Child Safety Policy
Purpose:
The University of Tasmania acknowledges that children and young people are part of the University community as students, residents, visitors, and through the University’s activities in learning and teaching, research, community engagement, sport, and school outreach activities. All children in the University community, regardless of their gender, culture, religious beliefs, age, ability, sexual orientation, or family or social background, have equal rights to safety, participation, wellbeing and empowerment and protection from abuse.
This policy outlines the University’s commitment to the wellbeing and safety of children connected to the University community in person and online, and our responsibility to build child safety awareness throughout our curriculum and across our institution.
| 1 | Child-safe culture | Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | The University values children and young people as members of the University community, and upholds their right to safety, participation, wellbeing, and empowerment. | Vice-Chancellor |
| 1.2 | The University is committed to child and young person safety and promoting children’s best interests, including the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and the safety of children with a disability. | Vice-Chancellor |
| 1.3 | The University will not tolerate abuse or any form of exploitation or harm to children or young people. | Vice-Chancellor |
| 1.4 | All members of the University community are responsible for the care and protection of children and young people during any University-related activity. | Vice-Chancellor |
| 1.5 | All members of the University community will meet the standards of behaviour in the University’s approved policies and in the Child Safety Code of Conduct. | Vice-Chancellor |
| 1.6 | The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) is the University’s Child Safety Champion, sponsoring child safety and well-being within the University community. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) |
| 2 | Child-safe environment | |
| 2.1 | The University will provide child-safe environments on-campus, online, in student accommodation and during University-related activities off-campus. | Vice-Chancellor |
| 2.2 | The University will, wherever possible, prevent harm to children and young people by identifying, removing, or reducing risks as early as possible. | Vice-Chancellor |
| 2.3 | The University’s recruitment processes for all staff, honorary appointments and volunteers will use appropriate screening practices to ensure the protection and safety of children and young people. | Chief People Officer |
| 2.4 | The University will not knowingly engage, directly or indirectly, anyone who poses a risk to children or young people. | Chief People Officer |
| 2.5 | All members of the University community must ensure that technology, the University’s online systems, and social media are used appropriately in connection with children and young people. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Services and Operations) |
| 2.6 | Where appropriate, the University will ensure that information, including curriculum, teaching materials and other content, is presented in a child-safe, culturally sensitive, relevant, and accessible manner. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) |
| 3 | Education and awareness | |
| 3.1 | The University will provide the University community with access to training and resources to foster an understanding of their obligations for child safety and protection, including in online environments. | Chief People Officer |
| 3.2 | The University will ensure that awareness of child safety and wellbeing is included in curricula across the broad range of courses, educating our community, future workers, and leaders in all sectors. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) |
| 3.3 | The University will ensure that pre-service professionals in the principal fields of study associated with child-related occupations are provided with sound preventative education, increasing awareness, and understanding of the prevention of child sexual abuse and identification of harmful sexual behaviours. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) |
| 3.4 | Any member of the University community who conducts research with, or relating to, children and young people will work in a child-safe way, complying with national standards, codes, and ethical and legal requirements with respect to children and young people. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research |
| 4 | Reporting and response | |
| 4.1 | Members of the University community will immediately report allegations of abuse, neglect or exploitation, or concerns that a child or young person needs protection. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) |
| 4.2 | The University will have transparent processes to manage all allegations of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation sensitively and expeditiously, and in accordance with principles of procedural fairness. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) |
| 4.3 | The University will maintain confidentiality when dealing with and reporting on all allegations of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation, except as required by law. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) |
| 4.4 | The University will take prompt and appropriate action on allegations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, or concerns that a child or young person needs protection, in accordance with approved University procedure. | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) |
Definitions and acronyms: child/children/young people | child abuse | child-related occupations | child-safe environment | child safety | cultural safety | University community | University-related activity/activities
16 May 2022 Once printed this is an uncontrolled document: Version history
All University community members must comply with all relevant laws and regulations, University By-Laws, ordinances, policies, procedures and supporting resources.
