CHILD SAFE CODE OF CONDUCT
All employees, contractors or volunteers (Staff) engaged by Theatrical Inc. to provide services at a place where a Child (as defined below) is engaged in theatre productions (a Location) are responsible for promoting the safety and wellbeing of the Child and must abide by the Theatrical Child Safe Code of Conduct (the Code) and all other applicable laws and regulations related to children (including the Child Safe Standards (available here: https://www.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards-employing-children) (Child Safe Standards) and the Mandatory Code found at section 29 of the Child Employment Act 2003 (Vic) (available here: https://www.vic.gov.au/guide-employment-children-victorian-entertainment-industry/mandatory-code-practice-employment) (Mandatory Code)).
| Application | This Code applies to all Staff that work at a Location where a Child is engaged.
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| Meaning of Child | For the purposes of the Mandatory Code a Child is a person under 15 years of age, engaged to provide entertainment services (i.e. live theatre performances, rehearsals or castings). For the purposes of the Child Safe Standards, a Child is a person under 18 years of age.
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| Purpose | The purpose of the Code is to outline the minimum expectations of behaviour of Staff when working with a Child, in order to: – protect the employed Child from exploitation and abuse; – prevent inappropriate or unreasonable demands being made of the Child; – ensure a person employing a Child in regulated activities takes responsibility for the Child’s interactions with adults; and – ensure the Child is provided with a safe work environment. |
| Registrations | Staff must hold a valid Working With Children Clearance if required by law and must present proof of their valid Working With Children Clearance upon request from Theatrical.
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| General Obligations | Staff must not: – Subject a Child to any form of physical punishment, social isolation, immobilisation, or other behaviour likely to humiliate or frighten the Child. – Direct a Child to perform in a sexually provocative or unsafe manner. – Communicate with a Child in ways that are likely to humiliate, frighten or distress the Child. – Use tobacco or nicotine products or possess or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs at any time while working with a Child. – Develop any ‘special’ relationships with a Child that could be seen as grooming or favouritism, such as the offering of gifts or special treatment. – Do things of a personal nature that a Child can do for themselves, such as toileting or changing clothes.Staff must: – Treat a Child with respect and be a positive role model in conduct with them. – Communicate with them in an age appropriate and realistic manner. – Set clear boundaries about appropriate behaviour between themselves and a Child. – Only have physical contact with a Child in ways which are appropriate to their professional or agreed role and responsibilities. – Be willing to listen and respond appropriately to a Child’s views and concerns. – Respond quickly, fairly and transparently to any serious complaints made by a Child or related to a Child. – Report incidents, breaches or suspected breaches of the Code, Mandatory Code and Child Safe Standards to Theatrical. – abide by the Code and all other applicable laws and regulations related to children (including the Child Safe Standards and the Mandatory Code).
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| Contact with Parent or Guardian | A Child must at all times be able to make contact with a parent, parent nominee or guardian and Staff must facilitate the making of contact whenever the Child requests contact, or it is otherwise in the interests of the Child.
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| Food and Drink | If the Child is present at the Location for an extended period, the Child must, at appropriate intervals, be provided with food that is varied, sufficient, nutritious and appropriate having regard to the age, taste and culture of the Child. Water and other nutritious drinks must be readily available to the child at all times during the Child’s employment.
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| Toilet Facilities | A Child must have access to clean and easily accessible toilet, hand-washing and hand-drying facilities at the Location.
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| Recreation and Rest Facilities | A Child must be given adequate recreation materials and rest facilities during breaks. The recreation materials and rest facilities must be appropriate for a Child of the Child’s age and level of maturity.
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| Dressing Room Facilities | A Child must be given appropriate dressing room facilities to allow the Child to dress and undress in private.
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| Weather Protection | A Child must be adequately clothed and otherwise protected from extremes of climate at all times.
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| Notification of Illness or Injury | A parent, parent nominee or guardian of a Child must be notified immediately if the Child is (or appears to be) injured or ill, or the Child reports feeling ill. Incidents must be logged in Two Birds Talking’s incident register.
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| Supervision | A Child must be supervised at all times by a person who has a currently valid Working With Children Clearance or is exempt from the requirement to have a current assessment notice under section 19B of the Act. A parent or guardian can be a supervisor. A Child being supervised must be in the view of the person providing the supervision at all times, and the supervisor must not have any other responsibilities at the Location.
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| Response to Breaches of Code | Theatrical treat breaches of the Code and other laws and regulations related to children seriously. Where a suspected breach has occurred Staff must notify Theatrical and Theatrical reserve the right to take any action we deem appropriate (in compliance with relevant laws), including without limitation, suspending the Staff suspected of committing the breach pending an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged breach or in serious instances reporting the Staff to police. |