It remains our policy and commitment to the community to ensure a child safe space in all our endeavours.

It takes a Village

Working within a close community grass roots setting ensures a stable and safe environment for our children within the community. We are all one degree of separation from each other were everyone knows everyone and their children. All our volunteers and community recipients are intertwined as neighbours, colleagues, peers, members of the same sporting and social clubs and groups.

Working with Children Check Card (WWCC)

All volunteers which deliver produce supplies within school settings or direct home deliveries of produce must have a current working with children’s check card. Regardless of incidental or direct contact with children.

A record of valid card numbers and card dates are kept on file with volunteers alerted to renewal.

Working with Children Manual

Our detailed working with children manual is accessible to all our volunteers as a reference tool.

The Philanthropic Collective is committed to safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This is one of our primary considerations in all decision - making.

The Philanthropic Collective has zero tolerance for child abuse.

The Philanthropic Collective is committed to creating child safe environments within all our projects where children and young people are safe and feel safe. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability. Every person involved in The Philanthropic Collective has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

In its planning, decision-making and operations The Philanthropic Collective will:

1. Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety;

2. Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives;

3. Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children;

4. Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount;

5. Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behavior towards children;

6. Engage only the most suitable people to work with children;

7. 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.

Child Safety

Code of Conduct

04 / 2018

The Philanthropic Collective is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Our organisation recognises the importance of, and a responsibility for, ensuring projects we are involved with provide a safe, supportive and enriching environment which respects and fosters the dignity and self-esteem of children and young people, and enables them to thrive in their learning and development.

This Code of Conduct aims to protect children and reduce any opportunities for child abuse or harm to occur. It also assists in understanding how to avoid or better manage risky behaviours and situations. It is intended to complement child protection legislation, Department policy, school policies and procedures and professional standards, codes or ethics as these apply to staff and other personnel.

The Philanthropic Collective Board will support implementation and monitoring of the Code of Conduct, and will plan, implement and monitor arrangements to provide inclusive, safe and orderly environments. The Philanthropic Collective Board will also provide information and support to enable the Code of Conduct to operate effectively.

All staff, contractors, volunteers and any other member of the community involved in child-related work are required to comply with the Code of Conduct by observing expectations for appropriate behaviour below. The Code of Conduct applies in all situations, including events and in the use of digital technology and social media.

Acceptable behaviours

As staff, volunteers, contractors, and any other member of the community involved in child-related work individually, we are responsible for supporting and promoting the safety of children by:

Upholding The Philanthropic Collective’s statement of commitment to child safety at all times, and adhering to The Philanthropic Collective’s child safe policy.

Treating children and families in the community with respect both during events organised by The Philanthropic Collective and as part of normal social and community activities.

Listening and responding to the views and concerns of students, particularly if they are telling you that they or another child has been abused or that they are worried about their safety/the safety of another child.

Promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of students with culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Promoting the safety, participation and empowerment of students with a disability.

Reporting any allegations of child abuse or other child safety concerns to The Philanthropic Collective leadership.

Understanding and complying with all reporting or disclosure obligations (including mandatory reporting) as they relate to protecting children from harm or abuse.

If child abuse is suspected, ensuring as quickly as possible that the child(children) are safe and protected from harm.

Unacceptable behaviours.

As staff, volunteers, contractors, and any other member of the community involved in child-related work we must not:

Ignore or disregard any concerns, suspicions or disclosures of child abuse.

Develop a relationship with any child that could be seen as favouritism or amount to ‘grooming’ behaviour (for example, offering gifts).

Exhibit behaviours or engage in activities with children which may be interpreted as abusive and not justified by the educational, therapeutic, or service delivery context.

Ignore behaviours by other adults towards children when they appear to be overly familiar or inappropriate.

Discuss content of an intimate nature or use sexual innuendo with children, except where it occurs relevantly in the context of parental guidance, delivering the education curriculum or a therapeutic setting.

Treat a child unfavourably because of their disability, age, gender, race, culture, vulnerability, sexuality or ethnicity.

Communicate directly with a child through personal or private contact channels (including by social media, email, instant messaging, texting etc) except where that communication is reasonable in all the circumstances or where there is a safety concern or other urgent matter.

Photograph or video a child except in accordance with The Philanthropic Collective’s policy or where required for duty of care purposes.

At events where children are present, consume alcohol contrary to The Philanthropic Collective’s policy or take illicit drugs under any circumstances.

This Code of Conduct was endorsed/approved by the The Philanthropic Collective on 26.04.18 for review if legislative or other changes require in the interim or no later than December 2025.