Child Protection Volunteer Induction

1. Child ProtectionVolunteer Induction Engaging with children in schools Safely, lawfully and best practice Term 1 2014

2. Q: What is ‘child protection’ really all about?

3. Our beliefs • The safety and well-being of children and young people are fundamental to Gospel-based school communities • Healthy communities honour and love their most vulnerable – the children. • In a Catholic school we maintain that all children have the right to a safe and supportive environment free from any form of abuse or harm.

4. Child Protection is everyone’s business • Child protection is NOT the responsibility of one person or organisation. • It is the responsibility of the whole community working in partnership.

5. Child Protection is about - • Keeping children safe • Safe structures and practices in the place that children frequent • Taking child protection seriously • Working together as adults to keep children safe • Being informed

6. Volunteers • Volunteers play a critical role in a child’s education and overall development through school • Catholic schools highly value the time, energy and skills that volunteers bring • Volunteers enable greater educational service to be delivered to children ......So thank you ......

7. What laws should volunteers know about? • Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1988 • Ombudsman Act 1974 • Duty of Care – common law duty • Employment screening/checking • Reporting to Community Services-risk of significant harm • Process for managing certain allegations against employees or volunteers • Taking reasonable care to reduce the risks of foreseeable harm • NSW Children Guardian and Commission for Children and Young People • Department of Community Services • NSW Ombudsman • Schools and individuals owe a duty of care Act Focus Agency

8. 1. Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 • Checking that people who volunteer to work with children are suitable to do so. This is called the Working with Children Check (WWCC). It is largely the same process for when people are paid to work with children. • The relevant government authority is the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian which includes oversight of the Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP). CCYP manages the Working with Children Check. • The relevant legislation is the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012

9. Q: How does this affect me as a volunteer?

10. Selecting suitable people NSW Commission for Children and Young People Act • For any paid employee or volunteer a school must undertake a careful selection process to ensure they are suitable to work with children • In NSW this involves screening (now known as “the check”) those person for any offences that may barr them from being allowed at law to work with children. They are prohibited. For more information this process and what constitutes a bar go to: www.kids.nsw.gov.au

11. The WWCC • The law is there to ensure that you as a volunteer is a suitable person to be working with children • You may recall the old Volunteer Declaration forms volunteers signed to say they were not prohibited at law to volunteer with children. • In June 2013 the law changed. These forms are no longer in use.

12. The New WWCC • A volunteer will need to apply for their own check. They do this online and then present at the closest RTA Office. They will receive a clearance number. They then give this number to the CEO who verifies if they are cleared by entering the number into the CCYP database. • Volunteers in education do not need to be checked until 2016 for secondary schools and 2017 for primary schools. This is because the NSW government is phasing in the check for all volunteers in NSW and this will take time. See Handouts from Children’s Guardian and Sydney CEO. • There are exceptions to that mean certain volunteers, such as most parents, do not need to undertake the check. See Children’s Guardian handout. • However, the Sydney CEO requires all volunteers in a school to fill in a form (see handout). This helps inform the Principal and CEO if a risk assessment is required to ensure a person who may be unsuitable to be volunteering with children in our school is not placed in that position. These forms are kept confidential and secured.

13. Note: • If a volunteer who undertakes the check is not cleared to volunteer with children, it is unlawful for them to engage as a volunteer. • However, no person has an automatic right to volunteer in a school. Parents and volunteers coming into the school and volunteering do so at the permission of the Principal. • The principal may not approve a person to volunteer if they are concerned about their suitability to do so, concerned about their behaviour or a safety reason.

14. 2. Part 3a NSW Ombudsman’s Act 1974 • Reporting and investigation of allegations of “reportable conduct” against both employees and volunteers. • A Principal will look into any complaint about a volunteers inappropriate conduct in school • However, schools must report such types of alleged conduct to the NSW Ombudsman who oversights the school’s response and process. This could include a complaint about a volunteer.

15. Q: How does this affect me as a volunteer?

16. Complaint Process in generalPart 3a NSW Ombudsman’s Act 1974 • Sometimes a complaint does come forward about a volunteer’s conduct at the school. • It may or may not be correct. It may be serious or trivial. • All complaints are take seriously and there is a process for the Principal to follow. • This offers protection to the person who is subject of the complaint – as the complaint may not be correct. • Sometimes a complaint (if not of a serious nature) can bring about a learning opportunity. It may simply require a response of support or increased guidance to the volunteer.

17. Complaints and NSW Ombudsman • Certain types of complaints (allegations) require the CEO to report the matter to the NSW Ombudsman . This reporting requirement has been in place since 1998. • The NSW Ombudsman oversights how the School and CEO manage the complaint. • Every school in NSW has a process for this. • The principles of fairness and confidentiality apply. • The volunteer will be informed of the complaint and given an opportunity to respond and give input. • Reasonable inquiries are made by the Principal or the CEO. A finding is made on assessing all this information. • Final documentation in relation to the complaint process is secured confidentially at the CEO. More information may be found at www.ombo.nsw.gov.au

18. Note re complaint process: • All complaints are managed sensitively and confidentially. • This is not something to be worried about. • The best practice tips are to apply all strategies that will reduce risks of complaints being made.

19. 3. Children and Young People (Care and Protection) Act 1998 • Under this law in NSW, all staff in schools are “Mandatory reporters” if they have reasonable grounds of suspicion that a child is at Significant Risk of Harm • Such reports are made to Department of Community Services (formerly DoCS). • This includes concerns that a child is at significant risk of harm under these categories - physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, exposure to Domestic Violence, neglect including habitual educational absence. • For further details about what needs to be reported go to www.community.nsw.gov.au

20. Q: How does this affect me as a volunteer?

21. Mandatory reportingChildren and Young People (Care and Protection) Act 1998 • Volunteers in NSW are not “mandatory reporters”. • As a volunteer, your responsibility is simply to inform the Principal • The CEO policy is that the Principal is the one that will make the report, if required, to Community Services • It is a reasonable suspicion. You do not have to be certain. • Your information may be an important piece to a puzzle about the safety of a child

22. Mandatory reporting - ContChildren and Young People (Care and Protection) Act 1998 • A volunteer is expected to bring any concerns about a child being at significant risk of harm to the attention of the school Principal or in their absence a staff member • Note: Although volunteers are not “mandated reporters” in NSW, there is nothing preventing a volunteer from making their own report to Department of Community Services in their own right if they want to.

23. 4. Duty of Care Common Law • Schools are places where those who working with children have a duty of care to the child. This is embodied in all legislation. • The duty owed is to take reasonable steps, to reduce risks of foreseeable harm to a child to whom that the person owes a duty of care. This includes not to act recklessly.

24. Q: How does this affect me as a volunteer?

25. Duty of Care It is expected that as a volunteer you will support the school by adhering to its procedures and strategies to reduce any risks to children. Many of these strategies are also important for safety for all at the school (including volunteers themselves) and required under Work Health and Safety laws. Examples are: • Signing in and out of the school • Reporting any concerns about safety that you observer to a staff member • Behaving appropriately and responsibly when engaging in a school activity • Following direction of staff whom supervise when you engaging in a school activity • Only using adult toilets (not student toilets)

26. Other important things to know as a volunteer in a school

27. Privacy and Confidentiality It is expected that all volunteers will respect the privacy and dignity of any child, the child’s family and staff if they become aware of personal information during their role as a volunteer This may include issues such as: • A child’s special needs • Educational progress of a student • Family circumstances of health issues • A child protection issue • Address or phone numbers of students or their family that they may have necessary access to in their role as a volunteer • Staff address or family circumstance When acting in a volunteer role the volunteer should not exchange phone numbers or email addresses with students. It is important volunteers support the schools social media policy and do not act inconsistent to this.

28. Safe Practices Be Clear about your Role and responsibilities • Know your role and that of staff • Know your limits • Know who is supervising you in a school • Know who to speak to if you are concerned

29. a) SafePractices – Maintain appropriate adult boundaries • You are a volunteer assisting the school to deliver services within an education setting/context • Understand that you can be caring and pastoral without blurring boundaries. • Children will blur and push boundaries. Note: Some will do this more than others –eg: those with trauma; those whom adults have crossed boundaries before with them, those that are needy.

30. Appropriate adult boundaries continued • It is up to you as the adult to maintain and mentor appropriate boundaries • Boundaries may differ today to what they were when you were a child at school or in a place you worked previously. • You must understand the standards required today in schools for volunteers or staff. Remember, you are not their friend or peer (even if you feel really young!!)

31. b) SafePractices – Physical contact and space • Do not use physical contact with a student unless it is necessary for immediate safety of person or is necessary and approved for the service you are assisting to deliver • A child’s sense of personal space may differ to yours. Life experiences or culture may be relevant

32. c) SafePractices - Behaviour At all times you are expected to: • Adhere to the school rules. (eg: sign in as visitor, use adult toilets, dont chew gum) • Use appropriate verbal and non verbal body language. (An example of what is not ok is swearing, racist comments, inappropriate jokes, rolling eyes) • Dress appropriately. • Behave appropriately. (Examples of inappropriate behaviour are sexist comments, crude jokes, texting whilst assisting a student)

33. d) Safe Practices – behaviours to encourage Examples of good strategies: • Personal space – eg: avoid leaning over a student • Think about the sitting or standing arrangements • Avoid being one on one with a student • Remain visible (not out of sight of staff) • Keep door open Can you think of some others you may adopt?

34. e) Safe Practices – Digital Technology Adhere to school policies in relation to: • Mobile phones • Internet – emails, face book, twitter, instant messaging, my space etc • Computers • Ipods • Passwords

35. Remember: • You are an important part of our school and parish community. We highly value and need you as a volunteer • This information is aimed at supporting you as a volunteer and ensuring you, students and staff are safe • No question is no hard or to simple. Please always ask if you are unsure

36. Scenario/Questions 1. You are working with a student and every time you are “one on one” with them they begin to talk to you about some traumatic experiences they had during their younger years. You know you are not meant to engage in this discussion and tried strategies to redirect them back to the work you are assisting them with but this is becoming increasingly unsuccessful. You find yourself feeling quite uncomfortable working with them but worry you are being insensitive). What should you do?

37. 2. You are assisting in class with a student and notice they are limping. You ask if they are ok and they tell you their Uncle who lives with them threw a chair at them on the weekend and when they fell over the Uncle kicked them in the leg. What is your responsibility in this situation? 3. You assisting a teacher to supervise a class of children on the bus to the swimming carnival. You notice a child picking on another child and using foul language. What should you do with these observations ?

38. 4. You have developed great rapport with a student you are assisting at the school as a volunteer. You are a learner in the world of face book and mobile phones. You receive an invite from them to be a friend on face book. One day they also ask you for your mobile phone so they can call you in the school holidays if they need too talk about school work. You really want to support them as much as possible. What is the appropriate response as a volunteer?  5. A student in year 1 is very tactile. When you go to assist them they constantly sit close to you and rub your arm with their hand. They often want to hug you and give you a cuddle. What is the most appropriate way maintain safe and appropriate boundaries? Would your answer or response be any different if the student was aged 11 years? 14 year? Or 16 years?

39. 6. You are at a P&F parent function. A few parents you are sitting with begin discussing how unfair it is that a certain child just started at the school in Term 2 this year, whilst another family they know who had applied earlier could not get their child into the school. You have been volunteering in the school and working with this particular child. Through your role as a volunteer you are aware of the special circumstances in which the child came to the school which relate to health needs of the child and family matters. A parent turns to you and asks you if you know how this could happen. How do you manage the confidential information you are privy to in this circumstance?

40. 7. When volunteering in a school a teacher tells you (in your role as a volunteer with a particular student) about the violent and personal history of this student and their family. You are aware the police have come to the school to see the student and that the student sees a medical specialist. You have a cup of coffee with a good friend one day who asks you about the students you are assisting and if you have any “good stories” to tell. How may you respond as a volunteer to such a scenario?

41. Child ProtectionSafety, Wellbeing and Professional ServicesHuman Resources Sydney Catholic schools very much value the participation and contribution of volunteers. Many benefits that are achieved for the children within our school communities can be attributed to the tireless efforts of our volunteers. Thank you for your time.