Every young person who comes to Araya has the right to feel safe, respected and heard — regardless of ability, background, culture or family circumstances.

• Child safety is everyone's responsibility, not just leadership's or the Designated Child Safety Officer's.
• The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (agreed by all Australian governments in 2019) set the benchmark every child-facing organisation is expected to meet: child safety embedded in leadership and culture, children's views heard, families and communities informed, diversity respected, robust HR and screening, staff equipped with knowledge and skills, and safety reviewed and improved over time.
• These aren't optional extras. As of 2025–26, Queensland's Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 turns equivalent standards into a direct legal requirement for organisations like Araya — more in Module 8.
• Most harm to children is preventable when adults consistently follow simple, visible safe-practice habits — that's what the rest of this course covers.

Harm can be physical, emotional, sexual or neglect — including online harm. You don't need to be certain something is wrong to act; a genuine concern is enough.

Signs worth noticing in a child

• Unexplained injuries, fearfulness around a particular adult, or sudden changes in behaviour, mood or attendance.
• Language or knowledge that seems advanced for a child's age, or a child who seems constantly hungry, unwashed or unsupervised.
• A child hinting at something without saying it directly — take hints seriously, don't dismiss them.

Grooming behaviour to watch for — in anyone

• Consistently seeking one-on-one time or private contact with the same child.
• Excessive gifts, favouritism, or special treatment that singles a child out.
• Gradually testing or normalising boundary violations — physical contact, secrecy, "just between us" language.
• Trying to isolate a child from peers, family or other supervising adults.

These patterns matter for your own conduct too — Module 4 covers how to stay clearly on the right side of every one of them.

• Stay calm and listen. Don't show shock, anger or disbelief.
• Never promise secrecy. Tell the child you need to share this with someone who can help.
• Don't investigate or interrogate. Asking leading questions can compromise a later formal process — let the child speak in their own words, and don't press for details.
• Record what was said as soon as possible, using the child's own words, with date, time, location and who else was present.
• Report it immediately to the Designated Child Safety Officer — see Module 10 for exactly who and how.
• Keep it confidential. Only share details with people who genuinely need to know as part of the response — not with colleagues out of curiosity or concern.

• Keep all communication professional. Use Araya's approved channels only — no private messaging, calling or connecting with students on personal social media.
• Avoid one-on-one, unsupervised situations wherever possible. If a private conversation is unavoidable, stay within sight of others, in an open space.
• Never transport a student alone off an approved, logged trip.
• No gifts, favours or special treatment that could single a student out or blur the adult–child boundary. No physical affection beyond what's appropriate and student-initiated (e.g. a high-five, not an adult-initiated hug).
• Never post, share or request photos or videos of a student without the specific consent already recorded by admin — see Module 5.
• Never give a student your personal phone number, home address, or add them on personal social media, even after they turn 18 while still connected to the program.
• If you're ever unsure whether something crosses a line, treat that uncertainty itself as a reason to check with the Designated Child Safety Officer before proceeding.

• All digital contact with a student goes through Araya-approved platforms and devices only — never your personal phone, email or social media.
• Never accept or send friend/follow requests to or from a current student on personal social media.
• Photos or videos of students may only be taken on approved devices, with consent already recorded by admin, and stored/shared only through approved channels — never personal phones or personal cloud storage.
• If a student sends you something concerning through an approved channel, treat it like any other disclosure: don't over-engage or investigate yourself, and report it to the Designated Child Safety Officer.
• Be a good model of online safety yourself — students are increasingly at risk from online grooming and harm, and consistent, visible good practice from adults reinforces what's normal and safe.

These are the everyday tools Araya uses to keep sessions safe and accountable — use them every time, not just when it's convenient.

• Sign-in / sign-out registers at every session, so it's always clear who is present, who supervised, and when each student arrived and left.
• Visible, open spaces. Tutor and mentor in areas other adults can see into — never behind a closed door with a single student.
• Two-adult presence wherever the program can arrange it, especially for evening or one-to-one sessions.
• Attendance and incident records kept promptly and accurately — these records protect students and staff alike if a concern is ever raised later.
• Transport logs for volunteer drivers: date, student(s), route, and pickup/drop-off times, held on file.
• Working-alone check-ins: if a session genuinely can't have two adults present, let your coordinator know in advance and when it starts/finishes.

• Blue Card (Working with Children Check) — in Queensland, it is a legal requirement to hold a valid Blue Card, or an approved exemption, before starting any child-related work, paid or volunteer. This applies to teachers, tutors, mentors and drivers alike. Details: Blue Card Services.
• A Blue Card is issued after a national criminal history check and ongoing monitoring — it isn't a one-off check. If new police information arises, Blue Card Services can suspend or cancel a card at any time, which is why Araya checks card status regularly rather than only at the start.
• Blue Cards are renewed every 3 years — it's the card holder's responsibility to renew before it expires.
• Some roles may be eligible for an exemption (for example, a parent volunteering only for their own child's activities) — exemptions must still be declared and verified, never assumed.
• Other standard checks: identity verification, referee checks, and a signed staff/volunteer declaration confirming suitability and agreement to Araya's code of conduct.
• It is a criminal offence in Queensland to carry out child-related work without a valid Blue Card or exemption — this is not just an internal Araya rule.

Araya's policies exist because of real, current laws and national standards. You don't need to memorise these — just understand what each one is for. Links go to the official source.

• Araya's students and families come from a wide range of cultural, migrant and refugee backgrounds. Safety isn't just physical — it includes feeling respected, understood and free from discrimination, as required under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld).
• Be mindful of language barriers, cultural or religious practices, and different family structures — ask rather than assume, and involve family appropriately in decisions about a child.
• For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, extra consultation obligations apply under the Child Protection Act 1999 — decisions should involve appropriate community and agency consultation.
• A child who doesn't feel culturally safe is less likely to speak up if something is wrong — inclusive, respectful practice is itself a child safety measure, not a separate concern.

Inside Araya

• Report any concern, disclosure or incident to the Designated Child Safety Officer as soon as possible — the same day, not "when convenient."
• Use the Child Safety Concern Form to record what happened, in factual language, with dates and names.
• You will never be criticised for reporting a genuine concern that turns out to be unfounded — staying silent is the greater risk.

If a child is in immediate danger

• Call 000 for Police or Ambulance.

External Queensland contacts

• Child Safety After Hours Service Centre: 1800 177 135 (statewide, after hours).
• Policelink (non-urgent police matters): 131 444.
• QFCC receives organisation-level Reportable Conduct Scheme notifications — that step is an admin/leadership responsibility, but every staff member should know it exists.

External agencies can be contacted directly by anyone, at any time — reporting internally first is Araya's process, but it is never a barrier to reporting externally if a child is at risk.