to police, as taking risk management action or commencing investigative steps before consulting with police may jeopardise a police investigation.

 

It is important to note that some failures to report criminal allegations to police will constitute a criminal offence. For example, s316A of the Crimes Act 1900 sets out an offence for concealing child abuse in relation to a failure to report a child abuse offence to Police. A failure to report allegations of criminal abuse of a child may also constitute reportable conduct in some circumstances.

 

Contact Dysart Police for anything you consider could be a criminal offence. This includes sexual assault, physical assault, grooming offences, and producing, disseminating or possessing child abuse material.For general enquiries, please contact QLD Police on 131 444.Any person in the community who has reasonable grounds to believe that a child or young person is at risk of significant harm (ROSH) can report to the Department of Communities and Justice on 132 111 (this is a 24-hour service).

 

Making an Internal Complaint/Report

 

Responsibility

Everyone engaged to work or volunteer in Dysart Lifestyle Centre must make an internal report about any child abuse or misconduct concerns they either observe or are told about.The person making the internal report will not be penalised. A failure to report, or preventing another person from reporting, will be considered misconduct.

 

How to Make an Internal Complaint/Report

All breaches of Dysart Lifestyle Centre Code of Conduct, disclosures, complaints and reports must be reported to Ashleigh Stokes, who is the Child Safety Leader at Dysart Lifestyle Centre via a reporting form for complaints and allegations.

 

How Complaints Should be Handled

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Overview of the Complaint Handling Process

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Once an allegation or complaint has been made, use this step-by-step process to make sure it is appropriately followed up:

1.steps are taken to identify and address any risks

2.the incident is recorded

3.reporting obligations are met, if necessary

4.an investigation is conducted, keeping everyone involved up to date with what is happening

5.ongoing support is offered to the child or young person as needed

6.the incident is reviewed and our child safe documents are updated, if necessary. This includes reviewing our Risk Management Plan.

 

Risk Management on Receiving an Allegation or Disclosure

It is the responsibility of Ashleigh Stokes, Manager, to conduct a risk assessment after receiving an allegation, to ensure the safety of all people involved and maintain the integrity of any potential investigation.

 

Procedural Fairness, Privacy and Confidentiality

Any allegation of abuse must be treated in a fair, transparent and timely manner. Workers subject to an allegation will be notified when a disciplinary hearing is to take place and what will occur at the hearing. We follow the obligations defined under the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth). Any relevant reportable conduct investigations are conducted by QFCC.Additionally:

•all information is recorded on our reporting form for complaints and allegations

•all reporting forms for complaints and allegations are stored securely and only accessed by those in the organisation with responsibility for oversight of the investigation

•information may be exchanged under Chapter 16A of the Child and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, with other agencies who have responsibilities relating to the safety, welfare or wellbeing of children or young people •our organisation maintains the privacy of those involved in accordance with our obligations under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998

•if an incident is found to be substantiated, likely outcomes or responses will be determined from advice given by relevant authorities (police, DCJ or QFCC).

 

How We Support our Child Safe Reporting Policy

To make sure everyone in our organisation is aware of our Child Safe Reporting Policy and their reporting obligations, we:

•hold information sessions about our child safe documents and how they apply to staff (including volunteers), families and children

•create and display important information from our Child Safe Reporting Policy that describes what to report, who to report to and how to report, including fact sheets, brochures and posters

•provide staff with internal and external training opportunities so they understand processes for complaints and allegations

•create and promote age- and ability-appropriate communications for children that explain what do if they feel sad, angry or concerned.

Child Safe Organisation
Code of Conduct

Commitment to Child Safety

At Dysart Lifestyle Centre, we are committed to supporting the safety of all children, with a zero-tolerance approach to abuse. This includes a culture where preventing and reporting abuse is encouraged and supported. All staff and volunteers are responsible for promoting the safety, wellbeing and empowerment of children. This includes understanding and responding to children’s diverse needs and cultural considerations.

 

Our Child Safe Code of Conduct sets out how we expect adults in our organisation to behave around children to help prevent harm and abuse in our physical spaces and online. Our Child Safe Code of Conduct identifies:

•‘I will’ child safe behaviours that we consider acceptable

•‘I won’t’ behaviours that we consider unacceptable.

 

Engaging in unacceptable behaviour is a breach of our Child Safe Code of Conduct and may result in disciplinary action.

 

Different Types of Child Harm and Abuse

Child abuse takes many forms. It can include psychological, physical and sexual abuse, grooming, misconduct and lack of appropriate care as defined below.

 

Psychological abuse (also known as emotional abuse)

This includes bullying, threatening and abusive language, intimidation, shaming and name calling, ignoring and isolating a child, and exposure to domestic and family violence.

Physical abuse

This includes physical punishment, such as pushing, shoving, punching, slapping and kicking, resulting in injury, burns, choking or bruising.

Sexual abuse
This includes the sexual touching of a child, grooming, and production, distribution or possession of child abuse material.

Grooming

This is a process where a person manipulates a child or group of children and sometimes those looking after them, including parents, carers, teachers and leaders. They do this to establish a position of ‘trust’ so they can then later sexually abuse the child.

Misconduct

This is inappropriate behaviour that may not be as severe as abuse, but could indicate that abuse is occurring and would often be in breach of an organisation’s Child Safe Code of Conduct. This could include showing a child something inappropriate on a phone, having inappropriate conversations with a child or an adult sitting with a child on their lap.

Lack of appropriate care

This includes not providing adequate and proper supervision, nourishment, clothing, shelter, education or medical care.

 

Acceptable and Unacceptable Behaviours in our Organisation

The list of acceptable and unacceptable behaviours below are in relation to interactions of staff and volunteers with children who interact with our organisation’s services, locations or activities.

I will:

•treat all children with respect

•uphold the rights of the child and always prioritise their needs

•make sure the needs of all children remain the paramount focus of any decision-making

•listen to and value the ideas and opinions of all children, and respond to them appropriately

•welcome all children and their families and carers, and ask them to participate in decisions around child safety

•actively promote safe and inclusive practices for all children, including those with diverse needs, circumstances and backgrounds, including children with disability

•adhere to the organisation’s child safe policies, procedures and practices

•participate in all compulsory child safe training

•include a child’s parent or carer in any direct online communication or correspondence.

•let the organisation know about any out-of-hours contact with any children in the care of our organisation or who interact with our services, and make sure there is a valid reason for this contact and parents or carers are also aware of this contact. •take all reasonable steps to protect children from harm and abuse, and report and act on any concerns or allegations (see reporting obligations below)

•report any conflicts of interest such as a relationship with a child that is outside the organisation

•raise concerns with the leadership team if risks to child safety are identified

•take a child seriously if they disclose harm or abuse and follow the correct procedures for responding to a disclosure

•make sure breaches of the Child Safe Code of Conduct and any instances of concerning behaviour from adults are reported immediately

•respect the privacy of children, and their families, and keep all information about child protection concerns confidential.

 

I won’t:

•condone or participate in unsafe, harmful or abusive behaviour towards children, including psychological, physical and sexual abuse, grooming, misconduct or lack of appropriate care

•ignore or disregard any concerns, suspicions or disclosures of child abuse

•exaggerate or trivialise child abuse issues

•persistently criticise or denigrate a child

•use hurtful, discriminatory or offensive behaviour or language with children

•verbally assault a child, or create a climate of fear

•deliberately prevent a child from forming friendships

•engage in unwarranted and inappropriate touching involving a child

•be alone with a child without supervision or adequate risk management in place

•have contact after hours with children

•encourage a child to communicate with me in a private setting, including online or on social media

•give personal gifts or benefits of any kind to a child unless direct permission has been given from the parent or carer

•share details of sexual experiences with a child

•use sexual language or gestures in the presence of children

•show sexual, violent or other inappropriate images to a child

•take videos or images of children interacting with the organisation or under the care of the organisation on a personal device without permission from the organisation

•share videos or images of children on social media without consent

•fail to report information to police or other relevant authorities if I know a child has been harmed or abused (see reporting obligations below).

 

Concerning Behaviours

Concerning behaviours are behaviours that on their own may not constitute a breach of our Child Safe Code of Conduct but when viewed together may indicate grooming behaviour.

These include:

•Showing favour to one child over others

•Babysitting children without prior consent from the organisation (babysitting outside the organisation is only allowed in exceptional circumstances when the child and their family or carer is known has a pre-existing relationship with the staff member or volunteer outside the organisation)

•Participating in the lives of children outside the service without a valid reason

•Crossing professional boundaries with the children in our care

•Spending time alone with children

•Being ‘child centric’, which means showing a preference for hanging out with children rather than adults.

 

Internal and External Reporting Obligations

You must follow all internal and external reporting obligations set out in our organisation’s Child Safe Reporting Policy, available on www.dysartgym.com, or upon request.

 

Criminal Offences for Not Acting to Protect Children

Some breaches of this code of conduct may need to be reported to QLD Police, the Office of the Children’s Guardian or the Department of Communities and Justice. It is a criminal offence for adults not to report to police if they know or believe that a child abuse offence has been committed. In addition, people employed in child-related work may be subject to a criminal offence if they fail to reduce or remove the risk of a child becoming a victim of child abuse.The adult concerned should reach out to a leader/ child safety officer within the organisation if they are unsure of what may need to be reported externally.

 

Penalties for Breaching this Code of Conduct

Staff or volunteers who breach our Child Safe Code of Conduct but do not commit a criminal offence may still be subject to disciplinary action. This can include increased supervision, appointment to a different role, additional training, suspension or termination from the service. If a staff member or volunteer shows patterns of concerning behaviour but do not commit a criminal offence, this may result in increased supervision and/ or additional training. If these behaviours of concern continue, the staff member or volunteer may be subject to disciplinary action, including appointment to a different role, suspension or termination from the service.

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