Child Protection Policy

Linking Policy with the Victorian Child safe Standards

2.1 Child Safety and Wellbeing (CSS 2)

Breakaway Youth will:

• Ensure their website has a clear statement that child abuse of any kind or harmful discrimination on the basis of identified attributes will not be tolerated. This statement is also a part of recruitment documentation and other BY publications.
• Through the Board, assign the responsibility for child safety education and practices to the Executive Director. This responsibility will be practically shared by members of the Board and the Child Protection Officer. They will ensure that all staff and volunteers complete mandatory reading and training in Child Protection, Reporting, Risk Management and Duty of Care, as well as other policies which support these principles.
• Undertake annual Risk Assessment audits and review of procedures, at Board level.
• Ensure all members of staff, including casually employed staff and volunteers, read and sign the Child-safe Code of Conduct,
• Build Risk Management strategies into the planning of all activities of Breakaway Youth that involve children, including excursions, camps and special events. Each event will have a nominated Person-in-Charge who will complete risk assessment documentation and present it to the Program Director / Executive Director for approval.
• Regularly (at least annually) provide all those involved with children with training and other forms of communication to ensure their understanding of obligations under the law regarding record keeping and information sharing.

2.2 Education and empowerment of children and young people          (CSS 3 & CSS 7)

• This element of the Child Protection Policy identifies the need for children to be educated and aware:
  of what is and what is not child abuse
  ways and opportunity to provide feedback to leaders about concerns or uncertainty relating to their safety in BY programs and activities.of how to make a complaint or allegation about abuse to themselves or another child.To this end, Breakaway Youth will:
• Make this Policy and related documents available to all members of Breakaway Youth, as PDF documents on the website or by email.
• Inform and educate young people in the program about the importance of self-protection, personal safety, strategies for finding support and help if concerned.
• Provide age-appropriate Sexuality and Relationships Education for teenagers that gives them opportunity to discuss and process such information and safety concerns, in a safe, open context. In this context we will also outline key Biblical teaching about moral and behavioural choices
• Ensure important information about making a complaint about alleged abuse to the Child Protection Officer or leaders will be available for young people.
• We will listen to and act on any concerns children or their parents/carers raise with us.
• We are committed to protecting children from abuse. ‘Abuse’, as used in this policy, includes all the following types of abuse or neglect of children and young people: physical; sexual; emotional/psychological; racial/cultural or spiritual/religious, or neglect.

2.3 Family Engagement  (CSS 4)

Breakaway Youth seeks to build relationship with the parents/guardians or caregivers of young people in our program. This involves all aspects of communication, providing permission or authorisations of BY to act in the place of a parent / guardian during activities.
This Policy affirms the right of parents to:

• have opportunity to comment on arrangements, policies and procedures in place for the safety and well-being of their children
• be fully informed of activities and the risk assessment and mitigation that has been undertaken
• have access to all the policies that guide governance and leadership decisions around child safety.

2.4 Upholding Equity and Respecting Diversity       (CSS 5)

Breakaway Youth is blessed to have families from a wide range of ethnic, cultural and language backgrounds. We value and uphold this diversity and are enriched by it. Our beliefs – relating to the value of every child, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, ability or disability – underpin our policies and practices in ministry, behaviour management and pastoral care.
We pay particular attention to the needs of children with physical, intellectual, or learning disabilities and for those with English as a second language or other cultural differences.
Children who identify as LGBTIQ+ or who have gender dysphoria or anxiety or confusion about any of these identifications are protected from discrimination
and cared for with the same consideration as offered to all children.

2.5 Employment of Staff and Volunteers      (CSS 6)

Recruitment, screening and selection practices (Ref: Staff Recruitment and Induction Procedures).
Breakaway Youth will be vigilant in the recruitment, selection and screening of all staff, contractors, activity leaders and volunteers to ensure they are safe and suitable to work with children and young people. It is important that every person who works with children under the auspices of BY upholds and exemplifies our Christian beliefs and values, as expressed in this Policy, especially in their interaction with children and other vulnerable people.
Our statements of commitment to child safety and our behavioural expectations of employees and volunteers are included in all advertisements and Position Descriptions.
We will conduct thorough screening to determine whether a prospective staff member, contractor, volunteer or leader may pose a risk to children. This will include making reasonable efforts to gather, verify and record the following information about a person whom it proposes to engage to perform child-connected work:

• Child-related Employment Screening Clearance, that is, the Working With Children Check and the National Criminal Record Check.[1]
• proof of personal identity and any professional or other qualifications;
• the person’s history of work involving children; and
• references that address the person’s suitability for the job and working with children.
• The type of evidence that an applicant is required to provide to Breakaway Youth will vary depending on the type of position that they are applying for. However, Breakaway Youth will not offer any applicant a position of responsibility until they provide the required evidence to the Director
• Any person with a record of child abuse, either sexual or physical, will not be offered a role that involves working with children or being in contact with children in the conduct of their duties.
• Short-listed applicants will be interviewed by at least two representatives of Breakaway Youth prior to appointment being made official. Interviews will include specific questions relating to allegations or complaints made against the applicant involving misconduct against a child. The applicant will sign the questionnaire verifying the truthfulness and accuracy of the statements.

2.6 Induction, Training and Annual Certification

Breakaway Youth provides a system of induction, support and supervision so people feel valued, respected and fairly treated. This system will train and guide our staff and volunteers in their interactions with children and clear procedures for managing programs and activities.
All staff and volunteers are provided with a copy of this Child Protection Policy and Procedures and the Code of Conduct that defines unacceptable conduct, boundaries and expectations for behaviour. Staff will sign a declaration stating they have read, understand and will comply with guidelines and follow procedures faithfully.
Any person new to the children’s or youth work team will complete a Child-safe Induction process as part of their orientation to Breakaway. (Normally this would be done by the Child Protection Officer)
Every two years ‘Refresh, Renew, Update’ sessions are run for all staff and volunteers, to ensure staff awareness of the risks to child safety and familiarity with our child-protective practices and reporting expectations, and where there have been changes to legislation or practice.

2.7 Support and Supervision for Staff, Contractors and Volunteers

Breakaway Youth provides support and supervision so that people feel valued, respected and fairly treated in the following ways:
The Administrator / CPO checks WWCCs for all employed or volunteer staff annually. The WWCC authority regularly checks the suitability of staff for child connected work throughout period that the registration / check is held.
Staff and volunteers are accountable to read and familiarise themselves with our policies annually, as available on the website and as directed by the leadership.
Those who work with children are aware that they are accountable to their peers, supervisors and ultimately, God for the safety and wellbeing of children in their care. Awareness, vigilance and conferring with colleagues and supervisors are important strategies that are encouraged in protecting our children.

2.8 Risk Management     (CSS 9)

The Executive Director and the Board are responsible to identify and manage risks in all environments, including physical and online. An annual Risk Checklist is used as a way of reviewing our practices globally.
Risk assessment and management practices are embedded in our procedures for all programs or activities organised or authorised by Breakaway Youth. We use these practices to inform our planning and implementing of all aspects of operation at Breakaway Youth.
Risk identification and mitigation is part of the planning process for all activities, especially community events that involve travel. Online safety protocols are outlined for adults who work with children or teenagers. (Add some detail here.)
Risk Management also applies to Occupational Health and Safety generally and is covered in more detail in OH&S Policy. The Board and the Director will identify and manage risks within our venues and their environments.

2.9 Record Keeping           (CSS 7, 8 & 11)

Record keeping is an essential element of our Child Protection strategies.
Staff and volunteer leaders should keep personal notes of concerns, observations and disclosures regarding child abuse during the process of forming a reasonable belief.
Notes should be saved as a personal record. Notes should be recorded in a form that can be accessible to BY leadership and external authorities, if required.
When a ‘reasonable belief’ has been established, these notes can be recorded as a Child Abuse Complaint Report Form, available from the Admin/CPO. The CPO can assist and support filling this out, if required. If it is clear that the belief requires a mandatory report, the notes and the Report Form can be supplied to the Police of the Child Protection Unit of DFFH.
If a report is made, then all notes and the Report Form will be saved to a case file, which will be kept by the CPO with all subsequent correspondence and materials relating to investigations, determinations and further actions.
Notes and forms will record places, times, dates, names of people, observable behaviours or evidence of harm. Reports must be securely stored by the CPO. They provide valuable legal documents for any investigations and demonstrate Breakaway’s due diligence.

2.10 Privacy and Confidentiality           (CSS 11)

Breakaway Youth will collect, use, disclose and hold personal information of all people who fulfil a role within the organisation in accordance with relevant privacy legislation. Such data will be securely stored and protected in our CRM. Greater detail is provided in the Privacy Policy.
As much as is reasonably possible, an individual’s confidentiality is to be protected where allegations of child abuse are made.
Both those who are making reports and those about whom accusations are being made are entitled to confidentiality.
Where there is suspected abuse or misconduct, staff members, leaders, volunteers and contractors must not disclose or make use of the information in a manner that breaches confidentiality, other than to report and act in a way consistent with the Child Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and Procedure, and relevant statutory requirements.

2.11 Review (CSS 10)

All policies, procedures and practices for keeping children safe will be reviewed:
every three years or,
after every reportable incident
following changes to the law.
The policy review will assess whether Breakaway Youth’s Child Protection policies or procedures require modification to better protect the children under its care. Breakaway Youth undertakes to seek views, comments and suggestions from children, parents, carers, staff and volunteers.
[1] This check is now (as of July 26 2022) an online service of the Victoria Police which can only be applied for by the person, not the organisation. There is a small cost involved. Breakaway Youth can apply for a Community Volunteer Fee number, which will reduce this cost, if quoted by a volunteer.