Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

All children have the right to be safe and to receive loving care and support. Children also have a right to receive the services they need to enable them to succeed in their lives. Parents have the primary responsibility for raising their children and ensuring that these rights are upheld. We at Wiggles and Giggles recognise that the best way to protect children is to prevent child abuse and
neglect from occurring in the first place. To do this, we need to come together to build capacity and strength in our families and communities, across the nation.

Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility.

Families, communities, governments, businesses, and services all have a role. And we need to work together. We at Wiggles and Giggles are committed to providing a child-safe environment and

• Children live in safe and supportive families and communities.
• Children and families access adequate support to promote safety and intervene early.
• Risk factors for child abuse and neglect are addressed.
• Children who have been abused or neglected receive the support and care they need for their safety and well-being.
• Indigenous children are supported and safe in their families and communities.
• Child sexual abuse and exploitation is prevented and survivors receive adequate support.

The statement provides the framework for:

• The development of work systems, practices, policies and procedures that promotes child protection, safety and wellbeing within the centre
• The creation of a safe and supportive environment and a positive and robust child protection culture
• The promotion and open discussion of child protection issues within the centre
• Complying with all laws, regulations and standards relevant to child protection in NSW. Wiggles and Giggles are committed to providing education and care to children and young people to assist them to develop into high-achieving, supported children. The centre is committed to ensuring the safety, welfare and well-being of all children and is dedicated to protecting them from abuse and harm.

At Wiggles and Giggles, we are committed to zero tolerance for child abuse. The centre regards its child protection responsibilities with the utmost importance, and as such is committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child
protection laws and regulations and to maintain safe and supportive physical and online environments for all children and young people at the centre.

The following child safe principles guide the centre’s commitment to child safety and form the basis for all child protection policies and procedures at the centre.

1. All children and young people have the right to be safe and treated fairly.
2. The welfare and best interests of children and young people are paramount.
3. The views and the privacy of children and young people must be respected.
4. Clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children and young people are established in our Child Safety Code of Conduct and Staff and Professional Boundaries with Students Policy.
5. The safety of children and young people is dependent upon the existence of a child safe culture.
6. Child safety awareness is promoted and openly discusses within our school community.
7. Procedures are in place to screen all staff, volunteers, third-party contractors and external education providers who have direct contact with the children and young people.
8. Child safety and protection is everyone’s responsibility.
9. Child protection training is mandatory for all Board members and staff members.
10. Procedures for responding to alleged or suspected incidents of child abuse and harm are simple and accessible for all members of the community, and all are welcome and encouraged to use them.
11. Procedures are in place to ensure all School premises are designed to ensure the safety of children.

Wiggles and Giggles acknowledge that child protection is everyone’s responsibility. At Wiggles and Giggles, all members of the management, staff, volunteers and any third-party contractors and external education providers have a shared responsibility for contributing to the safety and protection of children and young people. It also contains detailed procedures with respect to the reporting of child abuse incidents to relevant external authorities.

As part of our commitment to child safety and protection, Wiggles and Giggles ensures that each educator working under the roof has a valid child protection certificate and that they are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities. The educators are also given child
protection training in our team meetings through brainstorming the different child protection scenarios and discussing how the responsibilities of mandatory reporters. Staff, volunteers, third-party contractors, external education providers, students, parents/carers
or other community members who have concerns that a child or young person may be subject to abuse are asked to contact one of the Centre’s Child Protection Investigators. Communications will be treated confidentially and on a “need to know” basis, that is, only those people or agencies who need to know about the concerns in order to address the situation will have that information shared with them.

The following child safe principles guide the Wiggles and Giggle’s commitment to child safety and form the basis for all its child protection policies and procedures:

1. All children and young people have the right to be safe and treated fairly.
2. The welfare and best interests of children and young people are paramount.
3. The views and the privacy of children and young people must be respected.
4. The safety of children and young people is dependent upon the existence of a child safe culture.
5. Child safety awareness is promoted and openly discussed within our centre.
6. Procedures are in place to screen all staff, students , Third Party Contractors and External Education Providers who have direct contact with children and young people.
7. Child safety and protection is everyone’s responsibility.
8. Child protection training is mandatory for all Board members, staff members and Direct Contact Volunteers.
9. Procedures for responding to alleged or suspected incidents of child abuse and harm are simple and accessible for all members of the centre.
10. Procedures are in place to ensure all centre premises are designed to ensure the safety of children.

The centre will take appropriate, prompt action in response to all child safety incidents or concerns, including all complaints, allegations or disclosures of abuse or other harm when the incident has been reported.

Wiggles and Giggles response will include:

• externally reporting all matters that meet the required relevant thresholds to the Department of Communities and Justice (Mandatory Reports), the Police (Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Offences), and/or the Office of the Children’s Guardian (Reportable Conduct), depending on the issues raised.
• fully cooperating with any resulting investigation by an external agency.
• Protect any child connected to the child safety incident or concern until it is resolved and provide ongoing support to those affected.
• sharing information with, or requesting information from, external people or agencies as permitted or required under the law.
• securing and retaining records of the child safety incident or concern and the centre’s response to it.

Wiggles and Giggles is committed to best practice record keeping about child safety incidents and concerns. All internal and external reports of child safety incidents and concerns, as well as any other responses by the centre, are recorded using the Child Protection Reporting Form. When keeping records of child safety incidents or concerns, the centre maintains confidentiality and privacy for students and families in accordance with federal and state privacy legislation.

Everyone here at Wiggles and Giggles acknowledges the central role we play in upholding the right to safety and preventing abuse and protecting children and young people.