Commitment to Child Safety & Safeguarding

At Access Adventure Club, the safety, wellbeing and dignity of every child and young person is at the heart of everything we do.

We are committed to providing an environment where children and young people feel safe,
respected, included and empowered. Our commitment is guided by the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework and is embedded throughout our culture, decision-making and daily operations.

We have zero tolerance for child abuse, neglect, exploitation and all forms of harm towards children and vulnerable persons. Every member of our team shares responsibility for protecting the children and young people entrusted to our care.

Our Commitment

• Responding promptly to all reports or concerns relating to abuse, neglect or harm.
• Ensuring all staff and contractors hold required Working with Children Checks and complete
  mandatory safeguarding and reporting training.
• Requiring all staff to comply with our Staff Code of Conduct and Child Safe policies.
• Providing ongoing training, supervision and support to strengthen safeguarding capability.
• Listening to children and young people, taking their concerns seriously and supporting them
  to speak up.
• Creating an inclusive environment where every participant feels safe, respected and valued.

How We Put Child Safety into Practice

Child safety is much more than a written policy. It is embedded in the way we recruit, train,
supervise and support our team, and in the way every program is planned and delivered.

Our safeguarding framework is supported by comprehensive internal policies, risk assessments
and Standard Operating Procedures that are regularly reviewed to reflect current legislation,
research, sector best practice and emerging risks.

• Rigorous recruitment, screening and reference checking processes.
• Mandatory induction and annual child safety refresher training.
• A comprehensive Staff Code of Conduct covering professional boundaries, privacy,
  technology use and participant safety.
• Risk assessments designed to minimise opportunities for abuse, inappropriate one-to-one
  situations and other safeguarding risks.
• Procedures for supervision, personal care, transport, overnight programs, photography,
  recording devices and technology.
• Active supervision strategies that reduce the risk of harmful behaviours between
  participants while promoting respectful relationships.
• Clear reporting, escalation and incident management procedures.
• Regular review of policies and operational practices as safeguarding knowledge and
  community expectations evolve.

Children’s Voice

We encourage children and young people to express their views, ask questions and raise
concerns. We are committed to listening respectfully, responding appropriately and involving
participants, families and carers in creating safe and positive experiences.

Inclusion and Cultural Safety

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every participant feels welcome,
valued and respected. We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander children and young people and remain committed to reconciliation.

We also recognise that children and young people with disability may experience increased
vulnerability. Our programs, staff training and safeguarding practices are designed to recognise
individual support needs while promoting dignity, inclusion and independence.

Transparency

We understand that families, carers, support coordinators and advocates place significant trust in organisations caring for children and young people.

While our detailed operational procedures, risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures are not published in full to protect participant privacy and the integrity of our safeguarding practices, we are committed to being transparent about the systems we have in
place.

We welcome questions about our Child Safe Framework, safeguarding practices and Staff Code of Conduct and are happy to discuss our approach or provide additional information where appropriate.

Reporting a Concern

If you have any concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a participant, wish to report an incident, or would like to provide feedback regarding our child safety practices, please contact:

Operations Manager: Cody@AccessAdventureClub.com.au

If a child or young person is in immediate danger, please call 000.