Child Welfare and Risk Management
Playgroup Photos
Last Updated February 10th, 2019Child Protection Policy
2. Code of Conduct for Interacting with Children and Young People
3. Recruitment, Training and Management of Volunteers
4. Handling Disclosures and Suspicions of Harm
5. Managing Breaches of the Risk Management Strategy
6. Compliance with current Working with Children Check (WWCC) Legislation
7. Strategies for Communication and Support
1. Child Protection Policy Purpose
· To prevent foreseeable harm to children and young people in Playgroup Photos care
· To ensure that everyone associated with Playgroup Photos is assessed for their suitability to work with children under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (where exemptions do not apply) as well as the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012.
· To ensure that all people involved with the operations of Playgroup Photos are aware of their responsibilities in relation to the above
. To continue to develop and implement strategies based on The Office of the Children's Guardian risk management processes as outlined in AS/NZS ISO 3100.
Who Must Comply with this Policy?
Photographers, volunteers, employees & contractual workers including sub-contractual workers
Our Statement of Commitment
Playgroup Photos is committed to the safety and well-being of all children and young people who use our services and is dedicated to protecting them from harm. We will ensure that all workers treat children with respect and understanding at all times. Every employee, contractor or volunteer associated with Playgroup Photos will be carefully screened and monitored. They will also undergo a Working with Children Check.
Playgroup Photos will ensure our Code of Conduct for Interacting with Children and Young People is promoted, enforced and reviewed. We will also provide ongoing education and information on child abuse and child protection
Our Policy
Every employee or contractor from Playgroup Photos who directly and/or individually deals with children under the age of 18 will undergo the Working with Children Check. Any employee, contractor or volunteer who does not hold a Working with Children Check will not be permitted to engage children or young people as a representative of Playgroup Photos. If an employee, contractor or volunteer’s application for a Working with Children Check is refused, Playgroup Photos has the duty to refuse that person’s involvement with children and young people.
Exemptions: Volunteers or active staff within the Childcare industry who are working on a short-term or one-off basis are not required to undergo the Working with Children Check. However, if there are doubts about the length of service, the person in question will be required to undergo the check. This includes: Children under the age of 18 years who are volunteers, Parent volunteers who provide services or conduct activities in an organisation and where the volunteer parent and child are involved in the same or similar service or activity
Where there is evidence, disclosure or reasonable suspicion of harm or abuse to a child or young person within Playgroup Photos, the Department of Communities, Child Safety Services and/or the police will be notified immediately.
All disclosures and allegations of child abuse will be dealt with promptly, seriously, sensitively and confidentially. A person will not be victimised for reporting an allegation of child abuse and the privacy of all persons concerned will be respected.
Implementing the Policy
This policy will be effective from September 1st, 2017. All employees, contractors and or volunteers who work with children under the instructions of Playgroup Photos will receive a copy of this policy and are expected to familiarise themselves with the document.
Monitoring Compliance
Compliance with this policy will be monitored by Playgroup Photos Management via regular liaison with staff, franchisees, employees, contractors and or, volunteers.
Breaches
Playgroup Photos will review any allegations of breaches of this policy and will take steps to minimise the risk of any further breaches. Non-compliance with the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 and all subsequent amendments will result in penalties imposed under the Act.
*Refer to the Act for information regarding failure to comply.
2. Code of Conduct for Interacting with Children and Young People
Who Must Comply with this Code?
Employees, staff, contractors and or volunteers
Code of Conduct
· Use appropriate language when dealing with children and young people
· Do not make inappropriate physical contact with any children or young people
· When photographing, maintain professional relationships with children and young people within the childcare centre and treat them with the same respect you would offer an adult
· Do not tolerate bullying within the childcare centre either amongst children and young people or from adults towards children and young people
· Place the safety and welfare of children and young people above all else
· Report all violent and illegal acts
· Set a good example for children and young people within Playgroup Photos by the way you dress, speak and act
If anyone associated with Playgroup Photos is faced with an ethical dilemma, they should ask themselves:
· Is this action legal?
· Will the decision be in the best interest of the child or young person?
· Do I have all the relevant information to make an informed, responsible decision?
· Do I think it is the right thing to do – if not, why not?
· What will the consequences be if I do not act?
3. Recruitment and Training
To assist with effective child protection, Playgroup Photos will implement appropriate recruitment, selection, screening, induction, monitoring and management of all employees, contractors and or volunteers who work with children and young people.
Recruitment selection and screening
Playgroup Photos employees, contractors and or volunteers will come from varied sources Playgroup Photos has considered the best ways to recruit these positions and once found, will be screened to ensure that they fit with Playgroup Photos’ code of conduct and can perform the positions to be filled.
In screening, Playgroup Photos recognises the importance of assessing the skills, experience and availability of potential associates or their commitment to gathering the necessary skills and experience, to match them to the service needed by our clients
Training
Once new Playgroup Photos members have been successfully recruited and screened, Playgroup Photos will ensure their effective induction. This induction will include making workers aware of the following:
· Playgroup Photo’s commitment to an environment that is safe and friendly to children and young people
· Playgroup Photo’s child and youth-friendly policies, Codes of Conduct and procedures
· Procedures to follow when harm is disclosed or suspected
· Their rights and responsibilities
· What is expected of them
· What they can and can’t do – the boundaries of their roles
· The roles of the key people within Playgroup Photos and to whom they should report or go to for help
· What to expect if there is an allegation of harm made against them or to them
· Reporting and grievance procedures
Once selected, anyone associated with Playgroup Photos will be required to obtain a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) (where an exemption does not apply). Playgroup Photos WWCC Register will be used to monitor who within Playgroup Photos holds a current and valid WWCC, as well as WWCC registration numbers and provisions for expiry dates.
Training will be provided to volunteers to outline their responsibilities under Playgroup Photo’s Codes of Conduct and other organisational policies. Training will also be provided that alerts workers to the nature of the harm that can occur to children and young people and how to respond to disclosures or suspicions of harm.
Training will aim to:
· Enhance the skills and knowledge of workers, enabling them to do their job effectively
· Reduce exposure to risks
· Support friendly environments for children and young people
Training should not only be undertaken when an employee, contractor or volunteer begins service. Rather, ongoing improvement grows from continuous learning, meaning that regular training opportunities will be made available to volunteers. Training that is properly planned and well-executed will increase confidence, improve the competency of those people Playgroup Photos relies upon and will motivate everyone to achieve organisational objectives.
Training can be either formal or informal. Formal training is that which is provided in a structured manner, such as the training required for accreditation or certification (for example, first aid certificates and TAFE courses). Informal training is a non-structured education that is focused on conveying important information that will assist everyone associated with Playgroup Photos to do their jobs and to understand their roles and responsibilities.
4 Handling Disclosures and Suspicions of Harm
Receiving a Disclosure
When anyone associated with Playgroup Photos is confronted with disclosures of harm or suspected harm to children and young people, they will respond professionally and in the best interests of the child or young person subjected to the alleged harm. Complaints will be dealt with promptly, seriously, sensitively and confidentially.
Any employee, contractor or volunteer of Playgroup Photos confronted with disclosures of harm will:
· Not react in a shocked or critical way
· Reassure the child or young person that they have done the right thing in telling
· Say that they will need to tell someone else who can help the child or young person
· Reassure the child or young person that they will only tell someone who will make them safe
· Ultimately believe the child or young person and assume that they are telling the truth
· Ask only non-leading questions
· Only ask the child or young person enough questions to determine the need to report the matter to the Police Service or the Department of Communities, Child Safety Services
Dealing with a Disclosure
Following disclosure of harm from a child or young person, Playgroup Photos will investigate whether the allegation should be reported to the Police Service or the Department of Communities, Child Safety Services. If the incident(s) are serious or criminal in nature, Playgroup Photo’s response should be immediate. All other allegations should be actioned as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours. For allegations of a serious or criminal nature, Playgroup Photos will follow these guidelines:
· If the allegation involves a child at risk of harm, the incident should immediately be reported to the police and/or the Department of Communities, Child Safety Services.
· Playgroup Photos will contact the Department of Communities, Child Safety Services for advice if there is any doubt whether the complaint should be reported.
· If the child’s parent(s) or guardian are suspected of committing the abuse, Playgroup Photos will report the allegation to the Police or the Department of Communities, Child Safety Services immediately.
Strict confidentiality, impartiality, fairness and due process must be maintained at all times. Under no circumstances will Playgroup Photos conduct its own investigations into any serious allegations or allegations of a criminal nature.
5. Managing Breaches of the Risk Management Strategy
Playgroup Photos will review any allegations of breaches of the Child Protection Risk Management Strategy and will take steps to minimise the risk of any further breaches.
Non-compliance with the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 and/or the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 will result in penalties imposed under the Act. Refer to the Act for information regarding failure to comply.
6. Compliance with Working with Children Check Legislation
Playgroup Photos will comply with any childcare centre policy and legislation by ensuring that all active employees, contractors and or volunteers within Playgroup Photos undergo the Working with Children Check and obtain a positive notice (where exemptions do not apply).
Playgroup Photo’s Management will assist all relevant employees, staff, contractors and or volunteers in seeking approval to work with children from the Commission for Children and Young People and the NSW Office of the Child Guardian. Compliance with the Child Protection Policy included within this Risk Management Strategy will help ensure that Playgroup Photos complies with all current New South Wales statutes and laws.
Playgroup Photos will respect the confidentiality of information relating to applications by volunteers for Working with Children’s Checks and will maintain appropriate measures to protect the privacy of applicants.
7. Strategies for Communication and Support
Copies of this Risk Management Child Protection Strategy will be made available to all Playgroup Photos employees, contractors and or volunteers who regularly deal with children and young people within Playgroup Photos. This will ensure that all Playgroup Photos workers understand what is expected of them with regard to providing a safe and friendly environment for children and young people.
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