Body Safety Australia is a whole-of-community service provider of body safety, protective behaviours and child safety education. We deliver specialist professional training to educators and management, workshops for parents and guardians, as well as incursions for 3yo-and-4yo kindergarten.
We are committed to delivering programs that are sensitive and inclusive of:
- Low socio economic status families
- Single parent headed families
- Same-sex headed families
- Families from CALD backgrounds
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
- Children from refugee backgrounds
- Children living in out-of-home care
- Children with disabilities
- Children who identify as GLBTIQ
- Child victims of childhood sexual abuse
- Children who are at high risk of childhood sexual abuse
- Parent survivors of childhood sexual abuse
- Families of diverse religious backgrounds
Body Safety Australia prides itself on being responsive to organisations and their communities.
To ensure the best possible services to our clients and to provide a positive work environment, Body Safety Australia expects team members to follow the rules of conduct as specified below.
We are a values-based organisation and we expect our team members to act with compassion, and in the highest ethical regard.
Any team member found in violation of our code of conduct will be subject to disciplinary actions including reprimand, warning, suspension or dismissal.
Our team, including but not limited to; board members, staff, contractors and volunteers will:
Respect our legal obligations
- As governed by the laws of the State of Victoria
- As governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia
All parties agree to irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Victoria.
In particular, our team are to observe Victorian legislation:
- 'Failure to disclose' as outlined by the Crimes Amendment (Protection of Children) Act 2014
- 'Failure to protect' as outlined by the Crimes Amendment (Protection of Children) Act 2014
- Mandatory reporting as outlined by Section 327 of the Victorian Crimes Act 1958 and the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth)
Respect our organisational policies
- Comply with Body Safety Australia policies and procedures
- Comply and carry out any reasonable and lawful instructions of a Manager or Co-worker
- Follow Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) policies to ensure that the workplace is physically, psychologically and culturally safe for everyone
No members of the team are allowed to possess firearms, weapons, alcohol, illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia of any kind on company or client property.
Respect persons
- Everyone, from our team to members of the public, is to be treated with respect, dignity and compassion
- Engage in professional conduct and act with the highest professional integrity, including complying with Body Safety Australia's dress code on company and/or client property
- Acceptance of any persons' culture, race, ethnicity or disability
Body Safety Australia does not tolerate threatening, obscene, profane or abusive language, gestures or behaviour. Nor do we tolerate any sort of bullying and/or discriminatory behaviour.
Body Safety Australia is committed to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity and supports the creation of working conditions to ensure that all team members have an equal chance to seek and obtain employment, promotion, training and the benefits of employment.
Please refer to section 6.9 Equal Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination <link> for more details.
Respect children and young persons
Body Safety Australia takes our commitment to child safety seriously. Our organisation works with children and young people. We also have a family-friendly office, in which children and young people may be present at the office.
All team members are required to observe the Victorian Child Safe Standards and our child safe policies and procedures.
- Every child and young person is to be treated with respect, dignity and compassion
- Acceptance of children's culture, race, ethnicity or disability
- Uphold our statement of commitment to child safety, and take all reasonable steps to protect children and young people from abuse at all times
- Display appropriate behaviour towards and in the company of children and young people at all times
- Encourage children to ‘have a say’ and participate in all relevant organisational activities where possible, especially on issues that are important to them
- Engage in activities that support the safety, participation, wellbeing and empowerment of children and young people, including but not limited to;
- listening and responding to the views and concerns of children, particularly if they are telling you that they or another child has been abused and/or are worried about their safety or the safety of another
- promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal children
- promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of children with culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
- promoting the safety, participation and empowerment of children with a disability
Our educators and workshop facilitators are also required to observe the following:
- Not permitted to be alone with students in the classroom without another educator, teacher or teacher's aide present. If this happens, teaching is to be paused and support requested.
- Report any allegations of child abuse to our Child Safety Officer and leadership for debriefing, and follow our incident reporting procedure as outlined in the educator manual
- Report any child safety concerns to our Child Safety Officer and leadership for debriefing, and follow our incident reporting procedure as outlined in the educator manual
If an allegation of child abuse is made, Body Safety Australia will ensure, as quickly as possible, that the child(ren) and young person(s) are safe.
Act with integrity
- Declare any real or perceived conflict of interest
- Report any attempted bribery or coercion
- Keep any confidential or official information within the organisation
- Stand up to any expression of discriminatory views, personal or professional, cultures, race or sexuality, in particular, in the presence of children and young people
- Report any child safety violations to our Child Safety Officer and leadership for further action
- Be honest and transparent in your actions with the team and clients
Act appropriately with children and young people
- Treat all children and young people equally and without discrimination
- Interact with children and young people in a professional manner (ie. do not develop any ‘special’ relationships with children and young people, display excessive physical, or discuss content intended for adult audiences in the presence of children and young people)
- Be aware of both situational and physical risk to children and young people at all times
- Divert any need from children or young people to do things of a personal nature that a child can do for themselves, such as toileting or changing clothes, to the appropriate support aide • Divert any direct contact with a child, young person or family outside of Body Safety Australia to our Child Safety Officer for consideration (ie. babysitting)
- Divert any direct online contact with a child, young person or their family to our Child Safety Officer for consideration (ie. personal emails, personal phone calls etc)
Be diligent in your work
- Respect your colleagues and our clients' time by being punctual and ready to work
- Be responsible and accountable for your work duties during working time
- Arrive ready for work, sober and without being under the influence of alcohol or any illegal drugs
- Report any accessing or sharing pornography, hate websites or illegal websites using company equipment or BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
- Be cooperative, responsible and communicate with your team
- Ensure that your work is completed in a timely and effective manner
Body Safety Australia promotes good working habits including but not limited to;
- Taking breaks to stretch, hydrate and go for a walk
- Having flexible work hours, and taking self-care days
- Leaving work at work
Smoke breaks are permitted as long as team members are not in violation of the Tobacco Amendment Act 2016. Please refer to section 6.10 Alcohol & Drugs policy <link> for more information.
Body Safety Australia also acknowledges that social media, and smart phone usage throughout the work day may be a part your responsibilities. Reasonable and appropriate social media and smart phone usage permitted.
For further information on our social media policy, please refer to section 6.7 Privacy & Social Media policy <link> for more details.
Be economical and efficient
- Take proper care of Body Safety Australia's equipment, resources and tools
- Respect property belonging to a client and/or fellow team
- Be appropriate with Body Safety Australia's equipment, property or consumables at all times
- Seek authorisation before using Body Safety Australia's equipment, property or consumables for private purposes
