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DAISI’s policy on Incident Reporting of potential child safety issues, is presented below.  This policy is robust and clear giving guidelines on the appropriate actions required of DAISI and its staff when an incident of potential concern to child safety is raised.  This process most importantly involves notification of the Child Protection Officer in the first instance, and members of the DAISI Executive Board, and CEO subsequently.  DAISI’s Incident Reporting Policy also makes it clear when Mandatory Reporting is required to the Police, and Department of Community Services (DoCs)

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PURPOSE

  1. To outline the responsibilities of all DAISI staff, members and volunteers of the organisation who identify evidence of a serious incident  concerning child safety.
  2. To outline the responsibilities of DAISI’s Child Protection Officer and the Executive Board Members Housing when they receive a report of, or identify, a serious incident of child safety breach.

SCOPE

  1. This policy applies to the DAISI’s Child Protection Officer, Board of Directors, and all staff, members and volunteers of DAISI.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

  1. It is DAISI’s aim to apply a reliable and consistent best-practice approach to reporting and managing serious incidents of child safety concern.
  2. DAISI’s aim is to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest through its standardised and detailed systematic approach to managing serious incidents of child safety concern.
  3. It is DAISI’s aim to respond to complaints of serious incidents/events efficiently in a timely and professional manner, and wherever indicated, intervening early in order to manage and reduce risk to the affected child.

POLICY

  1. DAISI aim is to  self-govern in such a manner through effective internal policies and procedures subjected to rigorous monitoring and review so as to prevent serious child safety incidents from ever occurring.
  2. DAISI staff will notify its Child Protection Officer of any incidents of concern to  related to child safety.
  3. DAISI will as part of its induction of staff, volunteers, and associates provide education on what constitutes child abuse, maltreatment or exploitation, as well as the mechanism in place to deal with such incidents.
  4. DAISI will as part of its induction of staff, volunteers, and associates, provide information on the “INCIDENT REPORTING” online form on the DAISI website, which is main venue by which complaints of this nature are made.
  5. DAISI will as part of its induction of staff, volunteers, and associates, provide information on the hierarchical structure within DAISI for reporting and escalating complaints, with all complaint initially referred to the Child Protection Officer.
  6. DAISI’s Child Protection Officer will be familiar well versed with the ACFID guidelines and policies and code of conduct regarding child protection.
  7. DAISI’s Child Protection Officer will endeavor to respond to all reports of incidents of child safety concern within 48 hours of receipt of such notifications, with response within 24 hours where the child concerned is at a high likelihood of ongoing exposure to harm.
  8. DAISI’s Child Protection Officer will  brief DAISI’s Chair within one week of any reported incident of child safety concern, who in turn will notify all members of DAISI’s executive board and the CEO of DAISI at the quarterly Board Meetings. 
  9. DAISI’s Child Protection Officer , Chair, and all of DAISI’s Board Members will be familiar with mandatory notification laws within Australia, particularly the mandatory notification of the Australian Police if an alleged criminal offence is conducted by an Australian citizen, or an offence is committed against an Australian Citizen.
  10. DAISI’s Child Protection Officer , Chair, and all of DAISI’s Board Members will be familiar with mandatory notification laws within Australia, particularly the mandatory notification the Child Protection Service division of the Department of Community Services (DOCs) if an alleged offence is committed against a child of Australian Citizenship.
  11. DAISI’s Child Protection Officer , Chair, and all of DAISI’s Board Members will be familiar with DAISI’s mandatory notification laws of reporting all potentially criminal activity to the local police authority in the country in which the alleged offence took place.
  12. DAISI’s Child Protection Officer , Chair, and all of DAISI’s Board Members will be familiar with DAISI’s mandatory notification laws of reporting all potentially criminal activity and incidents of child safety concern to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT), whilst DAISI is a recipient of DFAT funding.
  13. DAISI’s Child Protection Officer , Chair, and all of DAISI’s Board Members will be familiar with DAISI’s policy of risk minimisation, whereby if the allegations  in the incident reporting are sufficiently serious or likely to be based on fact and not hearsay, that the involved person should be stood down from their position within DAISI until the matter is fully investigated.
  14. DAISI’s Child Protection Officer , will be familiar with Australia’s Prosecution and Extradition laws when it comes to convicting Australian Citizens who commit child abuse in foreign countries.