Child Safety

Our commitment to child safety

We're committed to the safety and wellbeing of every child and young person we train. We have zero tolerance of child abuse and harm. On this page, "child" and "young person" mean anyone under 18.

Young people who train with us have the right to be safe, to get clear information, to have a say in decisions that affect them, and to be taken seriously when they speak up. We follow the Victorian Child Safe Standards and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

Our Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is accountable for meeting these commitments. Our Chief Clinical Educator is our Child Safety Officer, who receives child safety concerns and makes sure we act on each one.

Who this page applies to

This page covers:

• students under 18 in any Scope Institute course. Currently that means our first aid courses, which cover HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, HLTAID010 Provide basic emergency life support and HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• everyone who works with those students for us: staff, trainers and assessors, contractors and volunteers
• everywhere we train: our facility in Wheelers Hill, workplaces and other sites where we run on-site group training, and our online learning

Cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people

We want Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and their families to feel welcome with us and safe to be themselves.

• We encourage and support students to express their culture.
• We don't tolerate racism. If a staff member, trainer or student behaves in a racist way, we'll act on it, and there will be consequences.
• Our staff training covers the strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and why culture matters to a young person's safety.
• If you or your family have cultural needs for your training, tell us and we'll work with you on them.

Including every young person

We treat every student fairly, whatever their background, culture, language, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation. In particular:

• Young people with disability: if CPR on the floor or another part of the course could be hard for you, tell us before you book and we'll talk through what adjustments are possible.
• Young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: if you or your family would like information in another language, or an interpreter, ask us. We'll arrange a professional interpreter at no cost to you.
• LGBTIQ+ young people: we'll use the name and pronouns you ask us to use, and we don't accept bullying or harassment about anyone's gender or sexuality.
• Young people who don't live at home: talk to us about who can give consent for you. We'll accept consent from the person or agency with legal authority to give it, such as your carer or case manager.

How we keep students safe in first aid training

Our first aid courses have two parts: online theory, then a practical session in a small group with a trainer. Some topics, like serious injuries, can be upsetting. If that happens, tell your trainer.

Who teaches you

Before anyone works with students under 18, we check that they're suitable, including their references and their Working with Children Check. Everyone who works with young people for us must follow our Child Safety Code of Conduct and complete child safety training.

Supervision

A trainer leads every practical session and stays with the group throughout. Our staff must not spend time alone with a student under 18 out of sight of others, or meet students privately outside the course. When we train at a workplace or another site, we agree with the organisation that booked us on who supervises its young people before and after the session.

Physical contact and consent

You'll practise CPR on manikins, not on people. Some skills, like the recovery position or bandaging, are usually practised with a partner. Your trainer will explain each activity and ask before any physical contact, including before touching you to show a technique.

You can say no. If you'd rather not practise with another person, or you want to choose your partner, tell your trainer and we'll find another way where the assessment allows it.

The online theory

You complete the online theory in our first aid student portal. Our staff must contact students only through Scope's official email, phone and portal, and must not use personal social media or messaging apps.

If something online makes you feel unsafe, tell us. You can also report cyberbullying or image-based abuse to the eSafety Commissioner.

Photos and videos

We won't photograph or film a student under 18 unless a parent or guardian has given written consent and the student agrees. Saying no won't affect your enrolment.

Nobody, including other students, may photograph or record a training session without permission from the trainer and everyone taking part.

Parents and guardians

A parent or guardian must consent to the enrolment of a student under 18 and accept our Terms and Conditions for them. They do this on a consent form in the first aid student portal before the session.

If your child trains with us, we'll:

• explain what the course involves, including its physical side
• involve you in decisions about your child's safety and wellbeing, such as adjustments
• contact you if we're worried about your child, unless that could put them at risk
• ask for your feedback when we review our child safety policies

If an employer books training for staff under 18, we ask the employer to share this page and our consent requirements with their families.

We handle your child's personal information under our Privacy Policy.

How to raise a concern

If you're under 18

You have the right to feel safe. If something makes you feel unsafe, uncomfortable or worried, tell someone. It might be:

• something an adult or another student said or did
• an adult who contacts you privately, asks you to keep a secret, or touches you without asking
• messages, photos or videos that upset you
• something that's happening to a friend
• something outside Scope, like at home or online

You can:

• tell your trainer or any Scope staff member you trust
• call 1300 508 809 and ask for our Child Safety Officer
• email admin@scopeinstitute.edu.au with "Child safety" in the subject line
• ask a parent, carer, teacher or another adult you trust to contact us

If you're in danger right now, call 000.

You won't get in trouble for speaking up, even if you're not sure something is wrong. We'll listen, take you seriously and tell you what happens next. If we need to tell someone else to keep you safe, like the police, we'll explain who and why.

To talk to someone outside Scope, call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or chat online at kidshelpline.com.au. It's free and open any time for young people aged 5 to 25. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can also call 13YARN on 13 92 76, any time.

If you're a parent, carer or anyone else

If a child is in immediate danger, call 000.

Otherwise, contact our Child Safety Officer in any of the ways above, or tell any trainer or staff member. Our phones are answered Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (Melbourne time). Outside those hours, if you think a child is at risk, contact the police or Child Protection directly.

You can raise a concern about anyone connected with Scope, including a staff member, trainer, contractor, volunteer or student. You don't need proof, and you don't have to come to us first.

If a student under 18 is bullied, harassed or discriminated against, we treat it as a child safety concern. Our Complaints and Appeals Policy covers other complaints. We deal with child safety concerns straight away. They don't follow that policy's timeframes.

What we do when a concern is raised

We act on every child safety concern immediately.

1. Protect the child. If anyone is in danger, we call 000. Whatever the concern, we act straight away to keep the child and other students safe.
2. Report it. We report to Victoria Police and Child Protection when the law requires it, and whenever we believe a child is at risk of harm. We cooperate fully with the police.
3. Support the child. We listen, take them seriously and help them find support, such as counselling. We tell their parent or guardian unless that could put the child at risk, or the police or Child Protection advise us not to.
4. Manage the risk. If the concern is about someone who works for us, we can stop them working with students while we look into it. If it's about another student, we act to keep everyone safe.
5. Keep records. We write down what was reported, what we did and why. We store the records securely and share them only with people who need them to protect a child, or as the law requires. We keep them for at least 45 years.
6. Follow up. We'll contact you about your concern by the end of the next business day (Monday to Friday, excluding Victorian public holidays). As far as privacy allows, we tell you what we've done. We also look for the cause so it doesn't happen again.

Anyone who breaches our Child Safety Code of Conduct faces disciplinary action, which can include ending their work with us. No one will be treated unfairly for raising a concern.

Contacts outside Scope

• Emergency or immediate danger: call 000.
• Victoria Police: to report child abuse that isn't an emergency, contact your local police station. See Report child abuse.
• Child Protection, 8.45am to 5pm Monday to Friday: call the number for the area where the child lives. North 1300 598 521, South 1300 555 526, East 1300 360 452, West 1300 360 462. Find the right area.
• Child Protection at other times: the After Hours Child Protection Emergency Service on 13 12 78.
• Social Services Regulator: one of the Victorian regulators for the Child Safe Standards. If you're worried we're not meeting them, call 1300 310 778 or email childsafeorgs@ssr.vic.gov.au. See Report your concerns under the Child Safe Standards. If another regulator is responsible, it may pass your concern on.

How we review this page

We review this page, our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and our Child Safety Code of Conduct at least every 12 months, and after any serious incident or change in the law. Each review looks at the concerns we've handled and at feedback from students, families and staff. We'll explain any changes on this page.

For questions or suggestions, contact our Student Support team on 1300 508 809 or at admin@scopeinstitute.edu.au.