Destination Dance Child Safe Policy

Updated 25th September 2024

Introduction

Destination Dance is committed to providing a safe space for all children – through detailed policy, ongoing staff training and a rigorous and transparent reporting process

Dance is an unregulated industry, and anyone can open a dance school. That’s why it’s critical parents understand what happens at their studio and what the staff are doing to ensure the safety of their child.

In July 2022, the Victorian Government announced Australia’s first mandatory guidelines for child safety standards for all organisations that supervise children. There are 11 Standards every organisation is required to meet - these are outlined in this document, as well as our response and implementation plan.

Destination Dance’s Child Safe Policy was developed through consultation with parents. We are committed to continue this approach - in this update, we are extending this consultation to the students, as they are directly impacted and supported by this policy.

Purpose

This policy applies to any adult person (over the age of 18) engaged by Destination Dance that may work or interact with children at any time including:

• Staff, contractors & sub-contractors including:

· leadership and management roles

· administration

· teachers and workshop facilitators

· production and venue personnel (stage management, chaperones, technical crew, ushers, etc.)

• volunteers / parents on site at the studio or at an event

• work experience students / interns

• any other individuals engaged by the organisation that may deal with children

(Note: In this Policy, the term “Staff & Volunteers” is used to cover all persons occupying any position listed above.)

A childincludes children and young people up to the age of 18 (unless otherwise specified)

Commitment to Child Safety

Destination Dance is strongly committed to the safety and well-being of all children that interact with our organisation by creating and maintaining a child safe environment. The welfare of children entrusted under our care is our first priority and we have zero tolerance for child abuse. We aim to create a child safe and child-friendly environment where children feel safe, respected, valued and protected from harm. 

Destination Dance will take all necessary steps to prevent and protect children from abuse and neglect, including:

· physical abuse: purposefully injuring or threatening to injure a child

· emotional abuse: an attack on a child’s self-esteem through bullying, threatening, ridiculing, intimidating or isolating a child.

· neglect: harming a child by failing to provide basic physical or emotional necessities

· sexual abuse: Any sexual act or sexual threat

Recruitment and Selecting Staff

Destination Dance will take all reasonable steps to ensure we engage the most suitable and appropriate people to work with children. This involves maintaining a rigorous and consistent recruitment, screening and selection process.

It is Destination Dance’s policy to:

• interview and conduct thorough referee checks on potential staff members

• obtain and keep record of Working with Children Checks, or Victorian Institute of Teaching Registrations, from potential staff members whose roles have contact or responsibility for children and for roles that have influence or authority over children.

• assess the qualifications required to ensure the potential staff member is appropriately skilled for the role

• ensure all staff have current first aid certificates.

• communicate effectively to potential staff members our commitment to providing a safe environment for children

• Induct staff members into the organisation, making clear their roles and responsibilities in helping achieve a child-safe organisation

• Ensure all volunteers at performances are suitably experienced and qualified to care for the safety and wellbeing of children in accordance with their age and needs. All volunteers must have current Working with Children checks 

Support for Staff & Volunteers

Destination Dance seeks to support Staff & Volunteers by:

• inducting new Staff & Volunteers to our Child Safe Policy and other relevant policies and procedures regarding the care and / or supervision of children and young people.

• Ensure staff attend (either face to face or online) periodical information sessions as they become available, to remain up to date with knowledge of child protection, nature and signs of child abuse, cultural competency, regulation updates and other matters that affect children.

• Liaison with the organisation’s Child Safety Office to be the first point of contact to provide advise and support to staff on the safety and wellbeing of children

• ensuring Staff & Volunteers feel encouraged and empowered to report any complaints, concerns or perceived risks to child safety

Supporting Children’s Participation and Satisfaction

Destination Dance is a child-centered organisation – supporting, enabling and promoting the active participation of children by:

• encouraging expression of, and respecting the views of, children and parents (including carers or legal guardians)

• encouraging and empowering children and parents (including carers or legal guardians) to raise any concerns or complaints

• listening to and acting upon any concerns raised by children and parents (including carers or legal guardians)

• ensuring children understand their rights and the appropriate behaviour expected of both adults and children

• teaching children what they can do and who they can turn to if they feel unsafe

• ensuring Staff & Volunteers dealing with children are skillful in facilitating their participation

• valuing diversity and not tolerating any discriminatory practices.

Destination Dance aims to create an environment where children gain satisfaction from their interaction with our organisation by:

• supporting children to feel respected and in control of their behaviour / participation 

• ensuring children enjoy the overall experience of being a student of the studio 

· encouraging children to assist each other and developing a positive sense of pride in their work

· offering opportunities for children to derive personal satisfaction and a sense of achievement throughout their experience and the relationships they make

· encouraging children to develop self-discipline and awareness of their mental wellbeing in balancing their commitment to their performance, their education and their social and family activities.

Valuing Diversity

Destination Dance values diversity and we do not tolerate any discriminatory practices.

Our  studio is committed to protecting children engaged with our organisation from physical,sexual, emotional and psychological abuse, as well as neglect and contempt, ridicule, hatred, or negativity towards a child because of their race, culture, religion, gender (including transgender status), sexual orientation or disability.

In our activities with children we will:

• support the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal children and their families

• support the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and their families

• welcome children with disability and their families and act to promote their participation welcome same-sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse children and families

Promoting Good Practice

Destination Dance will encourage the following:

• Always working in an open environment.
• Treating all young people equally, and with      respect and dignity.
• Always putting the welfare of each young      person as priority.
• Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance      with dancers within reason manual/physical support.
• Building balanced relationships based on      mutual trust which empowers children to share in the decision-making      process.
• Making dance fun, enjoyable and promoting fair      play.
• Keeping up to date with the technical skills,      qualifications and insurance in dance.
• Involving parents/carers wherever possible.
• Being an excellent role model.
• Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback      rather than negative criticism.
• Recognising the developments/ needs and      capacity of young people – avoiding excessive training or competition and      not pushing them against their will.
• Having consent forms from parents/guardians in      relation to administrating first aid and/or other medical treatment and      media release/photos.
• Keeping a written record of any injury that      occurs, along with the details of any treatment given.

The following should never be sanctioned:

• Engage in rough, physical or sexually      provocative games, including horseplay.
• Share a room with a child. Allow or engage in      any form of inappropriate touching.
• Reduce a child to tears as a form of control.
• Allow allegations made by a child to go      unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.
• Do things of a personal nature for children      that they can do for themselves.
• Invite or allow children to stay at your home      unsupervised.

Responding to Suspicions/Allegations of Abuse

· It is not the responsibility of anyone working in Destination Dance in a paid or unpaid capacity to take responsibility or to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities. 

· Destination Dance will assure all staff/volunteers that it will fully support and protect anyone, who in good faith reports his or her concern that a colleague is or may be abusing a child/young person.

· Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a volunteer should be reported to the principal teacher who will take such steps as considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question and any other child who may be at risk.

Strategies to Minimise Risk

• Taking images of children – Authorisation is      given by caregiver to have images taken of their child/ren and      occasionally will be used to display on our website/social      media/promotional material.
• Supervision of children – Children are      supervised at all times in class by the responsible teacher assigned to      that class. The studio does not take responsibility for the child outside      of the premises this responsibility lies solely with the caregiver.
• Physical contact – Some physical contact may      be deemed necessary to demonstrate exercises and for personal correction;      or if a member of staff needs to administer first aid.
• Protecting privacy and confidentiality- All      information given to the studio is strictly confidential. Information is      given to the child’s teacher where it is in the best interest of the      child.

Communication and reviewing this policy

This policy will be made known and copies available on request and available on Destination Dance’s website.

This policy will be reviewed every two years,and following significant incidents if they occur. Feedback from Staff & Volunteers, parents (including carers and legal guardians) and children on this policy is welcome at any time. Feedback can be provided in person or in writing.

Non-compliance with this policy

Destination Dance will enforce this policy. Following any noncompliance we will instigate a review that may result in restriction of duties, suspension or termination of engagement or other corrective action.

MANDATORY CHILD SAFE STANDARDS

As outlined by the Commission for Children and Young People

The 11 Victorian Child Safe Standards

1. Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children are respected and valued.

2. Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture

3. Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

4. Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

5. Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.

6. People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.

7. Processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused.

8. Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.

9. Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.

10. Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.

11. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.

STANDARD 1

· Include acknowledgement of country at commencement of all events

· Remove cultural appropriation from programming/events eg. concert dances

· Engage cultural consultant to support program development and provide feedback/advice on concert plans

· Provide support for education pathway for Aboriginal students into full time training and/or company employment

STANDARD 2

.Leaders, staff, volunteers, members and children in the organisation champion and model a child safe culture. They express support for keeping children safe, take action when they have concerns about children’s safety and prioritise the safety of children as part of everyday practice.

· Senior leaders regularly review the organisation’s performance in delivering child safety and wellbeing.

STANDARD 3 

· Staff and volunteers are supported to develop knowledge and skills to help children participate, express their views and raise their concerns.

· The organisation supports children to develop social connections and friendships with their peers, build skills in children to support their peers and challenge bullying or isolating behaviour between children.

STANDARD 4

· Staff and volunteers are provided with information to help them understand, recognise and act on signs of child abuse or harm.

· Opportunities are created for families and community members to provide feedback on the organisation’s policies, procedures and practices including the organisation’s approach to child safety and wellbeing.

STANDARD 5

· Staff and volunteers are provided with information and guidance about children’s diverse circumstances, how to identify factors that can increase a child’s vulnerability to harm, and how to promote equity and safety for all children

· Leaders set clear expectations around achieving equity and respect for diversity

STANDARD 6

· Employment advertising includes the organisation’s commitment to child safety and wellbeing.

· Pre-employment screening practices including interviewing, referee checks, Working with Children Check and other registration or background checking

· Induction documents for staff and volunteers include the Code of Conduct, the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and information about the organisation’s child safety practices and complaints process as well as reporting, record keeping and information sharing obligations.

STANDARD 7

· Records are kept of complaints made to the organisation, including concerns raised about the safety of children and disclosures about alleged abuse or harm of children, and actions taken to respond.

· The organisation makes information about how to make a complaint available and accessible to everyone involved with the organisation.

STANDARD 8

· Training is provided to staff and volunteers on the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy on induction and at regular intervals.

· Training is provided to staff and volunteers that supports their ability to identify signs of child abuse and harm, respond to issues of child safety including internal and external reporting requirements, notifying families and carers and managing risks to children, support a person disclosing child harm, create culturally safe environments in the organisation.

STANDARD 9

· Risk assessment and management plans are informed by and responsive to the views and concerns of staff, volunteers and children. Plans show that the organisation has balanced the need to manage the risk of harm and abuse against children’s rights to privacy, access to information, social connections and learning opportunities.

· When negotiating contracts with third parties, contracts include terms that allow the organisation to take action if the third party does not meet expected child safety and wellbeing standards.

· If appropriate, staff, volunteers, parents, carers and children are provided with information about online safety and risks in the online environment, such as online grooming, cyber bullying and sexting. Support is given to reporting negative experiences or concerns.

STANDARD 10

· Complaints, concerns, safety incidents or significant breaches of policy (such as the Code of Conduct) are examined to understand what caused the problem and whether there are any flaws in the organisation’s policies, procedures and practices that contributed to the problem. Where flaws or failings are identified, improvements are made to prevent the problem from happening again.

· Reports about the findings and actions taken in response to reviews of the organisation’s child safe practices are shared with staff, volunteers, children, families and communities.

STANDARD 11

· Regular consultation on child safety with everyone involved in your organisation is undertaken.

· The organisation uses input from consultations and available information about creating child safety and wellbeing to help develop, review and update policies and procedures related to child safety.

· The organisation’s policies and procedures cover all the Child Safe Standards and address the risks to the safety of children that are specific to the organisation and its environment.

· Policies and procedures are easy to understand and can be accessed easily.

Updated 25th September 2024