The Range Children’s Centre is committed to the safety and well-being of children and, as such, is committed to creating and maintaining a child safe organisation.
We have zero tolerance of child abuse and are committed to actively contributing to a child safe city where children are protected from abuse.
Our commitment to the safety of children is based on our duty of care and responsibilities to children and always acting in the best interests of children.
Our commitment will be enacted through the implementation and monitoring of the Child Safe Standards.
We all play an important role in protecting
children, especially if we have concerns for a child’s safety. We aim to create
a culture of child safety that reduces the opportunity for harm and gives staff
a clear process to follow when someone raises concerns about child safety or
reports abuse.
Our Child Safe Statement applies to all employees, volunteers, work experience
students, relevant contractors and stakeholders
Our commitment to children
We are committed to ensuring children feel safe, empowered and are taken seriously if they raise concerns in relation to their safety and well-being.
We value and support diversity, inclusion and equality. In acknowledgment of the particular vulnerabilities of these groups of children, and in accordance with the Child Safe Standards, we particularly support:
- the cultural safety of Indigenous Australian children and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- the participation and empowerment of children with a disability, Indigenous Australian children and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Our commitment to staff and volunteers
We are committed to ensuring staff, volunteers, students, relief staff and contractors, depending on the nature of their role understand that child safety is everyone’s responsibility.
We will ensure all stakeholders are provided with the necessary support to fulfil their obligations in relation to child safety.
We will ensure all stakeholders are educated in child safety including abuse risks and how to interact and behave with children.
All employees including work experience students, agency staff, volunteers and independent contractors whilst located at TRCC must abide by our Code of Conduct which specifies the standard of conduct required when working with children.
Our commitment to ensuring a child safe organisation
Recruitment
We will ensure all staff and volunteers who work with children have a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) or equivalent and that there is an appropriate screening process for staff and volunteers that work with children including interview guides, advertisements and selection criteria which clearly demonstrate our commitment to child safety.
Training and Supervision
We will ensure all new and existing employees understand the importance of protecting children from harm. This will be supported through induction, training and professional development.
We will ensure staff understand the process for reporting any child safety issues and are supported by management
Reporting
All allegations and concerns in relation to children’s safety will be taken seriously and will be investigated fairly and appropriately.
Management supports and encourages our employees to proactively report any behaviour deemed to be endangering the safety of children.
Reportable incidents and complaints are notified to the relevant authority (Child First, Child Protection or police).