Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

Introduction

Touch Projects is committed to the safety and well-being of children and, as such, is committed to creating and maintaining a child safe organization and ensuring the safety of children in our offices, at our client’s sites, and at works sites.
We have zero tolerance to child abuse and are committed to actively contributing to a child safe city where children are protected from abuse.
Our commitment to the safety of children is based on our duty of care and responsibilities to children and always acting in the best interests of children.
Our commitment will be enacted through the implementation and monitoring of the Child Safe Standards, as specified under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Amendment (Child Safe Standards) Act 2015.

Our commitment to children

We are committed to ensuring children feel safe, empowered and are taken seriously if they raise concerns in relation to their safety and well-being.

We value and support diversity, inclusion and equality. In acknowledgment of the particular vulnerabilities of these groups of children, and in accordance with the Child Safe Standards, we particularly support:

the cultural safety of Indigenous Australian children and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
the participation and empowerment of children with a disability, Indigenous Australian children and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Our commitment to staff and volunteers

We are committed to ensuring the full Touch Projects’ team understand that child safety is everyone’s responsibility.

We will ensure staff, contractors, associates, and anybody else under the Touch Projects ‘umbrella’ are provided with the necessary support to fulfil their obligations in relation to child safety.

We will ensure any of our team who will have potential engagement with children are thoroughly educated in child safety including abuse risks and how to interact and behave with children.

Our commitment to ensuring a child safe organisation

Recruitment

We will ensure all staff who work with children have a current Working With Children Check (‘WWCC’) and that there is an appropriate screening process for staff that work with children including interview guides, advertisements and selection criteria which clearly demonstrate our commitment to child safety.

Training and Supervision

We will ensure all new and existing employees understand the importance of protecting children from harm. This will be supported through induction, training, and professional development.

We will ensure staff understand the process for reporting any child safety issues.

Touch Projects has appointed its Operations Manager as its Child Safety Officer.

Reporting

All allegations and concerns in relation to children’s safety will be taken seriously and will be investigated fairly and appropriately.

We support and encourage our team to proactively report any behaviour deemed to be endangering the safety of children.

Reportable incidents and complaints are notified to the CEO and the relevant authority immediately:

Child First (DHHS)
Child Protection (DHHS)
Victoria Police.

The Touch Projects Board will be informed of any incidents and complaints in relation to child wellbeing at the next Board meeting (or via out-of-session communications if urgent).

Scope

This ‘Statement of Commitment to Child Safety’ applies to all staff including any person directly engaged by Touch Projects or employed through an agency or on a contract basis, and volunteers and work experience students, irrespective of their specific involvement in child related duties.

Review

This Statement will be reviewed every two years, and following any changes to legislation or policy.