Child Safety
Wentworth Shire Council acknowledges the significant and lasting impact that child abuse and neglect can have on children and young people and is committed to their safety and wellbeing.
Protecting the safety of children and young people is a whole of community responsibility and is everyone’s business.
Council plays a role in the prevention of abuse and contributes to the safety and wellbeing of Wentworth Shire’s children and young people utilising Council’s services and facilities.
Council is committed to embedding child safe practices across our services and doing our part to mitigate risk to Wentworth Shire’s youngest citizens, including sharing resources.
Learn more about crisis help, Council’s policy, and where to get further information below.
What is child abuse and neglect?
Child abuse and neglect can be classified in many different forms including physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, emotional abuse and psychological harm.
For a detailed reference on this topic, please refer to the ‘Child at risk of harm and neglect’ Information on the Department of Communities and Justice website.
If you need help now
If you need help, assistance or urgent support call one of the following crisis services:
For an emergency, call the emergency number Triple Zero 000 to be connected to Police, Fire or Ambulance Services.
If you think a child or young person is at risk of harm from abuse or neglect, contact the Child Protection Helpline on 132 111
Child Safe Standards
The Child Safe Standards are one of a number of recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. They provide a benchmark by which organisations can assess their child safe capability. The standards provide guidance for organisations to create cultures, adopt strategies and act to put the interests of children first whilst keeping them safe from harm.
Wentworth Shire Council is working towards becoming a Child Safe Organisation through the implementation of the 10 Child Safe Standards. The standards are as follows:
Council’s Child Safety Framework
Council uses the Child Safe Standards to underpin how we keep children and young people safe.
Council’s Child Safety Policy is the overarching document that informs practices in relation to:
- Council’s commitment to child safety;
- Recruitment & Training;
- Risk assessment;
- Standards of Behaviour; and
- Reporting Obligations.
Council has developed a Child Safety Policy (available here) and is continuing to embed the Child Safe Standards into our work processes and procedures. This includes the procedure for investigating and responding to reportable allegations, which will be conducted in accordance with the Children’s Guardian Act 2019. A reportable allegation is made where a child, young person, or adult make an allegation that a Councillor, employee, volunteer or contractor of Council has been, or allegedly been, involved in the harm or abuse of a child or young person. For information about reporting a complaint or allegation of child abuse or harm involving a Wentworth Shire Council Worker see Council’s Child Safe Reporting page here.
Helpful links
Visit the following organisation’s websites for further information:
NSW Family and Community Services
NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse