Creating a Child Safe Code of Conduct
A Child Safe Code of Conduct is a document that guides and instructs every member of your organisation in child safety and wellbeing. Specifically, it should outline the behaviours, attitudes, and actions that are expected in order to protect children and young people.
Authored by: Dominic Cudmore
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What is a Child Safe Code of Conduct?
A Child Safe Code of Conduct is a document that guides and instructs every member of your organisation in the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Specifically, it outlines what behaviours, attitudes, and actions are expected to protect children and young people.
A Child Safe Code of Conduct might include:
- Behaviours that are unacceptable when dealing with children and young people
- Expected behaviours when dealing with children and young people
- Guidance on reporting concerns and complaints about the safety of children and young people
- Conduct for online and physical environments
- A clear definition of the high standards applied to the safety of children and young people
- Helpful links to related policies (such as reporting abuse to outside authorities)
If your organisation engages with children or young people on any level, a Child Safe Code of Conduct can help ensure that all members of your organisation are aligned and committed to valuing, respecting, and protecting children and young people through safe physical and online environments.
Why You Need a Child Safe Code of Conduct?
The National Principles of Child Safe Organisations stress that child safe policies and procedures are essential to protecting children and young people from potential harm. They touch on elements like reporting concerns, creating a child safe culture, and empowering children and young people to understand their rights to safety, security, and boundaries.
The 10 National Principles are as follows:
- Child safety and wellbeing are embedded in culture, leadership, and governance.
- Children and young people are taken seriously, informed of their rights, and participate in decisions that affect them.
- Families and communities promote child safety.
- Policies and practices respect diverse needs and uphold equity.
- People working with children are suitable and supported to practice child safety and wellbeing values.
- You respond to complaints with child-focused processes.
- Volunteers and staff have the skills and knowledge to keep young people safe with ongoing training.
- Physical and online environments promote safety and minimise the possibility of harm.
- You regularly review and improve the implementation of National Principles.
- Policies and procedures document how your organisation prioritises child safety.
A Child Safe Code of Conduct is important to ensure that the safety of children and young people is a primary focus of your organisation’s culture and practices. One of the best ways to prioritise the National Principles is to create a Child Safe Code of Conduct that reflects each of these elements and puts them into practise.
A good Child Safe Code of Conduct will be:
- Straightforward and easy to understand
- Reviewed and updated regularly as your organisation and its child safety policies evolve
- Accessible to everyone in your organisation
- An important part of training for all staff and volunteers
- Clear on how to keep both online and physical environments safe for children and young people
- Created after seeking the input of children and young people
Your Child Safe Code of Conduct should be reviewed and signed by anyone in your organisation who comes into contact with children and young people. When everyone is educated and aligned on the issue of safety of children and young people, an environment promoting the safety of children and young people will be created and the potential for physical, emotional, or sexual harm to children and young people will be minimised.
How to Create a Child Safe Code of Conduct?
Child Safe Codes of Conduct will vary from one organisation to the next, depending on the extent of your involvement with children. Our Sample Child Safe Code of Conduct [link to tool] is an excellent place to start as your organisation works to put the safety of children and young people at the front and centre of its thinking and actions.
Your Child Safe Code of Conduct might include guidance on:
- Sharing photos, video, and other media that includes images or other details of children and young people
- The types of situations (if any) where an adult staff member is permitted to be alone with a child or young person
- Online safety issues (e.g. social media interactions with children and young people)
- Appropriate behaviour and language to be used in the presence of children and young people
- Respect for the diverse needs and backgrounds of children and young people
- Minimising physical and emotional harm to children and young people
- Creating positive, optimal physical and online environments for children and young people
Anyone within your organisation who engages children or young people should receive and sign a copy of your Child Safe Code of Conduct. When these practices and guidelines become a part of your organisation’s day-to-day thinking and operations, this will assist in creating a welcoming, empowering, and positive environment for children and young people as well as for their families/carers.
Each organisation’s interactions with children and young people will vary. Your organisation’s leadership can use an example Child Safe Code of Conduct to commence the conversation around the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Create a Child Safe Code of Conduct that reflects the unique culture, purpose/mission, and activities.
Conclusion
An important component of your Child Safe Code of Conduct will be a clear definition of the steps people should take if they have concerns about the safety and wellbeing of a child or young person. Your Child Safe Code of Conduct might include links to other policies that detail where and how complaints should be filed. Creating and distributing your Child Safe Code of Conduct will be an essential step on the way to becoming a fully-committed child safe organisation.
Prioritising child safety has many benefits such as:
- Empowering children and young people to feel protected, valued, and heard
- Set an example for others and reflect your organisation’s values
- Safeguard against dangers and harms to children and young people that you may not have considered previously, including ever-evolving online risks to safety and wellbeing
- Create an environment that reduces the likelihood of harm or abuse to children and young people
- Create an environment that increases the likelihood of identifying and reporting harm or abuse to children and young people
When every member of your organisation is aligned and focused on the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, you will create a space where children and young people thrive and grow. By valuing children and young people and shaping your policies with their best interests in mind, you will assist to create a better world for children and young people and the families/carers who love and care for them.
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