1 POLICY STATEMENT
All children who present to Tasc have a right to feel and be safe from harm in their interactions with Tasc.
All employees, volunteers and contractors at Tasc are responsible for the care and protection of children, which includes reporting information about child abuse.
In supporting child safety, Tasc is committed to ensuring:
- Risks to children are identified, assessed, treated and regularly reviewed;
- All employees, including contracted employees, are appropriately screened; and
- Tasc is a child safe organisation.
2 NATIONAL PRINCIPLES FOR CHILD SAFE ORGANISATIONS
Tasc is committed to the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and ensures that all employees and volunteers are aware of and implement these Principles. All employees and volunteers are required to complete training in the Principles.
The Principles are:
1. Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
2. Children and young people are informed about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
3. Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
4. Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
5. People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
6. Processes to respond to complaints and concerns are child focused.
7. Employees and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
8. Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
9. Implementation of the national child safe principles is regularly reviewed and improved.
10. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people
Further information on the National Principles, including key action areas and practical examples, can be found on the Australian Hunan Rights Commission website.
3 RISK MANAGEMENT
As part of its risk management policy and framework, Tasc will ensure risks relating to children are identified, assessed, and mitigation measures put in place. This risk management approach will be formally conducted at least annually, and otherwise as the situation requires.
4 PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING FOR EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS
All Tasc employees and volunteers must hold and maintain currency of the appropriate Blue Card (Queensland’s Working with Children Check) and Yellow Card (Disability Worker Screening).
5 REPORTING OBLIGATIONS
If an employee or volunteer becomes aware of any incident or allegation of abuse or harm of a child, the first priority is to ensure that the child is safe and to mitigate the risk of further harm.
All allegations of abuse or harm of a child which arise are to be reported to the Line Manager and CEO as soon as possible. The Manager/CEO will escalate the matter to police and child protection agencies.
The details of the disclosure or allegation are recorded by the employee/ volunteer who the disclosure was made and are treated with high confidentiality.
If an employee/ volunteer believes a child is at immediate risk of abuse or harm they need to contact the CEO directly as soon as possible, who will then contact the police and child protection agencies. If there is no time to contact the CEO or another senior manager, the employee/ volunteer should contact police directly.
6 PROTECTING CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
Tasc’s obligations for the collection, storage and use of personal, health and sensitive information are set out in the Tasc Privacy Policy. These obligations apply to information about children.
7 BREACH OF POLICY
This Policy should be read in conjunction with all other Tasc Policies and Procedures. All employees are expected to comply with this policy. However, the policy does not form part of any Employment Contract or any other workplace participant’s contract for services. Employees and other workplace participants who breach this Policy may face disciplinary action, up to but not limited to, termination of employment or contract for services.