Module 4.1
WE DON’T MESS AROUND WHEN IT COMES TO CHILD SAFETY
Child safety is so important to us at Alchemy. We work closely with the Office of the Children’s Guardian (in NSW) and across each state to ensure we meet all child safety requirements, including requiring a Working with Children Check for any tutor working with us that is over the age of 18.
For the purposes of clarity, the Office of the Children’s Guardian defines any person under the age of 18 to be a child – so the same policies apply if you are working with a kindergarten student or an HSC student.
It is your responsibility to take child safety seriously. Even though your student may only be a year or so younger than you, you still need to maintain a professional relationship with them; and nothing more. As much as possible, choose a workspace that has plenty of visibility such as a dining table or kitchen bench and if they choose a bedroom ensure the door is left open. Do not initiate contact that may be seen as anything more than friendly with your student – including via SMS or social media.
Do not:
- Develop any ‘special’ relationships with children that could be seen as favouritism (for example, the offering of gifts or special treatment)
2. Have physical contact.
3. Conduct sessions out of line of sight of a parent/guardian or in a closed off room
4. Put children at risk of abuse (for example, locking doors).
5. Do things of a personal nature that a child can do themselves, such as toileting or changing clothes.
6. Engage in open discussions of a mature or adult nature in the presence of children (for example, personal social activities).
7. Use inappropriate language or anything sexualised in nature in the presence of children.
8. Express personal views on cultures, race or sexuality in the presence of children.
9. Discriminate against any child, including because of culture, race, ethnicity or disability.
10. Have contact with a child or their family outside of our organisation without our child safety officer’s knowledge and/or consent (for example, catching up for coffee, add on social media or offering lifts). Accidental contact, such as seeing people in the street, is not considered.
11. Have any online contact with a child or their family (unless necessary, for example emailing parents)
12. Ignore or disregard any suspected or disclosed child abuse.
These may seem extreme, but as you progress with your student you will get more and more comfortable together and these things may become very easy to do. In some situations they will initiate contact that is not tutoring related, and whilst you may feel rude for shutting them down, it isn’t worth the risk – it just takes a parent walking by at the wrong moment and hearing you talk about something or doing something you shouldn’t be for flags to be raised.
There are very serious consequences for child safety offences such as significant fines and jail time.
We have a comprehensive child safety policy that you can find in tutorhub. It outlines our responsibilities and requirements under the office of the children’s guardian.
If you have any questions regarding child safety please get in touch.