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Working with children policy

Purpose

The Great Aussie Bush Camp is committed to providing a safe, positive, and supportive environment for all children and young people participating in our programs.

This policy affirms our commitment to child safety and wellbeing, and outlines the responsibilities of our staff, volunteers, and contractors when working with children. It ensures we comply with all relevant laws and standards, including (but not limited to):

  • Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 (NSW)
  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW)
  • Child Safe Standards (NSW)
  • National Principles for Child Safe Organisations

Scope

This policy applies to:

  • All employees (full-time, part-time, casual)
  • Contractors, volunteers, and work experience students
  • Any other individuals engaged to work or assist with camp activities
  • Visitor carers, parents and others attending
  • Venue hire groups

It applies to all settings where we interact with children and young people, including on-site, off-site, and online.

Definitions

Child / Children: Any person under the age of 18 years.

Child-related work: Paid or unpaid work in a role that involves direct contact with children where the contact is a usual part of the role and is not incidental.

Working with Children Check (WWCC): A legal screening process in NSW that involves a national police check and a review of workplace misconduct findings to determine a person’s suitability to work with children.

Clearance: The approval issued by the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian confirming a person is permitted to engage in child-related work.

Contact with children: Includes any form of physical contact, face-to-face communication, online interaction, or supervision of children.

Child abuse: Any act or omission that endangers a child’s physical or emotional health, development, or wellbeing. This includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and exposure to family or domestic violence.

Mandatory reporter: A person legally required to report suspected risk of significant harm to a child under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW). At camp, this includes certain staff such as teachers, managers, and child-related service providers.

Child Safety Officer: The designated staff member responsible for overseeing child safety matters, including receiving and managing reports.

Policy Statement

We believe that every child has the right to:

  • Feel safe, valued, and respected
  • Participate in an environment free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation
  • Be heard and have their concerns taken seriously

We will take all reasonable steps to protect children from harm and respond promptly to any concerns

Working With Children Checks

Mandatory Requirement
All individuals engaged in child-related work at The Great Aussie Bush Camp must hold a current NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) clearance prior to commencing work.

Verification
HR will verify WWCC numbers via the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian database before engagement.

Clearance status will be recorded and monitored. Expiry dates will be tracked to ensure renewals are completed.

No Clearance – No Work
Individuals without a valid WWCC clearance will not be permitted to commence or continue in child-related work

Volunteer WWCC for Paid Work
A WWCC clearance issued for volunteer work is not valid for paid employment at GABC.

Any individual moving from a volunteer role into a paid position at The Great Aussie Bush Camp must apply for and obtain a paid WWCC clearance before starting paid work.

Evidence of the paid WWCC application must be provided before commencement, and clearance must be verified before the individual can have direct contact with children in a paid role.

Exception – Trainees without WWCC clearance
If no students or children are present on site, a new trainee may commence work before receiving their WWCC clearance, provided that:

They can provide documented evidence that their WWCC application has been submitted and is in progress, and

They are directly supervised by a staff member with a current WWCC clearance at all times.

This exception is temporary and automatically expires once students or children are scheduled to attend the site. The trainee must have their clearance confirmed before they can work in any child-related capacity.

Code of Conduct When Working with Children

The items listed below can be found in more detail in our Child Safe Policy.

  • As a team member of GABC you must understand the importance of child protection.
  • Communicate clearly and precisely with children to gain consent and understanding when conducting safety checks or entering a space where children are residing.
  • Demonstrate personal behaviours that promote the safety, welfare, and wellbeing of children.
  • Treat children with respect and be a positive role model in your conduct with them.
  • Set clear boundaries about appropriate behaviour between yourself and a child.
  • Only have physical contact with a child in ways that are appropriate for your role within the organisation.
  • Use “Adult” only bathrooms.
  • Be willing to listen and respond appropriately to a child’s views and concerns.
  • If you become aware of a possible breach of this code of conduct, you must report this quickly, fairly, and transparently to management.
  • Any previous relationships prior to camp need to be flagged with the site manager (e.g, family members or family friends).

Reporting Concerns

  • Any suspicion, disclosure, or allegation of harm, abuse, or neglect must be reported immediately to the Site Manager or the designated Child Safety Officer.
  • Where required by law, a report will be made to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and/or NSW Police.
  • We support the rights of staff to make a mandatory report directly to authorities if needed.
  • All reports will be handled confidentially and with respect for all parties.

Training

  • All staff, contractors, and volunteers will receive induction training on child safety, WWCC obligations, and our Code of Conduct.
  • Refresher training will be provided annually or as legislation changes.

Record Keeping

WWCC verification records, incident reports, and training attendance will be securely stored. Access to these records will be restricted to authorised personnel.

Breach of Policy

Breaches of this policy will result in disciplinary action, which may include termination of employment/engagement and referral to authorities.

Review and Updates

This policy will be reviewed every 3 years.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this policy please contact our Child Safety Officer (Operations Manager).

Phone: 02 4997 3044
Email: aussie@bushcamp.com.au
Writing: PO Box 127 Tea Gardens NSW 2324