Policy number <> Version <>
Drafted by <> Approved by Board on <>
Responsible person <> Scheduled review date <>

INTRODUCTION
This policy is written to demonstrate the strong commitment of the board members, management, employees and volunteers to child safety and establishing and maintaining child safe and child friendly environments.

COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY
All children who come to Dignity Pasifika have a right to feel and be safe. Dignity Pasifika is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people accessing our services and the welfare of the children in our care will always be our first priority. We aim to create a ‘child safe’ and ‘child friendly’ environment where children feel safe and have fun.
This policy is developed in collaboration with all our board members, employees, volunteers and the children who use our services and their parents. It applies to all employees, volunteers, children and individuals involved in the organisation.

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS TO SAFETY AND PARTICIPATION
Dignity Pasifika board members, employees and volunteers encourage children to express their views, and make suggestions, especially on matters that directly affect children. We actively encourage all children who use our services to ‘have a say’ about those things that are important to them.
We value diversity and do not tolerate any discriminatory practices.
We teach children about what they can do if they feel unsafe.
We listen to and act on any concerns children or their parents, raise with us.

RECRUITMENT OF EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS
Dignity Pasifika applies the best practice standards in the recruitment and screening of employees and volunteers. We interview and conduct referee checks on all employees and volunteers and require criminal history reports for prescribed positions as specified under the Children’s Protection ….. Our statement of commitment to child safety and our requirements are included in all advertisements.

SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS
Dignity Pasifika seeks to attract and retain the best employees and volunteers. We provide support and supervision so people feel valued, respected and fairly treated. We have developed a code of conduct to provide guidance to our employees and volunteers, all of whom receive training on the requirements of the code.

REPORTING AND RESPONDING TO SUSPECTED ABUSE AND NEGLECT
We at Dignity Pasifika will not tolerate incidents of child abuse. Abuse and neglect includes:

• Physical abuse – when a person purposefully injures or threatens to injure a child or young person.
• Emotional abuse – an attack on a child or young person’s self-esteem e.g. through bullying, name calling, threatening, ridiculing, intimidating or isolating the child.
• Sexual abuse – any sexual act or sexual threat imposed on a child or young person.
• Neglect – where a child or young person is harmed by the failure to provide the basic physical or emotional necessities.

Employees and volunteers must notify the Child Abuse Report Line …… as soon as practicable if they have a reasonable suspicion that a child has been or is being abused or neglected.
We at Dignity Pasifika are responsible for ensuring that employees and volunteers are aware how to make appropriate reports of abuse or neglect. We will also provide opportunities for employees and volunteers to attend an information session on mandatory reporting.
A person does not necessarily exhaust his or her duty of care to a child by making a report to the Child Abuse Report Line – they may still have a role in supporting the child or young person. For example, employees and volunteers may also report any form of abuse to Dignity Pasifika for further support or to ensure that Dignity Pasifika takes all reasonable steps to keep the child and others safe.

AUTHORISATION

Procedures number <> Version <>
Drafted by <> Approved by CEO on <>
Responsible person <> Scheduled review date <>

Dignity Pasifika endorses the following code of conduct to provide guidance to our employees and volunteers responsible for activities involving children and young people under the age of 18 years. The code serves to protect children and reduce any opportunities for abuse or harm to occur. Board members, management, employees and volunteers all agree to abide by the Dignity Pasifika code of conduct.

Management will:
• Be responsible for the overall welfare and wellbeing of employees and volunteers.
• Be accountable for managing and maintaining a duty of care towards employees and volunteers.
• Appoint a Child Protection Officer to provide information and support to all employees, volunteers, children, young people and their families regarding child protection matters.

Employees will:
• Be responsible for the administration and programs of Dignity Pasifika.
• Maintain a duty of care towards others and be accountable for matters relating to the aim and purpose of Dignity Pasifika.
• Establish and maintain a child safe environment in the course of their work (e.g. when conducting activities related to the aim and purpose of Dignity Pasifika).
• Be fair, considerate and honest with others.
• Treat children and young people with respect, listen to and value their ideas and opinions and protect their wellbeing
• Operate within the rules and policies of Dignity Pasifika and its activities

Employees and volunteers will:
• Be professional in their actions through their use of language, presentation, manner and punctuality.
• Resolve conflicts fairly and promptly and report and act on any breaches of these standards of behaviour through established procedures
• Maintain strict impartiality
• Comply with specific organisational guidelines on physical contact with children.
• Respect the privacy of children and their families and only disclose information to people who have a need to know.
• Maintain a child safe environment for children and young people
We will not:
• Use prejudice, oppressive behaviour or language with children.
• Discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, culture, vulnerability or sexuality.
• Initiate unnecessary physical contact with children or do things of a personal nature that children can do for themselves.
• Develop ‘special’ relationships with specific children for our own needs.
• Show favouritism through the provision of gifts or inappropriate attention.
• Have contact with children outside of the organisation’s programs.

AUTHORISATION

I have read this Code of Conduct and agree to abide by it at all times.

(Name of member) …………………………………………………………………..

Position in Dignity Pasifika: ………………………………………………………
and

Signature…………………………………………………………………………………..

Useful information and services Child Abuse Report Line
……………………..

The following documents can be accessed from :

1. MOE Child Protection Policy
2. Criminal Decree
3. Domestic Violence Decree