How SDN Keeps Children Safe
At SDN, we prioritise protecting children and young people in all aspects of our programs, services, and facilities, including online.
Everyone within our organisation including Board Directors, staff and volunteers, has a legal, ethical, and purpose-driven responsibility to protect children and young people; create and maintain a child-safe culture and to acknowledge that protecting children is everyone’s business.
We encourge families to watch this video as a guide for what to look for when choosing a safe space for your child.
The video reminds families to look at an organisation's code of conduct, policies and procedures and complaints procedure. At SDN we welcome feedback and have a complaints system that offers clear ways to Raise a Concern.
The graphic below demonstrates how children's safety is prioritised at SDN and why there is a rich culture of respecting children's rights and ensuring the protection of children embedded across our organisation.
NSW Child Safe Standards
See SDN's Comprehensive Child Safe Standards section here
Reportable Conduct Schemes
There is a Reportable Conduct Scheme in both NSW and the ACT where SDN operates services. The NSW Scheme is overseen by the Office of the Children’s Guardian, and the ACT Scheme by the ACT Ombudsman.
Each scheme sets out our responsibilities to prevent and respond to child abuse. These include our legal obligation to have policies and procedures which promote children’s safety, to notify the Children’s Guardian or Ombudsman of any allegation of reportable conduct made by our staff, students or volunteers, and to investigate the allegation.
Reportable conduct is defined by legislation and covers allegations, offences or convictions of misconduct towards children. The threshold for reporting allegations of reportable conduct is lower than the threshold for finding that reportable conduct did occur.
The Office of the Children’s Guardian and the ACT Ombudsman have the power to take action against us if we don’t comply with our obligations under the Schemes.
Working With Children Checks
Many of our staff who work in or engage with children in our centres and family programs are mandatory reporters. This means they have a legal obligation to report any suspicions they may have that a child is not safe or at risk of harm.
Everyone else employed at SDN, from our office staff to our accounts, must also have a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) in NSW or a Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) check in the ACT.
It is important to note that while WWCC and WWVP checks are essential, they are not the only measure for keeping children safe. They have their limitations and Child Safe Organisations should not rely on WWCCs alone to keep children safe. That's why we have multiple systems in place to ensure the protection of children.
SDN's Procedures & Policy Framework
Our policy framework supports child safe principles, covering everything from first aid and sun protection through to mandatory reporting. You can view SDN Children's Services policies in full here.
Our staff recruitment policy, for example, includes referee check and employment screening to ensure child protection during recruitment, probation, and performance review processes.
Children are informed about their rights and staff are trained to listen to children, and take their safety concerns seriously.
Check out the Personal Safety for Children section on our website which demonstrates how we value children's voices as an organisation and teach children protective behaviours.
Click here to return to our Child Safe Organisation section