Child Safe Organisation

Katherine West Health Board is a child safe organisation, committed to child safety and wellbeing in accordance with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. KWHB is committed to providing an environment that places child safety and wellbeing at the forefront of our service delivery. We are committed to embedding child safety practices throughout our organisation and undertake continuous improvement to prioritise the safety of all children who engage with our organisation, staff and services.

Statement of commitment to child safety

KWHB is committed to being a child safe and child friendly organisation that recognises, respects, and promotes children’s rights.

We recognise our responsibilities in keeping children safe from abuse from those associated with our organisation and our priority is the safety of children.

We take a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse. We value diversity and will not tolerate discriminatory practices.

In recognition of the increased vulnerability of some children, we pay particular attention to:

  • the cultural security of Aboriginal children
  • children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
  • children with a disability
  • children who identify within the LGBTIQA+ community
  • children in out-of-home care and youth justice

By being a child safe organisation, we will:

  • Foster an environment in which children are listened to, their views valued, and their concerns acted upon.
  • Actively encourage children to have a say about things that are important to them, including contributing to how we plan for, design, and develop our services and activities.
  • Proactively assess and manage the risk of abuse to children who engage with our services.
  • Listen to and act decisively on any child safety concerns or allegations of abuse or harm that are made.
  • Have specific policies, procedures and supports in place to enable us to meet our child safe obligations.
  • Ensure staff are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
  • Uphold the national principles for creating and maintaining a child safe organisation.

KWHB is committed to developing and implementing a child safe system and will:

  • Consult with staff and other appropriate parties, including children, their parents and carers, to create and maintain child safety.
  • Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety.
  • Recognise, respect and foster children’s rights.
  • Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount.
  • Value and empower children to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
  • Value the input of, and communicate regularly with, families and carers.
  • Engage people who are suitable to work with children and provide high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development.
  • Ensure that children know who to talk with if they are worried or feeling unsafe, and that they feel comfortable and encouraged to raise any issues.
  • Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks, or suspected acts, of abuse or harm to children.
  • Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities.
  • Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of a child is at risk.