Child Safe Organisation

Woollahra preschool

Safe and supportive environment

Woollahra Council is committed to becoming a Child Safe Organisation and embedding the NSW Child Safe Standards across our organisation's culture and practices.

Our Commitment

  • Woollahra Council is committed to safeguarding all children’s sense of wellbeing and rights to reach their full potential and to keeping children safe from harm and abuse.
  • Council will work to empower children to find their own voices and understand that children play an important role in creating vibrant, positive communities, and are our communities of the future.
  • We recognise that disrespect, harm and abuse can have long-lasting effects on healthy development, and that these can lead to serious lifelong consequences. We know that abuse that occurs within an organisational context is not just a problem of the past, it continues today.
  • Woollahra Council has zero tolerance of child abuse in our organisation. Council will ensure that policies and systems are in place and accessible to protect children and young people, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated seriously.

Our Child Safe Policy

Our Child Safe Policy(PDF, 372KB) informs our commitment to keeping children safe through:

  • Creating a child safe culture
  • Involving children in decision-making
  • Having child safe recruitment and selection procedures
  • Training and induction of staff to keep children safe
  • Ensuring accessible processes for reporting a child safety concern or complaint
  • Managing privacy and confidentiality
  • Ensuring risk management systems are in place to keep children safe

How to report child protection concerns

If a child is in immediate danger call the Police on 000 (triple zero).

If you think a child or young person is at risk of harm from abuse or neglect, contact the Child Protection Helpline on 132 111.

You can also report child protection concerns involving a Woollahra Council Councillor, employee, contractor or volunteer to our Child Protection Coordinator or Manager Customer Experience:

  • Phone: (02) 93917000 between 8:30am - 5pm Monday to Friday and ask to speak to the Child Protection Coordinator or Manager Customer Experience.
  • Email our Child Protection Coordinator or Manager Customer Experience: records@woollahra.nsw.gov.au
  • Write to the Child Protection Coordinator or Manager Customer Experience:
    Woollahra Municipal Council
    PO Box 61
    Double Bay NSW 1360
  • Request a face-to-face meeting with the Child Protection Coordinator or Manager Customer Experience. Please use one of the contact methods above to request a meeting.

Child Safe Policy and Code of Conduct

Woollahra Council has a Child Safe Policy(PDF, 372KB) which outlines our commitment to creating and maintaining a child safe organisation. Council also has a Child Safe Code of Conduct(PDF, 190KB) which sets expectations for how adults at Council should behave around children.

NSW Child Safe Standards

The NSW Child Safe Standards recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse provide a framework for making organisations safer for children.

Online safety tools and resources

The following online safety tools and resources are available for parents, caregivers, children and young people:

ThinkUKnow -  a national program providing online child safety information in schools and organisations to parents, carers, teachers and students from the first year of school to Year 12.

The eSafety Commissioner’s eSafety guide - learn about the latest games, apps and social media, including how to protect your information and report inappropriate content.

Online safety basics – three key strategies to help your children safely navigate their digital world and avoid harmful online experiences.

Office of the Children’s Guardian Online Safety guide - tips on how to keep children and young people safe online.

Online safety picture book and song - encourages young children to ask for help when they are using digital devices, to keep them safer online.

The Raising Children Network - an Australian parenting website which includes parenting guides and tools

Child Protection Helpline - If you think a child or young person is at risk of harm from abuse or neglect, the helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Phone 132 111.

NSW Communities and Justice - The Department of Community Justice (DCJ) works with children. They are committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and protecting them from risk of harm, abuse and neglect.

The Office of the Children’s Guardian - The Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) regulate and oversee organisations in NSW to uphold children and young people’s right to be safe.

Counselling for kids

Confidential counselling is available for people of all ages by telephone or online:

The Kids Helpline - for children and young people aged 5 to 25 year.  All issues are confidential, and phone counselling is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Phone 1800 55 1800. Webchat counselling is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Headspace - for 12 to 25 year olds for all issues. Phone counselling is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Phone 1800 650 890.

Lifeline - All ages, all issues. Phone counselling is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Phone 13 11 14. Online chat service is available 7pm to midnight.
Lifeline text service is available 12pm to midnight, SMS 0477 131 114.

Beyond Blue - All ages, all issues. Phone counselling is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Phone 1300 22 4636. Online chat service is available 1pm – midnight, 7 days a week.

Children’s participation

Council supports the active participation of children in our services, programs and events. Council will provide accessible opportunities and encourage children to take part in decisions that affect them now and in the future.  This is to:

  • Help us better meet their needs and interests
  • Involve them in their community
  • Encourage them to share their ideas and opinions
  • Teach them a new skill.

Wherever applicable, we inform children and young people about what they can do if they feel unsafe.

Making a complaint about a reportable child safe matter

Woollahra Council is committed to safeguarding all children’s sense of wellbeing and rights to reach their full potential and to keeping children safe from harm and abuse. Woollahra Council has zero tolerance of child abuse in our organisation.  Council will ensure that all allegations and safety concerns will be treated seriously.

All reportable allegations of child abuse against a Council employee must be reported to Council’s Child Protection Coordinator or Manager Customer Experience:

  • Phone: (02) 93917000 between 8:30am - 5pm Monday to Friday and ask to speak to the Child Protection Coordinator or Manager Customer Experience.
  • Email our Child Protection Coordinator or Manager Customer Experience: records@woollahra.nsw.gov.au
  • Write to the Child Protection Coordinator or Manager Customer Experience:
    Woollahra Municipal Council
    PO Box 61
    Double Bay NSW 1360

 

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