Shellharbour Kiama Family Day Care’s Child Safety Statement
Shellharbour Kiama Family Day Care is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision- making.
Shellharbour Kiama Family Day Care has zero tolerance for child abuse.
Shellharbour Kiama Family Day Care is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.
Every person involved in Shellharbour Kiama Family Day Care has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.
In its planning, decision-making and operations Shellharbour Kiama Family Day Care will
1. Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety
2. Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives
3. We are committed to the safety, participation, and empowerment of all children
4. All allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently with our robust policies and procedures and reported immediately, as soon as practicable to the approved provider
5. We support and respect all children, as well as our educators, staff and volunteers
6. We have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we follow rigorously
7. Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children
8. Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount
9. Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children
10. Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development
11. Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such issues
12. Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities
13. We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children of diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability
14. Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk
15. Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers.
16. Our service is committed to child safety – WE HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE TO CHILD ABUSE
17. Our service is committed to preventing child abuse and identifying risks early, and removing and reducing these risks
18. Our service has recruitment practices for all educators, staff and volunteers
19. Our service is committed to regularly training and educating our educators, staff and volunteers on child abuse risks
If you believe or suspect a child is at immediate risk of abuse phone 000