Drive Smart Driving School Child Safe Policy.
Drive Smart Driving School recognise that Driving Instructors often work with children and young people under the age of 18 years.
Drive Smart Instructors all maintain current child related criminal history checks or employment screening letters.
All Instructors with the Drive Smart Group are members of the Australian Driver Trainers Association of South Australia Inc. (ADTASA) and have adopted the Association’s Child Safe Policy as set out below:
ADTASA Child Safe Environments Policy.
Australian Driver Trainers Association of South Australia Inc. Members (ADTASA Members) recognise that Motor Driving Instructors often work with children and young people under the age of 18 years.
This policy demonstrates the strong commitment of ADTASA Members to child safety and establishing and maintaining child safe and child friendly environments.
This policy reflects our commitment to provide a safe environment where every person has the right to be treated with respect and is safe and protected from harm.
It complies with our obligations under the Children’s Protection Act 1993, including:
- Section 8B – 8D – child safe environments and criminal history assessments for people working with children; and
- Section 11 – Mandatory reporting.
It also complies with the Child safe environments: Principles of good practice and Child safe environments: Standards for dealing with information obtained about the criminal history of employees and volunteers who work with children issued by the Chief Executive. (Section 8A, Children’s Protection Act 1993).
This policy, from the date of endorsement, applies to all ADTASA Members working with children and young people while operating as Motor Driving Instructors.
All children who use the services of ADTASA Members have a right to feel and be safe. We are committed to the safety and well-being of all children and young people accessing our services and the welfare of the children in our care will always be first priority. We aim to create a child safe and child friendly environment where all children are valued and feel safe.
This policy was developed in collaboration with ADTASA Members, the children who use their services and their parents.
ADTASA Members encourage and respect the views of children and young people who access their services. We listen to and act upon any concerns that children, young people or their families raise with us. We teach children what they can do if they feel unsafe.
We ensure that children, young people and their families know their rights and how to access the complaints procedures available to them.
We value diversity and do not tolerate any discriminatory practices.
ADTASA membership is conditional upon holding a Motor Driving Instructors licence.
As a requirement to holding a Motor Driving Instructors Licence, ADTASA Members are subject to Criminal History Assessments as set out in Section 8B of the Children’s Protection Act 1993.
The ADTASA requires that all Members working with children and young people have a current National Police Clearance (obtained within the last three years).
The ADTASA may obtain a further criminal history assessment for a Member at any time that the ADTASA believes it necessary or desirable for the purpose of maintaining a child safe environment.
All ADTASA Members who work with children and young people are aware of and at all times abide by the ADTASA Child Safe Code of Conduct.
This Code was developed in collaboration with ADTASA Members, the children who use their services and their parents.
The Australian Driver Trainers Association of South Australia Inc. ensure that all Members who work with children have ongoing support and training so that their capacity is developed and enhanced to promote the establishment and maintenance of a child safe environment.
Support strategies include:
- Appointing the ADTASA Administrator as Child Safety Contact Person.
- All new ADTASA Members undergo an induction program ensuring they receive copies of and understand our Child Safe Policy and Code of Conduct.
- All Members are encouraged to attend regular meetings and workshops that include ongoing learning about child protection and other matters that affect children and young people.
ADTASA Members will not tolerate incidents of child abuse.
All ADTASA Members understand their obligations to notify the Child Abuse Report Line by calling 13 14 78 as soon as practicable if they have a reasonable suspicion that a child has been, or is being, abused or neglected.
ADTASA Members are offered regular opportunities to attend information sessions about these mandatory reporting obligations.
We also understand how to access relevant information resources such as:
- Child safe environment: Guidelines for mandated notifiers and information for organisations (available to view or download from families.sa.gov.au/childsafe)
- Families SA reporting child abuse website: families.sa.gov.au/pages/protectingchildren/HowToNotify
- Free online SMART (Strategies for Managing Abuse Related Trauma) Learning package, developed by the Australian Childhood Foundation: childhood.org.au/for-professionals/smart-online-training)
ADTASA Members understand that the Australian Driver Trainers Association of South Australia Inc. offer support if they need to make a report, particularly where an ongoing service is provided to the child, young person and their family.
Supporting children, young people and their families
Child Protection is everyone’s responsibility. ADTASA Members recognise that even where a report is made, they may still have a role in supporting the child or young person. This support may include:
- Referring the child, young person or their family to other appropriate services
- Having information available on the ADTASA website and at the Office about services that can assist children and their families (such as the Kids Helpline and Youth Healthline) for children (and their families) they work with.
Dealing with reports or concerns relating to the actions of a Member of the ADTASA
In addition to making a report to the Child Abuse Report Line, ADTASA Members must also report to the Child Safety Contact Person if reasonable suspicion is formed that a child has been, or is being abused or neglected by another member.
The Child Safe Contact Person is the ADTASA Administrator.
In response to any report to the Child Safety Contact Person concerning a member of the association, the Australian Driver Trainers Association of South Australian Inc. may determine to refer the matter to Police.
- Strategies to minimise risk
- Child Safe Code of Conduct for Motor Driving Instructors including Standards of Appropriate Behaviour has been implemented.
- All new ADTASA Members undergo an induction program ensuring they receive copies of and understand our Child Safe Policy and Code of Conduct.
- All Members are encouraged to attend regular meetings and workshops that include ongoing learning about child protection and other matters that affect children and young people.
- All ADTASA Members who work with children and young people sign written statements indicating that they have read, understood and will abide by the ADTASA Child Safe Policy and Code of Conduct
Evaluation of these strategies and the development of additional strategies to minimise and control risks to children and young people occur as part of our ongoing risk management process.
ADTASA Members oppose all forms of harassment, discrimination and bullying. We take this issue seriously and encourage anyone who believes that they, or another person, has been harassed, discriminated against or bullied to raise this issue with the ADTASA Administrator.
The ADTASA and it’s Members will ensure that everyone to whom this policy applies is aware of and has had an opportunity to read the policy.
ADTASA Members who work with children and young people all sign written statements indicating that they have read and will abide by this child-safe policy. We retain a copy of all signed statements.
- Related policies and procedures
- ADTASA Child Safe Environments Code of Conduct including Standards of appropriate behaviour for motor driving instructors.
- ADTASA Motor Driving Instructors Child Safe Declaration signed by all members who work with children and young people upon application:
- All accusations of criminal offence are referred to the Police.
DEFINITIONS
Child (Young person) – A child means a person under 18 years of age (The Children’s Protection Act 1993).
Child Abuse – Children can be abused in different ways and child abuse includes a wide range of acts of omission and commission. The following is based on definitions in “Guidelines for Mandated Notifiers”, produced by Government of South Australia – Department for Families and Communities.
Physical Abuse – is commonly characterized by physical injury resulting from practices such as hitting, punching, kicking (marks from belt buckles, fingers); shaking (particularly young babies); burning (irons, cigarettes), biting, pulling out hair; alcohol or other drug administration.
Sexual Abuse – occurs when someone in a position of power to the child uses his/her power to involve the child in sexual activity. Behaviour can include sexual suggestion; exhibitionism, mutual masturbation, oral sex; showing pornographic material e.g. DVDs, internet; using children in the production of pornographic material; penile or other penetration of the genital or anal region; child prostitution.
Emotional Abuse – tends to be a chronic behavioural pattern directed at a child whereby a child’s self esteem and social competence are undermined or eroded over time. Behaviours may include devaluing, ignoring, rejecting, corrupting, isolating, terrorising, chronic or extreme domestic violence in the children’s presence.
Neglect – is characterized by the failure to provide for the child’s basic needs. Behaviours may include inadequate supervision of young children for long periods of time; failure to provide adequate nutrition, clothing or personal hygiene; failure to provide needed or appropriate health care/medical treatment; disregard for potential hazards in the home; forcing the child to leave home early; allowing children to engage in chronic truancy.
Child Protection Contact Person – The ADTASA Administrator is appointed by the Australian Driver Trainers Association of SA Inc. to be responsible for child protection matters and to ensure that the Association child protection procedures conform to the requirements of the relevant jurisdiction.
Criminal history assessment: a decision about whether a person is suitable to work with children based on the person’s criminal history (if any) and the assessed risk of harm to children who receive the service.
ADTASA Member – any person over the age of 18 who is a member of the Australian Driver Trainers Association of SA Inc and is responsible for the care and safety of children in the course of their operations as a Motor Driving Instructor.
Young person – term used instead of the word child to describe a person under the age of 18.
