Ladder is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people with whom we work (Participants).  Ladder has a zero tolerance approach to child abuse and is committed to providing Participants with a protected environment where all Participants feel safe, respected and  included. Ladder endeavours to provide an environment where Participants’ voices are heard and opinions acted on with respect to decisions that affect their lives.

Ladder is committed to protecting the cultural safety of Participants:

• of Aboriginal heritage;
• from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds;
• with a disability; and
• who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+).

Ladder is also committed to ensuring that all adults involved in our programs understand their responsibility to protect Participants from harm.  This includes understanding the role they play, collectively and individually, to ensure that the safety and health and wellbeing of all Participants is paramount and guides us in every decision we make.

Ladder’s Child Safe Standards Code of Conduct

Purpose

Our Child Safe Standards Code of Conduct sets out the expected standard of behaviour, and examples of unacceptable behaviour, from all adults who work with Participants in all Ladder activities, programs, services and facilities. 

The Child Safe Standards Code of Conduct sets out the expectations for personal and professional behaviour of staff, volunteers, Board members and consultants/contractors when delivering any Ladder program or engaged in any work or work-related activity with Participants at, or for Ladder.

The Child Safe Standards Code of Conduct must be always adhered to and in conjunction with Ladder’s HR Manual and other policies and procedures.

The Child Safe Standards Code of Conduct applies to all physical and online environments used by Participants. It also applies during or outside of Ladder’s operating hours and in other locations where Ladder delivers activities or programs for Participants (for example, an activity/excursion). 

Ladder will ensure that: 

• All Participants are kept safe from harm.
• Ladder staff, volunteers, Board members and consultants/contractors act in the best interest of the Participants.
• Participants' rights are understood, respected, and upheld.
• Any concerns raised or observed are, where required, reported through the appropriate mandatory reporting channels in each State or Territory as outlined in the Ladder Mandatory Reporting Policy (contained in Ladder HR Handbook).
• All Ladder staff, volunteers, Board members and consultants/contractors are responsible for promoting the safety, wellbeing and empowerment of Participants in our programs and services.
• All Ladder staff, volunteers, Board members and consultants/contractors are knowledgeable and trained in child safe practices.
• Families and Guardians of Participants will continue to be, where appropriate, informed and involved regarding Participants’ involvement with Ladder.
• Organisational review of child safe practices conducted regularly across all sites by National Program Manager.

Definitions 

Terminology	Definitions
Board Member	Individuals that sit on Ladder’s Board.
Child/Children/Young person	Referring to people aged between 0 to 18 years old.
Child abuse	Child abuse includes: any act committed against a child involving: a sexual offence; grooming offences under state criminal laws, the infliction, on a child, of: physical violence; or serious emotional or psychological harm, and the serious neglect of a child.
Contractor/consultant	Anyone contracted by Ladder to facilitate a program or activity, or provides services to Ladder.
Emotional abuse	Emotional child abuse occurs when a child is repeatedly rejected, isolated, or frightened by threats.  It also includes hostility, derogatory name-calling and put-downs, and persistent coldness from a person to the extent that the child suffers, or is likely to suffer, emotional or psychological harm to their physical or developmental health.
Family violence	Behaviour by a person towards a family member of that person if that behaviour: is physically or sexually abusive; or is emotionally or psychologically abusive; or is economically abusive; or is threatening; or is coercive; or in any other way controls or dominates the family member and causes that family member to feel fear for the safety or wellbeing of that family member or another person; or behaviour by a person that causes a child to hear or witness, or otherwise be exposed to the effects of, behaviour referred to above.
Grooming	Grooming is when a person engages in predatory conduct to prepare a child or young person for sexual activity at a later time. Grooming can include communicating or attempting to befriend or establish a relationship or other emotional connection with the child or their parent or carer.
Harm	Damage to the health, safety or wellbeing of a child or young person, including as a result of child abuse by adults or the conduct of other children. It includes physical, emotional, sexual and psychological harm. Harm can arise from a single act or event and can also be cumulative, that is, arising as a result of a series of acts or events over a period of time.
Mandatory Reporting	Mandatory reporting is the legal requirement for certain professional groups or entities to report a reasonable belief of child physical or sexual abuse or other child abuse to child protection authorities.
Neglect	Neglect includes a failure to provide a child with an adequate standard of nutrition, medical care, clothing, shelter or supervision. The law differentiates between three different levels of neglect: ‘Minor’ neglect is low-level neglect that is trivial or temporary. ‘Significant’ neglect is medium-level neglect that causes harm to a child that is more than trivial or temporary. ‘Serious’ neglect is the highest level of neglect. It involves the continued failure to provide a child with the basic necessities of life and can also occur if an adult fails to adequately ensure the safety of a child exposed to extremely dangerous or life-threatening situations.
Participants	Children/Young people engaged in Ladder programs and services.
Physical abuse	Physical child abuse is any non-accidental infliction of physical violence on a child by any person.
Sexual abuse	Child sexual abuse is when a person uses power or authority over a child to involve them in sexual activity. It can include a wide range of sexual activity. Sexual offences are governed by state criminal laws.
Volunteers	Individuals that volunteer their time in Ladder programs, projects, activities, fundraising events. Students studying in the field that complete their mandatory placement hours at Ladder.

Acceptable Behaviours 

As Ladder staff, volunteers, Board members or consultants/contractors, or any other member of our community involved in Ladder programs, you are responsible for supporting and promoting the safety of Participants by: 

• upholding Ladder’s commitment to child safety always and adhering to our Child Safe Standards Policy;
• treating Participants in our Ladder programs with respect in our environment and outside our environment as part of normal social and community activities; 
• listening and responding to the views and concerns of Participants, particularly if they disclose that they or another Participant have been abused or are worried about their safety or the safety of another Participant; 
• promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal Participants, or Participants with culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, Participants with a disability, international Participants, Participants who are unable to live at home and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Queer/Questioning and intersex (LGBTQI+) Participants;
• reporting any allegations of child abuse or other child safety concerns to Ladder Management and/or the relevant authorities;and
• if child abuse is reasonably suspected, ensuring as quickly as possible that the relevant authority is notified if required, and that affected Participants are safe and protected from harm.

Unacceptable Behaviours 

Ladder takes a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours which may cause harm to Participants, including behaviours conducted by staff, volunteers, Board members, consultants/contractors, or members of our Ladder community involved in our Programs. 

Examples of unacceptable behaviour include, but are not limited to:  

• ignoring or disregarding any complaint, allegation, disclosure or suspicion of child abuse or harm; 
• developing a relationship with any Participant that could be seen as favouritism or amount to ‘grooming’ behaviour (for example, by offering gifts); 
• displaying behaviours or engaging with Participants in ways that are inappropriate;
• ignoring and/or failing to act on an adult’s overly familiar or inappropriate behaviour towards a Participant;
• discussing intimate topics or using sexualised language, except when needed to deliver Ladder’s approved Learning and Development Program (LDP);
• treating a Participant unfavourably because of their disability, age, gender, race, culture, vulnerability, sexuality or ethnicity; and 
• communicating directly with a Participant through personal or private contact channels (including by social media, email, instant messaging, texting etc) except where that communication is reasonable in all the circumstances, related to Ladder’s programming or extra-curricular activities, or where there is a safety concern.

Reporting Concerns - Participants, parents and carers

Participants, parents and carers may make a complaint, allegation, disclosure or suspicion regarding concerns for child safety, including the treatment or suspected treatment, of a Participant involved in Ladder programs.  This may include concerns that Ladder has not taken reasonable steps to prevent or reduce a risk to child safety.

Participants, parents and carers should raise these concerns in writing by either sending an email to [email protected] or sending a letter to Ladder’s national office (using the contact details provided on the website).

Reporting Concerns - Ladder staff, volunteers, Board members and consultants/contractors

All Ladder staff, volunteers, Board members and consultants/contractors who work with Participants are required to report suspicions of all five recognised types of abuse and neglect (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and exposure to family violence).

All Ladder  staff, volunteers, Board members and contractors are required to follow Ladder’s Mandatory Reporting Policy as outlined in the Ladder HR Handbook.

• Ladder staff, volunteers, Board members and consultants/contractors working in NSW must comply with the Children and Young Person (Care and Protection) Act 1998. The Children and Young Person (Care and Protection) Act 1998 stipulates that a Child is a person under the age of 16 and a young person is a person aged 16 years or above but who is under the age of 18 years.
• Ladder staff, volunteers, Board members and consultants/contractors working in Victoria must comply with the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005.

Breaches of the Child Safe Standards Code of Conduct

A breach of the Child Safe Standards or this policy or related policies by a staff member may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment (with or without notice). 

A breach of the Child Safe Standards or this policy or related policies by a Board member, volunteer or contractor/consultant may result in the termination of their appointment/engagement.

All breaches and suspected breaches of this Ladder Child Safe Standards Code of Conduct must be reported to the CEO.

It should be noted that a failure to act on child safety issues within an organisation such as Ladder may expose Ladder staff, volunteers, Board members or consultants/contractors to potential criminal liability under state child safety laws.

Review of this Policy

Ladder commits to reviewing this policy on an annual basis. Findings from the review will be reported to the Ladder Board, and will inform Ladder’s approach to continuous improvement of our child safety practices.

Reviews will be overseen by Ladder Management and will be informed by consultation with staff, volunteers, Board members and consultants/contractors, and where applicable, Participants, their parents and carers.

Contacts and support

Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)
Website: Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Website: Child protection contacts - DFFH Services

Commission for Children and Young People (VIC)
Website: CCYP | Recognising, respecting and defending the rights of children and young people

Telephone: 1300 782 978 (Monday-Friday: 9.30-11.30am; 2.00-4.00pm, except on public holidays) Email: [email protected]

Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ)
Website: Children and families (nsw.gov.au)

Mandatory reporters: How to make a child protection report | Family & Community Services (nsw.gov.au)

Office if the Childrens Guardian (NSW)
Website: Home | Office of the Children's Guardian (nsw.gov.au)

Child Safe Standards
CCYP | Child Safe Standards (VIC)
About the National Principles (humanrights.gov.au)
The Child Safe Standards (nsw.gov.au)

Compliments and Complaints

Help us to continue to make Ladder flourish!
If you wish to provide any feedback about our services, either with a compliment or a complaint, there are many ways to get in contact with us:

Give us a call on (03) 9416 0064
Send us an email or a picture to [email protected]

Visit us at one of our locations:
NSW – 2a Newton Rd, Blacktown, NSW
Gippsland – 19-21 Church Street, Morwell, Vic
Metro- 400 Royal Parade, Carlton North, Vic