Child Safety

We commit to:

• maintaining a zero-tolerance approach towards child abuse (including grooming for abuse) and reportable conduct, recognising the paramount importance of our responsibilities for child safety and wellbeing.
• proving an environment that respects and supports everyone, with particular emphasis on the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, children and young people from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities and children who identify as LBGTQIA+.
• empowering children and vulnerable individuals by informing them of their rights and responsibilities and supporting them to speak up about any matters of importance to them, including if something goes wrong. We work to include the participation of children in decision making regarding any services or other matters affecting them.
• preventing children and vulnerable people’s abuse and identifying risks early, and where possible, to remove and reduce these risks. • ensuring all allegations and safety concerns are treated seriously and consistently in line with SEL’s policies and procedures, and all relevant legislation.
• upholding and following our legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when it is concerned about a child or young person’s safety.
• maintaining robust human resources and recruitment practices for all SEL Team Members and volunteers, ensuring they are properly screened.
• regularly training, educating and screening our directors, employees, volunteers and contractors (including referees) to provide a child safe environment.
• Regularly reviewing and improving upon our Child Safety and Wellbeing program.
  
  

SEL has specific policies, procedures and training in place which supports its leadership team, employees, contractors and volunteers to achieve these commitments.