Commitment to Child Safety

Hampton Community Centre and Highett Neighbourhood Community House (HCC / HNCH) are committed to creating and maintaining a child safe environment and upholding the Child Safe Standards (CSS). We will do this by embedding the CSS into the policies and practices of staff and volunteers, tutors and hirers. 

This will assist us to:

• Commitment to child safety
• Prevent child abuse
• Ensure effective processes are in place to respond to and report allegations of child abuse.
• Empowering Children
• Identifying and reducing or removing risks
• Ensure safety of children with a disability
• Cultural safety of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
• The cultural safety of Aboriginal children

Our Code of Conduct Policy states all staff and volunteers must:

• Observe child safe principles and expectations for appropriate behaviour towards and in the company of children, uphold HCC / HNCH statement of commitment to child safety and take all reasonable steps to protect children from abuse.
• Listening and responding to the views and concerns of children, particularly if they are telling you that they or another child has been abused and/or are worried about their safety or the safety of another. If you believe a child is at immediate risk of abuse phone 000.
• Promote the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal children, children with culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and children with a disability.  
• Report any allegations of child abuse/safety concerns to the Manager, and ensure any allegation is reported to the police or child protection.
• Do not develop any ‘special’ relationships with children that could be seen as favouritism (for example, the offering of gifts or special treatment for specific children).
• Racism will not be tolerated within HCC / HNCH and will be dealt with in accordance with complaints procedures.
• Leadership has a responsibility to help everyone involved with HCC / HNCH to acknowledge and appreciate the strengths of Aboriginal culture and understand its importance to the wellbeing and safety of Aboriginal children.