Statement of Commitment to Child Safety and Protection

Our Commitment to Child Safety and Protection

Every child and young person has the right to feel safe, respected, valued, heard and empowered.

At Step By Step Care, the safety, wellbeing, dignity and protection of children and young people are fundamental to everything we do.

We are committed to creating and maintaining safe, inclusive, supportive and nurturing environments where children and young people can access allied health, therapy, disability support, community and other services with confidence.

We recognise that every child has the right to protection from abuse, neglect, grooming, exploitation, discrimination, bullying and harm, regardless of their abilities, culture, background, gender, religion, identity or personal circumstances.

Step By Step Care has zero tolerance for child abuse and any behaviour that compromises the safety or wellbeing of children and young people.

1. Child Safety Is Our Priority

The safety, wellbeing and best interests of children and young people take priority over organisational interests, reputation and operational considerations.

Our Directors are accountable for promoting and maintaining a child-safe culture, allocating appropriate resources and ensuring safeguarding responsibilities are understood and implemented throughout our organisation.

Child safety is everyone's responsibility, including our Directors, employees, allied health professionals, support workers, contractors, students and volunteers.

2. Our Child Safety Commitments

Step By Step Care is committed to:

Putting children first: Prioritising children's rights, safety, dignity, wellbeing and best interests in our decisions and everyday practices.
Listening to children: Encouraging children and young people to express their views, participate in decisions affecting them and raise concerns about anything that makes them feel unsafe.
Creating safe environments: Maintaining physically, emotionally, culturally and digitally safe environments across our clinics, home visits, schools, community programs, transport, telehealth and other service settings.
Promoting cultural safety and inclusion: Respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disability and children of all identities and backgrounds.
Recruiting suitable workers: Implementing appropriate recruitment, screening, Working with Children Check verification, reference checks, induction, training and supervision.
Maintaining professional boundaries: Requiring all personnel to comply with our Child Safe Code of Conduct and relevant safeguarding policies.
Preventing and responding to harm: Identifying and managing risks, responding promptly to concerns and disclosures, and fulfilling applicable reporting obligations.
Partnering with families and carers: Supporting the appropriate involvement of parents, guardians, carers, advocates and authorised representatives in children's safety and wellbeing.
Protecting children's privacy: Respecting children's confidentiality, personal information and developing decision-making capacity.
Continuously improving: Reviewing our safeguarding systems, seeking feedback and learning from complaints, incidents and emerging risks.

3. Our Commitment to the NSW Child Safe Standards

Step By Step Care is committed to implementing the 10 NSW Child Safe Standards and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

We recognise the guidance and oversight of the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian and our obligations under applicable child protection legislation.

Child safety is embedded in our leadership, governance, organisational culture, recruitment, training, service delivery, risk management, reporting and complaints processes.

We regularly review our policies, practices and safeguarding arrangements to strengthen the protection of children and young people.

4. Children's Voices Matter

We recognise children and young people as active participants in decisions affecting their lives.

We are committed to ensuring children:

Understand their right to feel safe.
Are encouraged to express their views and preferences.
Are listened to and taken seriously.
Can participate in decisions about their care and support.
Receive age-appropriate information about their rights.
Know how to raise concerns and seek assistance.
Can access appropriate communication and advocacy support.

Children with disability or communication difficulties will be supported to express their views through suitable communication methods, including augmentative and alternative communication where appropriate.

5. Cultural Safety, Diversity and Inclusion

Step By Step Care respects the cultural identity, family relationships, language, spirituality and community connections of children and young people.

We are committed to culturally safe and inclusive practices that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disability and children who may experience additional barriers to safety or participation.

We recognise that every child is unique and deserves equitable access to safe, respectful and supportive services.

6. Safe Recruitment and Professional Conduct

We are committed to employing and engaging suitable individuals who understand their responsibilities in protecting children.

Our recruitment and workforce practices include appropriate screening, verification of Working with Children Checks where required, reference checks, induction, training and ongoing supervision.

All personnel are expected to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and comply with our Child Safe Code of Conduct.

We do not tolerate inappropriate behaviour, grooming, exploitation, abuse, neglect or breaches of safeguarding responsibilities.

7. Reporting Child Safety Concerns

We encourage children, young people, parents, carers, staff, volunteers and community members to speak up about any concern affecting a child's safety or wellbeing.

Every concern will be taken seriously, assessed appropriately and responded to without unnecessary delay.

Children and young people can raise concerns through safe, accessible, age-appropriate and culturally responsive pathways.

They may seek support from a trusted adult, advocate or independent authority and will be listened to, supported and protected from retaliation.

Where concerns involve suspected abuse, neglect, grooming, exploitation or other significant safeguarding risks, we will take appropriate protective action and comply with applicable reporting obligations.

This may include reporting to NSW Police, the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, the Office of the Children's Guardian or the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, depending on the circumstances and applicable law.

Internal reporting does not replace statutory reporting obligations.

If a child or young person is in immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000).

NSW Child Protection Helpline: 132 111

8. Our Commitment to Accountability and Continuous Improvement

Our Directors are responsible for overseeing the implementation of our child safety commitments.

We review our safeguarding practices, policies, complaints, incidents, risk assessments and training arrangements to identify opportunities for improvement.

We encourage feedback from children, young people, families, carers, staff and other stakeholders.

9. Our Promise

At Step By Step Care, child safety is more than a policy. It is a responsibility we embrace in every interaction, decision and service.

We are committed to providing environments where children and young people feel safe, respected, included, supported and empowered to reach their full potential.

Your safety matters. Your voice matters. Your wellbeing matters.

With love and care, Step By Step will get you there!

Child Safety Contact

Step By Step Care — Child Safety Officer / Management Team

Phone: 1800 263 924 and request for a Child Safety Officer / Management Team

Email: info@stepbystepcare.com.au

In the Subject of the email, please insert “Attention: Child Safety Officer, Complaints Officer or Privacy Officer.”