Child Safety
and Wellbeing Policy

Role of the Committee of Governance

The Committee of Governance is responsible for ensuring that Jika Jika Community Centre prioritises children's safety and acts when safety concerns are raised. They will promote and model a child-safe culture and encourage anyone involved with JJCC to report any child safety concerns. The committee will allocate adequate resources to achieve Child Safety standards through the yearly budget process including through training allocations.

Monthly reporting on the Centre's action plans will ensure that training plans, risk assessments, and policy and procedure updates are completed. Additionally, the Committee of Governance will conduct an annual review of Jika Jika's child safety and wellbeing policies and procedures to assess their effectiveness.

Children’s empowerment and participation

Jika Jika Community Centre values children's participation and seeks to include their views and ideas in organisational planning, service delivery, and facility management. We encourage children to develop new friendships and support each other while maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying or abusive behavior.

We respect children's rights and provide them with information about their rights and safety. We actively seek children's feedback on what makes them feel safe and regularly communicate with them about what they can do if they feel unsafe.

Jika supports children's participation in various ways, such as consulting with them during strategic planning and discussing what makes them feel safe or unsafe in child-led conversations at the start of any children's or young people's program. We also provide information to children and families about relevant changes to our operations, staffing, and programs.

If safety concerns are raised by children or their families, Jika Jika Community Centre will take immediate action to address them.

Families and communities

Jika Jika Community Centre recognises the important role of families and involves parents and carers when making significant decisions about their child. Parents, families, and communities are welcome to provide feedback at any time through our contact email address and are encouraged to raise any concerns they have with us.

Jika Jika Community Centre provides information to families and community about our child safe policies and practices including through:

• publishing this Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and Code of Conduct on our website

• including information about our operations and Committee of Governance and management structure, on our website.

• including articles and information on child safety and wellbeing, and reminders about our policies and procedures, in our newsletter and on social media.

Creating culturally safe environments for all Aboriginal children and their families

Jika Jika Community Centre is committed to creating environments where Aboriginal culture is celebrated and Aboriginal children, families and community members are welcomed and included. Strategies to embed cultural safety for Aboriginal children include:

• an Acknowledgement of Country at all formal meetings

• consulting with families and members of the Aboriginal community to identify opportunities to promote Aboriginal culture and practices in our programs and activities.

• Acknowledgement of Country plaques at the entry to our buildings.

• providing training for staff and volunteers on the strengths of Aboriginal culture and its importance to the wellbeing and safety of Aboriginal children

• celebrating NAIDOC Week and acknowledging significant events including National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week

• Not acknowledging 26 January as Australia Day.

Valuing diversity

We value diversity and equity for all children. To achieve this, we:

• welcome and support participation of all children, including children with disability, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those who are unable to live at home, LGBTIQ children and First Nations children and their families

• have zero tolerance of racism and other forms of discrimination and take action when discrimination or exclusion is identified

• deliver programming that reflects the diversity of our community, their interests and cultures

• strive to reflect the diversity of our community through representation in our staff and Committee of Governance members

• acknowledge and celebrate important cultural dates

• have a physical and online environment that actively celebrates diversity

• commit to ensuring our facilities and online activities promote inclusion of children of all abilities.

Child Safe Code of Conduct

If there is significant concern for the immediate safety of a child, immediately call 000.

Jika has a Child Safe Code of Conduct. Staff, volunteers, students on placement and the Committee of Governance must always comply with the Code of Conduct. Breaches of the Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action including termination of a person’s involvement with the organisation.

All third-party contractors are also expected to abide by the Child Safe Code of Conduct, and where they are engaging with children will have to sign an agreement to comply with the code, prior to delivering any services.

Recruiting staff and volunteers

 Jika puts child safety and wellbeing at the centre of recruitment and screening processes for staff and volunteers as outlined in the recruitment and screening policy. We only recruit staff and volunteers who are appropriate to engage with children. Members of the Committee of Governance must also be screened.

We require a Working with Children Check, Police Checks and referee checks for all staff and volunteers. We require staff to have appropriate qualifications for their roles and check to make sure these qualifications are valid. Members of the Committee of Governance must hold a valid Working with Children Check and a national Police Check is required.

 Supporting staff and volunteers

 Jika Jika Community Centre is committed to ensuring that all leaders, staff, and volunteers receive training to ensure they understand their responsibilities in relation to child safety and to support their engagement with children. Jika assists its leaders, staff, and volunteers to incorporate child safety considerations into decisions and to promote a safe environment where children are empowered to speak up about issues that affect them.

Complaints and reporting

All reports of child abuse and child safety concerns will be treated seriously, whether they are made by an adult or a child and whether they are about the conduct of an adult or a child. All complaints and child safety concerns will be responded to promptly and thoroughly.

Jika Jika Community Centre has an internal complaints procedure.

If a complaint includes an allegation or incident of child abuse or harm, then staff and volunteers at Jika must report it in accordance with the complaints procedure. Jika staff and volunteers are required to prioritise children’s safety in any response and to report all potentially criminal conduct to Victoria Police. Staff and volunteers may be subject to actions to support child safety including:

• being stood down during an investigation or terminated following an investigation.

• having their duties altered so they do not engage with children at Jika.

• not being allowed unsupervised contact with children at Jika.

• removing their access to the Jika IT system and facilities.

Complaints can be emailed to office@jikajika.org.au or you can speak with the Manager or a Committee member.

Record keeping

Jika Jika Community Centre is committed to making and keeping full and accurate records about all child-related complaints or safety concerns.

All child safety complaints, concerns and incidents will be recorded in the incident reporting system.

Records which may assist with the investigation of a complaint or safety concern will be identified and kept as part of the record of an investigation. Records will be kept even if an investigation does not substantiate a complaint.

We will record and keep the outcome of any investigations, and the resolution of any complaints. This includes findings made, reasons for decisions and actions taken.

Records will be stored securely and kept by Jika Jika Community Centre for at least 45 years.

Confidentiality

Jika Jika Community Centre may share relevant information to promote the safety and wellbeing of children, where it is appropriate and in their best interests.  Jika Jika Community Centre will keep information about complaints confidential, except where it is necessary to share information to respond properly to a complaint or to prioritise child safety. We may also need to share information about incidents or complaints with external authorities to comply with the law or to prioritise safety.

Risk management

We recognise the importance of identifying and managing risks of child harm and abuse in the physical and online environments.

We conduct regular risk assessments and have a risk management plan to address the risk of child abuse and harm at Jika. The risk management plan will be developed in consultation with our staff and volunteers. We will ensure that any risk controls put in place balance the need to manage harm with the benefits of participating in programs and activities. The Committee of Governance is responsible for approving the risk management plan.

Any contractors or other providers of services using our venue will be provided with a copy of this Policy to ensure child safety when room booking. The Jika Jika Community Centre Child Safety Code of Conduct applies to all room hirers.

Non-compliance with this policy and the Code of Conduct

Jika Jika Community Centre will enforce this policy and the Child Safety Code of Conduct. Potential breaches by anyone will be investigated and may result in termination of room hire, restriction of duties, suspension or termination of employment or engagement or other corrective action.

Review

Jika Jika Community Centre will review all child safe practices and policies every two years. We also review relevant practices and policies in response to a child safety incident or ‘near miss’. Findings from reviews will be reported to the people involved in our organisation and inform us of our approach to continuous improvement of our child safety practices. Reviews are conducted and approved by the Committee of Governance and will be informed by consultation with children, families, and staff.

Child Safe Code of Conduct – key responsibilities

Staff, volunteers, students on placement and contractors at Jika Jika Community Centre are required to abide by this Code.

The Manager will:

• Be responsible for the overall welfare and wellbeing of staff, students on placement and volunteers.

• Be accountable for managing and maintaining a duty of care towards staff, students on placement and volunteers; and

• Act as the nominated Child Protection Officer to provide information and support to all staff, volunteers, children, young people, and their carers regarding child protection matters.

All Jika staff, volunteers, students on placement, and contractors are responsible for:

• Registering Jika Jika Community Centre on their Working with Children Check as a place of work, placement, or volunteering.

• Treating children and families with respect, equity, and fairness.

• Listening and responding to the views and concerns of children, particularly if they are worried about their safety/the safety of another child.

• Promoting the cultural safety, participation, and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

• Promoting the cultural safety, participation, and empowerment of children with culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds.

• Promoting the safety, participation, and empowerment of children with a disability

• Promoting the safety, participation, and empowerment of children of diverse sex and gender identities and sexual orientations.

• Reporting any allegations of child abuse or other child safety concerns to the Manager.

• Understanding and complying with all reporting or disclosure obligations (including mandatory reporting) as they relate to protecting children from harm or abuse.

• If child abuse is suspected, ensuring as quickly as possible that the child is safe and protected from harm.

·       always observing professional boundaries with children.

Unacceptable behaviours include:

• Condoning or participating in any behaviour with a child that is illegal, unsafe, or abusive.

• Ignoring or disregarding any concerns, suspicions, or disclosures of child abuse.

• Treating a child unfavourably because of their disability, age, sex, gender identity, race, culture, vulnerability, sexuality, or ethnicity.

• Using hurtful, discriminatory, racist, or offensive behaviour or language with or around a child.

• Developing a relationship with any child that could be seen as favouritism or amount to 'grooming' behaviour (for example, offering gifts or special treatment).

• Exhibiting behaviours or engaging in activities with children which may be interpreted as abusive and not justified by the service delivery context.

• Engaging in any unnecessary physical contact with a child.

• Working while under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs.

• Ignoring behaviours by other adults towards children when they appear to be overly familiar or inappropriate.

• Discussing content of an intimate nature or use sexual innuendo with or around a child.

• Communicating directly with a child through personal or private contact channels (including by social media, email, instant messaging, texting etc.) except where that communication is reasonable in all the circumstances or where there is a safety concern or other urgent matter.

• Photographing or taking video of a child without the permission of their parent(s)/carer(s).

• Using any computer, mobile phone or other digital devices to exploit or harass a child or in any way access inappropriate material or content related to children.

What happens if you breach this Code of Conduct.

If you breach this Code of Conduct you will face disciplinary action, including and up to termination of employment or cessation of engagement with the organisation.

Information and Data Collection Policy

Jika Jika Community Centre is committed to protecting our community and their private information.

Jika Jika Community Centre protects the privacy of personal information and only collects necessary information for its primary function such as employment or enrolment information.

Participants are notified about the purpose of information collection and administration, and their right to access and correct their information.

Personal information is used and disclosed only for primary or directly related purposes, or with the person's consent.

The organisation stores personal information securely and takes reasonable steps to ensure its accuracy and completeness.

Community members have the option of not identifying themselves when completing surveys.

If anyone feels that their information has been misused, they may follow JJCC’s Internal Complaints procedure.