QLD working with children

• reflects the service’s philosophy, which includes values, ethics or code of conduct for management, staff, carers, children, families, students, instructors, coaches, teachers, volunteers and the community
• establishes the procedures for child protection matters including identifying, documenting, reporting and managing concerns or incidents
• maintains procedural fairness and natural justice concepts in all circumstances
• identifies safe protective behaviours for all persons[1] who access the service’s premises, facilities and/or programs
• abides by Federal and QLD State legislation
• defines the appropriate direct or indirect physical contact between children and adults in the service
• identifies and details the procedures when an adult harms a child, a child harms another child or an adult harms another adult in the service
• details complaints: grievances and disciplinary procedures
• demonstrates a commitment to ongoing development for members and volunteers
• identifies support and counseling services or agencies for all stakeholders, including strategies to deal with the media
• reflects relevant licensing requirements and expectations
  [1] For the purpose of this policy, ‘persons’ include: children, families, staff, carers, carers’ family, management, coordination staff, ancillary staff, administrative staff, instructors, teachers, coaches, members, stewards, students, volunteers, visitors, local community, school community, community organisations, licensee, sponsor and/or service owner.

The 4 Ballroom Dance Co-op Ltd is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and young people regardless of social status or physical ability and will endeavour to provide a safe, supportive service environment for children and young people by ensuring a preventative, proactive and participatory culture in its approach to children and child safety by:

1. Fostering a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks or suspected risk of harm to children
2. Respect diversity in cultures and child-rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount
3. Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such issues.
4. Encourage and value the input, participation of and communicate regularly with families and carers.
5. Encourage a diverse range of suitable people to work with children
6. All people engaged in child-related work, including volunteers, are required to hold a QLD Blue Card and to provide evidence of this.
7. We carry out reference and card validation checks
8. Share information appropriately and lawfully with other deemed organisations where the safety and well-being of children is at risk.

The 4 Ballroom Dance Co-op Ltd is committed to providing services to children and young people to assist them in formulating skills that not only ensure personal development but allow a full range of progress and functional extension that lasts a lifetime. Nurturing self-awareness including:

1.   Athletic ability
2.   Collaboration
3.   Commitment
4.   Creativity
5.   Decision-making and problem-solving skills
6.   Effective Communication: verbal and nonverbal
7.   Increased cognition
8.   Musicality
9.   Opportunities: personal and professional
10. Perseverance.
11. Personal and social boundaries
12. Personal and social challenges
13. Personal fitness and grooming
14. Self and spatial awareness
15. Teamwork

The following values reflect the culture that we are committed to promoting within our organisation: “self-help, self-responsibility, democracy and equality, equity and solidarity” and the seven cooperative principles:

1. Voluntary and open membership
2. Democratic member control
3. Economic participation by members
4. Autonomy and independence
5. Education, training and information
6. Cooperation among cooperatives
7. Concern for community      
   

The organisation prides itself on apolitical professionalism and the ability of its Co-op members to meet community needs. The organisation strives to be a leading service provider and to provide a supportive safe, healthy and nurturing environment.

This Code of Conduct is designed to ensure that all members are treated in a manner that reflects the mission, culture and legal obligations of the Co-op.

COMPLIANCE
All Co-op members are expected to:

1. observe all policies, procedures, rules and regulations at all times
2. comply with all Federal, State and local laws and regulations
3. comply with all reasonable, lawful instructions and decisions related to their work or volunteer activities
4. maintain a high degree of ethics, integrity, honesty and professionalism in dealing with community members and other employees
5. adhere to the Insurance and Workplace Health and Safety Policy and Procedure
6. maintain the confidentiality of the organisation’s operations in relation to service activities, confidential documentation and work practices during and after their employment
7. take reasonable steps to ensure their own health, safety and welfare in the workplace, as well as that of other members.

Co-op members are expected to make themselves familiar with their workplace health and safety obligations.

Co-op members behaviour: If any member breaches the following guidelines, disciplinary action may be taken.

• If the breach of conduct is of a legal nature, it will be addressed in accordance with relevant Federal, State or local government laws.
• Co-op members should not:

1. discriminate against another employee or community member on the basis of sex, age, race, religion, disability, pregnancy, marital status or sexual preference
2. engage in fighting or disorderly conduct, or sexually harass other employees and community members
3. steal, damage or destroy property belonging to the organisation, its employees or community members
4. work or volunteer intoxicated or under the influence of controlled or illegal substances
5. bring controlled or illegal substances to any venue or volunteer place
6. bring the Co-op into disrepute
7. cause harm to another member either knowingly or by way of omission or at anothers expense
8. accept benefits or gifts which give rise to a real or apparent conflict of interest.
9. working with children gifts – both giving and receipt of are required to go through the co-op to provide complete transparency

DRESS CODE

• Co-op members should:

1. dress to comply with volunteer /work/ operating venue as relevant to required work activities
2. dress suitably for their position, presenting a clean, neat and tidy appearance at all times
3. consult with the Manager or Program Supervisor if unsure of the type of clothing appropriate to their position or volunteer location.

• Co-op members who deliberately breach this dress code may receive disciplinary action.

PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

1. Securely store personal information provided by a program recipient, client or other volunteer.
2. Take reasonable steps to ensure this material is kept secure against:
3.  loss
4.  unauthorised access
5.  use
6.  modification or disclosure
7.  misuse.
8. Use personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected.
9. Do not disclose personal information to another party unless the individual is aware of, or has consented to, the disclosure.
10. Keep information about all service provision confidential within the organisation.
11. Do not disclose information associated either directly or indirectly, to the organisation to external parties unless authorised by the Manager or Program Supervisor.

USE OF COMPUTERS, TELEPHONES, TECHNOLOGY
Unauthorised access and use of confidential information can severely damage the reputation of the organisation and undermine personal privacy.

• Co-op members should:

1. use communication and information devices for officially approved purposes only
2. use these communication and information devices for limited personal use, as long this use does not interfere with their daily duties
3. not share their password/s with another member or share another member or employee’s password/s.
4. ensure individual and operator Co-op website security is maintained by adhering to website policy (refer to full website policy)

USE OF THE INTERNET AND EMAIL

• Internet and email are provided to Co-op members for genuine co-op related purposes.
• Co-op members should:

1. limit personal use to a minimum.
2. The organisation may monitor use and call upon employees to explain their use.
3. comply with copyright regulations when using the Internet or email.Co-op members should not:
4. divulge personal or confidential information via the Internet or email
5. post or send any photographs that have identifiable persons within,  without the express permission of the Co-op (ensuring all model and content release forms are in hand)
6. use the Internet to access websites or send emails of an explicit sexual nature or in any manner that breaches the Equity, Anti-Discrimination and Workplace Harassment Policy and Procedure.
7. While the privacy of all employees is respected, emails may be used as evidence if legal action is taken against an employee.

• This information may also be used as evidence of a breach of the Code of Conduct or the Equity, Anti-Discrimination and Workplace Harassment Policy and Procedure.

SOCIAL MEDIA

By virtue of social medias’ instant and viral platform all Co-op members must be mindful when representing the Co-op or posting to any social media that links to the Co-op that we are a “family-friendly” Co-op (refer to full Social Media Policy) Expulsion from the Co-op is a possible outcome.

•   All Co-op members should:

1. ensure No offensive, harmful or confidential information is posted
2. ensure all postings are appropriate to the family range.
3. Note: The Co-op will monitor use and call upon members to explain any inappropriate use or postings.

• Co-op members who deliberately breach the social media code will be expelled from the co-op.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

As the Co-op has a wide and varied basis, should any dispute arise that involves members either individually, between a member and a Program supervisor or a member and the Board, there is an internal resolution process. (refer to full Dispute Resolution policy)

• All Co-op members should:

1. ensure that a dispute resolution issue is immediately brought to the process to avoid any conflict escalating.
2. ensure that no offensive, harmful or confidential information is provided or broadcast about the dispute.
3. ensure no personal or commercial information is provided or broadcast about the dispute. 
   

We take all reasonable steps to facilitate programs, participation offers and engage dedicated and skilled people to work with children.

1. Developing selection criteria and advertisements which clearly demonstrate our commitment to child safety and an awareness of our social and legislative responsibilities.
2. When recruiting staff and volunteers we have ethical as well as legislative obligations.
3. We actively encourage applications or expressions of interest from all interested parties without bias.
4. All people engaged in child-related work, including volunteers, are required to hold a QLD Blue card and to provide evidence of same if a current cardholder.
5. We carry out reference checks and card validations to ensure that the information is valid
6. If applying for a Blue Card you may find further details here  and use this form when you are ready to proceed
7. Applications, renewals, updates and change of details relating to your “blue-card” are your responsibility
8. We maintain regular checks and validate cards on an ongoing basis 
   

We all have a responsibility to report an allegation of abuse if we have a reasonable belief that an incident took place
Allegations, concerns and complaints are of the highest priority.
All allegations are taken seriously and there are practices in place to investigate thoroughly and quickly.
We work to ensure all children, families, staff and volunteers know what to do and who to tell if they observe abuse or are a victim, and if they notice inappropriate behaviour.
If you have a reasonable belief that an incident has occurred then you must report the incident and can do so without fear of retribution.
Factors contributing to reasonable belief may be:

• a child states they or someone they know has been abused (noting that sometimes the child may in fact be referring to themselves)
• behaviour consistent with that of an abuse victim is observed
• someone else has raised a suspicion of abuse but is unwilling to report it
• observing suspicious behaviour.
  We urge you to err on the side of caution when you have a reasonable belief of suspicion of harm and report to the Co-op here.
  More information on Protecting children and supporting families – A guide to reporting child protection concerns and referring families   

The nature of the 4 Ballroom Dance Co-op programs, take into consideration risk mitigation.
The nature of some programs require one on one physical contact and you must be aware of the necessity to not only protect the children in your care, but yourself.
Where programs, scholarships, offers, provide an opportunity for individuals at an individual studio or teaching facility rather than a formal education eg: Local School or Organisation setting eg PCYC:
The following studio or facility policy must be provisioned and approved by the Co-op in relation to items relevant to the program.

1. Transportation
2. Toileting/change room procedures
3. Appropriate supervision of children and ratios of adults to children
4. A policy in relation to photographs
5. A policy in relation to social media
6. Managing medications and allergies
7. Managing illness/injury
8. Procedures applying to visitors
9. Any risks presented by the physical environment
10. Gift giving/receiving policy
11. Parent/guardian handbook 
    

• The service will review the Child Protection Policy and procedures, and related documents, including behaviours and practices every 3- 6 months unless otherwise requested.
• Children and families are encouraged to collaborate with the service to review the policy and procedures.
• Staff/carers are essential stakeholders in the policy review process and will be encouraged to be actively involved.