Child Safe Organisations: The National Principles

Many of us work with children and young people directly, and many more meet children as family members of the people we support. This lesson explains why child safety is everyone's responsibility, not just the job of staff in children's services. Key points: children depend on adults to keep them safe, children and young people with disability face a higher risk of abuse and neglect, child safe organisations prevent harm through culture and systems, and every worker has a part to play from their first shift.

The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations were endorsed by all Australian governments in 2019. They set out ten things an organisation does to keep children and young people safe. In summary: safety is led from the top, children know their rights and are heard, families and communities are involved, equity and diversity are respected, workers are suitable and supported, complaints processes are child focused, staff are trained, physical and online environments are safe, practice is reviewed and improved, and policies spell out how the organisation keeps children safe.

Harm to children can be physical, sexual or emotional, and can include neglect and exposure to family violence. This lesson describes each type of harm and some of the signs you may notice. Key points: one sign on its own rarely proves anything, but patterns and changes matter; signs can look different in children with disability and can be wrongly blamed on the disability; changes in behaviour are often the first clue; and you do not need proof to raise a concern, only a reasonable belief that something is wrong.

Grooming is when someone deliberately builds a relationship with a child, and often with the adults around them, to create opportunities to abuse the child and to stop them telling. It can happen in person or online and can take months. This lesson explains common grooming behaviours such as special attention, gifts, secrets, testing boundaries and isolating a child. Key points: groomers often target children who are isolated or who rely on others for care, they also groom families and colleagues, and you should report boundary breaches even if nothing else has happened.

Our code of conduct and child safe policy set out how every worker behaves with children and young people. Key points: avoid unnecessary one to one time and work in view of others where you can; when one to one support is part of the plan, follow the plan and tell others where you are; provide personal care respectfully and only as the plan describes; never contact a child privately online or by personal phone and use only approved channels; never take or share photos without consent and approval; and never give gifts, keep secrets or transport a child outside approved arrangements.

If a child tells you about harm, or you suspect a child is at risk, how you respond matters. Stay calm, listen, believe them and tell them they did the right thing. Do not question them in detail, promise to keep a secret or confront the alleged person. If a child is in immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000). Tell your team leader or our safeguarding lead straight away, write down what you saw and heard in the child's own words, and follow your state's reporting pathway. Some workers have personal mandatory reporting duties under state law.

This case study follows Noah, a nine year old boy with autism who uses some words and a communication device. His support worker Fatima takes him to weekly swimming lessons at a community pool. When Noah becomes very distressed each time a pool volunteer offers to help him change, Fatima has to decide what to do. The lesson shows how to treat behaviour as communication, keep supporting Noah as his plan says, record facts rather than guesses, and report the concern the same day. Key points: never explain away distress as part of a disability, and you do not need proof to report.

This case study follows Kofi, a support worker in a community program for teenagers with disability. He notices a colleague, Ethan, giving one participant gifts, messaging her privately and calling her his favourite. When the participant mentions a secret, Kofi must act. The lesson links what Kofi sees to the grooming pattern, shows why reporting a colleague is the right and safe thing to do, and explains what our organisation does with the report. Key points: boundary breaches are reportable on their own, report to your team leader or safeguarding lead rather than confronting the person, and keep it confidential.

This case study is set in one of our aged care homes. Sophie, aged seven, visits her grandmother every Sunday. Our worker Carlos notices an adult visitor repeatedly inviting Sophie to his room with the offer of lollies. The lesson shows how child safety applies in aged care, how the physical environment helps keep children safe, and how Carlos responds calmly by keeping Sophie with her family and reporting his concern. Key points: children who visit are our responsibility too, visiting spaces should be open and visible, and every concern about an adult's behaviour towards a child is reported.