DoCS has responsibility to receive and assess reports of risk of harm to children, investigate reports, and act to maintain child safety. Teachers must report concerns of risk of harm to DoCS. The Ombudsman oversees investigations of allegations against employees to ensure fairness. The CCYP conducts employment screening and records outcomes of employment proceedings regarding child-related work, excluding some matters. Reportable conduct includes sexual offenses against children, assault, neglect, and behavior causing psychological harm.

1. Child Protection Training By Geoffrey Graham

2. DoCS responsibility DoCS has the responsibility to receive and assess reports of a child protection nature, investigate those reports where there is a likelihood of risk of harm to a child or young person and act to maintain and monitor their safety. DoCS also provide and arrange support services for children, young people and their families. The Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 requires teachers to report to DoCS if they have concerns that a child or young person is at risk of harm. The procedures for reporting to DoCS as outlined in the document Protecting and Supporting Children and Young People, Revised Procedures, December 2000, are also to be followed in circumstances where concerns about risk of harm relate to the actions of an employee.

3. The Ombudsman The Ombudsman is required to oversee and monitor investigations of a child protection nature against employees of designated agencies. This role ensures that employers are responding appropriately to allegations against employees, and that the process is effective, accountable and fair. As required by the Ombudsman Act 1974, the Ombudsman must be notified of any reportable allegations involving employees and subsequent actions the employer

4. CCYP is responsibility The CCYP is responsible for employment screening for child related employment. This screening helps employers in their selection of suitable staff. The names of employees who have been the subject of completed employment proceedings will be reported to the CCYP unless the matter is determined to be not reportable conduct. The CCYP keeps a database of relevant employment proceedings that has two categories. Category one is used in screening processes. Category two is not used in screening processes unless the conduct reported appears to be part of a pattern of relevant conduct by the employee. Further information regarding the actions of CCYP can be found at Section 8. See also the CCYP internet site at www.kids.nsw.gov.au for more information.

5. Child Protection Legislation Under the Child Protection Legislation Amendment Act 2003 reportable conduct means a) any sexual offence, or sexual misconduct, committed against, with or in the presence of a child (including a child pornography offence), or b) any assault, ill-treatment or neglect of a child, or c) any behavior that causes psychological harm to a child, whether or not, in any case, with the consent of the child.

6. What is Sexual misconduct Sexual misconduct describes a range of behaviors or a pattern of behavior aimed at the involvement of children in sexual acts. Some of these behaviors include: • inappropriate conversations of a sexual nature; • comments that express a desire to act in a sexual manner; • unwarranted and inappropriate touching; • sexual exhibitionism; • personal correspondence (including electronic communication) with a child or young person in respect of the adult’s sexual feelings for a child or young person; • deliberate exposure of children and young people to sexual behavior of others including display of pornography; possession of child pornography in the workplace.

7. Sexual misconduct includes Grooming behavior is a process whereby sexual offenders ‘condition’ and build rapport with children or young people in order to reduce their resistance to, and increase compliance with, sexual abuse. The grooming process can include such aspects as: Misleading children or young people by pretending to them that they are trustworthy – spending inappropriate special time with the child, inappropriately giving gifts, showing special favours to them but not with other children or young people, allowing the children or young people to overstep the rules etc Testing of boundariesundressing in front of children or young people, allowing the children or young people to sit on the lap, talking about sex, ‘accidental’ touching of genitals etc

8. What is Neglect Neglect occurs when a child or young person is harmed by the failure of a person who has care responsibilities towards a child, to provide basic physical and emotional necessities of life, including failure of such a person to provide or arrange for the provision of adequate and proper food, nursing, clothing, medical attention or lodging for a child or young person in that person’s care.

9. Neglect IS???? Behavior that causes psychological harm Psychologically harmful behavior is behavior that causes demonstrated harm to a child or young person. A finding of psychological harm must establish three elements: inappropriate behavior, harm, and a causal link between the behavior and the harm. Examples of psychological harm may include: • targeted and sustained criticism, belittling, teasing; • excessive or unreasonable demands; • persistent hostility and severe verbal abuse, rejection and scapegoating; or using inappropriate locations or social isolation as punishment. ( 1 )

10. Child Protection Legislation • The Ombudsman Act 1974 • Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998 • Child Protection Legislation Amendment Act 2003 • The Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998 • Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000 • The Protected Disclosures Act 1994 • Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 • Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 • Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 • Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001