Child Safety Policy

 Early Childhood Educators of Tasmania Inc (ECET), including Early Childhood Educators of Tasmania – South and Early Childhood Educators - North

Child and Youth Safe Standards:

Safeguarding Policy and Procedure

Introduction

Early Childhood Educators of Tasmania Inc (ECET) is committed to promoting and protecting the interests and safeguarding children and youth in its provision of services specifically for children, facilities for use by children and youth, and/or engaging children and youth as volunteers to assist the association in providing services, facilities, and goods.

A commitment to the Tasmanian Child and Youth Safe Organisation Framework

https://www.justice.tas.gov.au/carcru/child-and-youth-safe-organisations-framework established by the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023 (Tas) comprises the 10 Child and Youth Safe Standards, complemented by a Universal Principle embedding Aboriginal Cultural Safety, and a Reportable Conduct Scheme. This Scheme has an independent oversight by an Independent Regulator. The Framework defines the obligations of any organisation or association to promote the wellbeing of children and young people and uphold their right to safety from all forms of harm in institutional settings.

Policy

ECET is committed to promoting the Child and Youth Safe Standards for our members, where children and young people are safe, feel safe, and their voices are heard about activities and services that affect their lives. Specific attention is paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, all children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children and young people with a disability.

Objective

The objective in this policy is to provide information and support to ECET regions, and their membership uphold the safeguarding standards and Tasmania’s regulatory framework in the design and management of educational programs, events and services which include or are accessed by children and young people.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to assist management committees, members or volunteers:

•               prevent child abuse at any events or in any programs,

•               maintain an organisational culture of child and youth safety,

•               ensure that all parties are aware of their responsibilities for establishing controls and procedures for preventing abuse and/or detecting abuse when it occurs, and

•               provide information and guidance to members, volunteers regarding any reportable conduct or action that should be taken where they suspect any abuse within or outside of the association.

All management committees, members, volunteers, and associates have a shared responsibility for the care and protection of children and reporting information concerning child abuse.

Scope

ECET supports and respects all children, youth, members and volunteers. Child protection is a responsibility shared between all members and volunteer members of the ECET community.

ECET is committed to assisting its members in their workplaces in Tasmania to prevent child abuse and harm resulting from discrimination based on disability, race, ethnicity, religion, sex, intersex status, gender identity or sexual orientation.

ECET regional associations and members must apply all 10 Child and Youth Safe Standards to ensure that the right to cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people embodies this ‘universal principle’ in action as it was designed, in consultation with local Aboriginal organisations.

ECET is committed to promoting and protecting the interests of children and young people involved in its delivery of services, programs and events. All children, regardless of their gender, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, sexual orientation, or family or social background, have equal rights to protection from abuse.

ECET is committed to the Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety, those from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children living with a disability.

Reporting a concern

If there is an emergency, or you or someone else is in danger, then call Triple Zero (000) immediately. If a person’s conduct is considered criminal, contact Tasmania Police on 131 444.

The Reportable Conduct Scheme webforms require ECET members or regional associations to notify their employer’s leadership team to:

•               notify the Independent Regulator within three business day, in writing, of being made aware of a reportable conduct

•               start an investigation as soon as possible

•               provide detailed information, after 30 days, on the progress of their investigation

•               provide a final report after completing their investigation.

Anyone can make a report, but the leader of an organisation is legally required to report a concern they are made aware of. If you are not a leader of an organisation, but want to make a report about a workers conduct, contact your leadership team or ECET via email

Child Safe Standards

The 10 Standards mirror the 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and endorsed by all Commonwealth, State and Territory governments to reflect the child safe standards recommended by the Royal Commission. The scope of the standards encompasses all forms of harm to children and young people, in addition to child sexual abuse.

Standard 1 requires organisations to ensure that child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance, and culture.

Standard 2 ensures that children and young people are informed about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

 Standard 3 ensures families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

 Standard 4 guarantees that equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and in practice.

Standard 5 requires that people working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.

Standard 6 requires processes to response to complaints and concerns to be child focused.

Standard 7 expects that staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.

Standard 8 requires physical and online environments to promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.

Standard 9 sees regular review and improvement of the child and youth safe standards within the organisation.

Standard 10 ensures that policies and procedures document how the entity is safe for children and young people.

The ‘overarching principle’ embeds the right of Aboriginal children and young people to cultural safety sits across all 10 Child and Youth Safe Standards.

Interim compliance guidance for organisations

This interim compliance guidance (PDF, 1.2 MB) is designed to support organisations to enact the Child and Youth Safe Standards and Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety. It has been developed by the Department of Justice in consultation with local subject matter experts and interstate counterparts.

Explainer resources

•               • Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework steps through the main elements of the Framework and is designed to be a useful starting point for organisations.

•               • The Aboriginal Cultural  Safety Short Guide The Aboriginal Cultural Safety Short Guide (PDF, 951.6 KB) steps through the main elements of the Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety and how organisations can work to be culturally safe.

•                Tasmanian Office of Independent Regulator

Request Training

You can request specific training by checking and contacting the Tasmanian Office of Independent Regulator

When requesting a topic/session could you also consider where the training could be delivered (Online / In Person), venue, time/date and how many attendees you may be able to bring to the session.

•               More Information

•               • Child Safety Act Tasmania  The Child Safety Act in full.

•               Seeking help?

•               Anyone affected by, or with concerns about, child sexual abuse or other types of child abuse to access advice and support.

•               • For information about child wellbeing and safety, contact Strong Families, Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line:  Ph: 1800 000 123

•               • For free and confidential support for people who have been affected by sexual violence, contact the Tasmanian Sexual Assault Support Line 24-hour response state-wide): Ph: 1800 697 877

•               • This line is run by the Sexual Assault Support Service in the South, and Laurel House in the Northwest.

•               • For information and support for children, young people and adults affected by family violence, contact Family Violence Counselling and Support Service:  Ph: 1800 608 122

•               • For free and confidential support for people impacted by crime, contact Victims of Crime Service: Ph: 1300 300 238

•               • For support for relationships and to live positive lives, contact Relationships Australia Tasmania: Ph: 1300 364 277

•               • For culturally appropriate, trauma-informed legal and non-legal services and assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims/survivors of family violence and sexual assault, contact SIS.  Ph: 1800 747 827