Wellbeing @ Weeden

Child Safe Code of Conduct for the Community

2019

Weeden Heights Primary School is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Our school community recognises the importance of, and a responsibility for, ensuring our school is a safe, supportive and enriching environment which respects and fosters the dignity and self-esteem of children and young people, and enables them to thrive in their learning and development.

This Code of Conduct aims to protect children and reduce any opportunities for child abuse or harm to occur. It also assists in understanding how to avoid or better manage risky behaviours and situations. It is intended to complement child protection legislation, Department policy, school policies and procedures and professional standards, codes or ethics as these apply to staff and other personnel.

The Principal and school leaders of Weeden Heights Primary School will support implementation and monitoring of the Code of Conduct, and will plan, implement and monitor arrangements to provide inclusive, safe and orderly schools and other learning environments. The Principal and school leaders of Weeden Heights Primary School will also provide information and support to enable the Code of Conduct to operate effectively.

All staff, contractors, volunteers and any other member of the school community involved in child-related work are required to comply with the Code of Conduct by observing expectations for appropriate behaviour below.  The Code of Conduct applies in all school situations, including school camps and in the use of digital technology and social media.

This Code of Conduct outlines expected standards for appropriate behaviour with and in the company of students, including online conduct. The policy is used:

• as part of induction training for new leadership members, staff and volunteers
• as part of refresher training for existing leadership members, staff and volunteers
• to inform parents/carers and other persons associated with the organisation what behaviour they can expect from the organisation’s leadership, staff and volunteers
• to support and inform organisational protocols and reporting procedures should breaches of the code be suspected or identified
• to be included as a reference in employment advertisements and contracts to ensure compliance.

All personnel of Weeden Heights Primary School are responsible for supporting the safety, participation, wellbeing and empowerment of students by:

• adhering to Weeden Heights Primary School’s Child Safe Policy at all times
• taking all reasonable steps to protect students from abuse
• treating everyone with respect
• listening and responding to the views and concerns of students, particularly if they are telling you that they or another child has been abused and/or are worried about their safety or the safety of another
• promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal students (for example, by never questioning an Aboriginal child’s self-identification)
• promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of students with culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds (for example, by having a zero tolerance of discrimination)
• promoting the safety, participation and empowerment of students with a disability (for example, during personal care activities)
• ensuring as far as practicable that adults are not left alone with a child
• reporting any allegations of child abuse to Weeden Heights Primary School’s Child Safety Officer, the Principal, and ensure any allegation is reported to the police or child protection
• reporting any child safety concerns to Weeden Heights Primary School Child Safety Officer, the Principal
• if an allegation of child abuse is made, ensure as quickly as possible that the child(ren) are safe
• encouraging students to ‘have a say’ and participate in all relevant organisational activities where possible, especially on issues that are important to them.

Staff, volunteers, visiting educators or tradespeople must not:

• develop any ‘special’ relationships with students that could be seen as favouritism (for example, the offering of gifts or special treatment for specific students)
• exhibit behaviours with students which may be construed as unnecessarily physical (for example inappropriate sitting on laps. Sitting on laps could be appropriate sometime, for example while reading a storybook to a small child in an open plan area)
• put students at risk of abuse (for example, by locking doors)
• do things of a personal nature that a student can do for themselves, such as toileting or changing clothes
• engage in open discussions of a mature or adult nature in the presence of students (for example, personal social activities)
• use inappropriate language in the presence of students
• express personal views on cultures, race or sexuality in the presence of students
• discriminate against any student, including because of culture, race, ethnicity or disability
• have contact with a student or their family outside of our organisation without our child safety officer’s knowledge and/or consent (for example, no babysitting).   Accidental contact, such as seeing people in the street, is appropriate
• staff and volunteers with students who are enrolled at the school who have contact with Weeden Heights Primary School students outside of the workplace, must adhere to all Weeden Heights Primary School policies and codes of conduct when doing so
• staff or volunteers that work with enrolled Weeden Heights Primary School students outside of the school, for example basketball or netball coach, must adhere to all Weeden Heights Primary School policies and codes of conduct when doing so
• have any online contact with a child or their family (unless necessary, for example providing families with e-newsletters, communication apps)
• staff and volunteers with students who are enrolled at the school who have contact with Weeden Heights Primary School students outside of the workplace, must adhere to all Weeden Heights Primary School policies and codes of conduct when doing so
• staff or volunteers that work with enrolled Weeden Heights Primary School students outside of the school, for example basketball or netball coach, must adhere to all Weeden Heights Primary School policies and codes of conduct when doing so

Ostracism - The worst feeling for a child

Humans are social by nature. We are happiest and most productive when we’re in groups. The family we are born into stays together rather than disbands as can happen in the animal world. This togetherness ensures a sense of belonging. Parental acceptance and forgiveness confirms that a child belongs unconditionally to their family providing a deep sense of security and safety.

"Ostracism hits at the very heart of being human – the need to belong. It hits at a young person’s sense of security and safety. Continued ostracism generally leads to feelings of helplessness in a child or young person – the worst possible emotion they can experience."

As they grow older their social world expands to include broader family, friends and others within our community. The ties that bind are a little more tenuous at the outer edges of their social circle. Unlike in a family acceptance a child’s or teen’s acceptance by peers is conditional and, as such, friendships can quickly change. Differing interests, unresolved grievances and changing personalities can lead to peer relationship breakdowns, resulting in feelings of loss and sadness for a child.

The flip side of acceptance is loss, when valued relationships flounder. This is normal. It can be heartbreaking for a parent to watch their child or teen deal with the feelings of sadness, but that’s when parents need to be supportive and emotionally present.

Worse still for children and young people is when a relationship breakdown with friends leads to ostracism, or being left out of the usual group activities. Sadness due to friendship loss is a normal part of life. Feeling devastated by being left out of a group, is not acceptable, and shouldn’t be shrugged off as normal.

Ostracism hits at the very heart of being human – the need to belong. It hits at a young person’s sense of security and safety. Continued ostracism generally leads to feelings of helplessness in a child or young person, the worst possible emotion they can experience.

Teaching kids about relationships

Psychologist and author Collett Smart in her Teach girls to build each other up webinar maintains that parents should proactively teach kids about how relationships work. She was referring to parents of girls in particular, but boys too can benefit from learning about the nature of friendships. This relationship work can be both incidental and intentional. Smart maintains that we need to be continuously talking to kids about what makes a good friend; that not all friendships last; how they can break up kindly with friends and how they can assertively and respectfully stand up for themselves rather than be dominated by others.

Learning how to argue well

Smart maintains that learning how to argue is a normal part of healthy relationships. She says, “We haven’t taught girls how to be assertive. They learn to be assertive at home. Give girls opportunities to disagree with us as parents so that they can be brave enough for them to do so outside of home with their friends.” Parents need to give kids healthy ways to express their emotions and frustrations about friendships so that they can learn to resolve conflict without taunting, being abusive or giving someone the ‘permanent cold shoulder’.

Above all, we need to let kids know that ostracism of a former friend or of another child is not acceptable under any circumstances. The conversation that parents have with children about ostracism carries a great deal of weight and needs to happen from a very young age before these relationships patterns emerge and become entrenched in adolescence.

by Michael Grose

Whitehorse City Council’s Cruzin Study Homework Support Program - (12+ years)

The Cruzin Study Homework Support Program is FREE and provides homework support to young people aged 12 -25 years. The program is based at the Box Hill Library on Thursday afternoons during the school term from 4.00pm–6.00pm. Tutoring is provided to assist young people with subjects including: English, Maths and Science. The program also provides free wifi, printing, copying, computers and refreshments.

*Note: Cruzin Study does not run over the school holidays.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding subjects or would simply like to know more about Cruzin’ Study, please contact Jacqueline Piper on 9898 9340 or email Jacqueline Piper.

Parenting Forums 2019