Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

Apex Support Services is a visionary organisation that aims to have a positive effect on every child, their family and community. We strongly emphasise the safety and wellbeing of children as put forward by the UN Convention on the Rights of Children and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (the National Principles). We make sure that we are capable of recognising and addressing all the challenges and susceptibilities children may experience, to enable children to reach their maximum potential.

Our vision encompasses Apex Support Services being dedicated towards the well-being, safety and strength of all children supported by Apex Support Services, including but not limited to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, those that belong to linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds, including children with disabilities.

Apex Support Services takes its child protection responsibility as a vital part of all the processes, services and programs, and is dedicated to safeguarding all children from any kind of harm and abuse. Apex Support Services has a“No Tolerance” appraoch for any kind of verbal/physical or emotional abuse inflicted towards children. Our company is compliant with all the policies and procedures pertinent to child protection rules and regulations and aims to maintain secure and physically supportive environments for all children.

Apex Support Services takes its child protection responsibility as a vital part of all the processes, services and programs, and is dedicated to safeguarding all children from any kind of harm and abuse. Apex Support Services has a “No Tolerance” appraoch for any kind of verbal/physical or emotional abuse inflicted towards children. Our company is compliant with all the policies and procedures pertinent to child protection rules and regulations and aims to maintain secure and physically supportive environments for all children.

National Principles for a Child Safe Organisation

Apex Support Services follows the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2018) and ensures that they are deeply rooted in Apex Support Services policy frameworks.

Apex Support Services makes sure that its procedures, practices and policies signify the intentions and actions of the National Principles.

Apex Support Services emphasised upon endorsing and fulfilling the needs of the National Principles by:

Enacting conditions to decrease the possibility of children being harmed;

Enacting conditions that amplify the possibility of ascertaining and reporting potential danger,

Acknowledging and responding to disclosures, suspicions of potential harm and danger and allegations in an appropriate manner.

Apex Support Services – Child Safe Policy Legislation

Child safe policy legislation encompasses following:

Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (NSW)
Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 (NSW)
Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW)
Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012 (NSW)
National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013
NDIS (Quality Indicators) Guideline 2018

Apex Support Services Statement of Commitment to Child Safety Objectives

This Statement devises the framework for:

The growth, maintenance and devotion to policies, practices, procedures and work systems that ensure child safety and wellbeing within Apex Support Services programs, services and activities;
Fostering of secure and beneficial environments which help in maintaining positive and sturdy child protection culture;
The enhancement and open communication pertinent to child protection issues within the company; and
Following all rules, regulations and standards related to child safety within Australia and NSW.

Apex Support Services – Child Safe Values and Principles

Apex Support Services has devised the following values and principles that will provide a valuable guideline dedicated towards child safety and develop the basis for all child protection policies and procedures within the company.

All children have the right to be secure;
It is everyone’s utmost responsibility to ensure safety and security of children;
Wellbeing and welfare of a child is of utmost importance;
Children’s privacy will be respected and taken seriously;
Distinct expectations regarding proper code of conduct associated with children are put forward in employee and volunteer Code of Conduct procedures and policies;
Child protection awareness is stimulated and openly discussed within all Apex Support Services communities;
Procedures are prescribed to screen and check all volunteers, employees, other stake holders and third party contractors who are directly in contact with children;
Working with children checks along with pertinent training are mandatory requirements for all employees and Board Members;
Procedures for acknowledging suspected or alleged child abuse incidents are clear and accessible for all the members of Apex Support Services;
Children’s opinions and point of view are seriously and respectfully taken into account.

Apex Support Services – Child Safe Commitment

Apex Support Services child safety commitment endorses:

Harboring professional and courteous relationship with children and their respective families.
Put forward services in a manner that they don’t jeopardise our position
Respect and value children and young people’s opinions while making a decision especially when it comes to opinions pertaining to the matters that would impact them directly. Children’s and young people’s opinion is views are recorded and taken into account via intake forms, assessments, going through minutes of the meeting and review notes.
Respect children and young people’s culture, background, belief system and rights as stated by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Execute the child safety standards.
Make sure that the child safety standards have been communicated clearly to the child/young person.
Follow all the pertinent Commonwealth, state or territory laws safeguarding children and young people.
Follow mandatory reporting requirements for vulnerable children or young people.

Make sure that all staff members have completed their training in mandatory reporting.
Report any suspicious behavior of a staff member which has the tendency to pose threat towards a child’s safety to the key management personnel.
Protect children or young people at all times and prevent them from the potential risk of degrading behavior or abuse which is dangerous.
Usage of appropriate language according to the age group and level of understanding of children or young people, and avoid ambiguous or age-inappropriate discussions containing sexual, violent or discriminatory references.
Refrain from using words or actions which threaten, frighten, humiliate, condone, degrade or embarrass children or young people.
Not to come to work being intoxicated or under the influence of illegal drugs.
Not to smoke while on duty.

Creating awareness among children and young people

Apex Support Services uses a wide range of facilities and resources to bolster children and young people to identify and recognise behavior that makes them feel unsafe, threatened and/or uncomfortable and to report them right away. These include:

Supporting children and participants to communicate their concerns to the staff members whenever they feel that something isn’t right.
Encouraging child participants to share their stories and to openly talk about their feelings pertinent to feeling both safe and unsafe during SSRC placements.
Providing support, education and training to all the Apex Support Services staff members to make them aware of child safety.

Child Safety Recruitment

Apex Support Services has a very rigorous and thorough screening process where the workers have to go through proper screen checks. All the workers need to have and maintain working with children check according to section 6 of Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 as defined by clause 8 of the Child Protection (Working with Children) Regulation 2013, encompassing clauses 16B and 16C of the Regulation applicable to the Principal Officer and Leadership Team. Any existing worker who cannot update their WWCC should update the management immediately.

Child Protection Advocates (Child Protection Officers)

As an integral part of child protection and safety, Apex Support Services has assigned knowledgeable and confident Child Protection Advocates formally also known as child protection officers who have experience in addressing sensitive issues pertinent to child safety and protection. The Director, Service Manager and Programs Manager are the Child Protection Advocates at present.

Our Child Protection Advocates are there to answer any queries pertinent to Apex Support Services Statement of Commitment to Child protection, Apex Support Services Child Safety and Wellbeing policy and any particular questions relevant to safeguarding all the children from abuse.

Statement of Commitment to Child Safety