Our commitment to child safety and wellbeing

  • Okines Community House Inc. is committed to child safety and wellbeing.
  • We want children to be safe, happy and empowered.
  • We support and respect all children, as well as our staff and volunteers. 
  • We are committed to the safety, participation and empowerment of all children.
  • We have zero tolerance for child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated seriously and consistently with our policies and procedures.
  • We have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety.
  • Okines Community House Inc. is committed to preventing child abuse, identifying risks early and removing and reducing these risks.
  • We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.
  • We have specific policies and procedures in place that support our board members, staff and volunteers to achieve these commitments.
  • We provide opportunities for children and young people to provide feedback and input into the development of activities that affect them.
 
A Child Safe Organisation consciously and systematically:
  • Creates an environment where children’s safety and wellbeing is at the centre of thought, values and actions.
  • Places emphasis on genuine engagement with and valuing of children and young people.
  • Creates conditions that reduce the likelihood of harm to children and young people.
  • Creates conditions that increase the likelihood of identifying any harm.
  • Responds to any concerns, disclosures, allegations or suspicions of harm.

Okines Community House is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children involved in our work. We have implemented the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. These principles also align with the Tasmanian Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework.

The actions we take to adhere to child safety:

  • Requiring all staff and volunteers treat all children and young people with respect and act in accordance with Okines’ Code of Conduct and Child and Youth Safety Policy.
    • Ensuring that staff and volunteers working with children and young people, or who encounter children and young people, adhere to the child safe protection behaviours.Providing training for all staff, board and volunteers who work with children or young people.Tailoring recruitment practices to ensure only the most suitable and appropriate people are engaged by Okines to work with children and young people.Undertaking a risk-based approach for all programs and activities involving work, or potential work, with children and young people to mitigate and minimise any harm to children.Requiring third parties, and their staff/sub-contractors, contracted to work with children and young people to comply with this policy.Monitoring compliance with the Tasmanian Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework and relevant legislation to promote the establishment and maintenance of a child safe environment.
    • Having a rigorous response to safeguarding concerns, complaints or disclosures. All safeguarding concerns must be reported according to Tasmanian legislation and to the Okines manager.