Child Safe Organisation Policy

Child Safe Protection Policy

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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.