Commitment to the safety of children and young people  

We are committed to providing a safe environment to all children and young people. Our policy  complies with the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017, the Child Safety (Prohibited  Persons) Act 2016 and aligns with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. 

We value and respect children and young people and welcome them regardless of their abilities,  sex, gender, or social economic or cultural background. Bullying and harassment won’t be  tolerated. 

Scope of policy  

This policy applies to all practice and partnership owners, employees, volunteers, work placement  students and contractors referred to throughout the policy collectively as workers. 

All permanent workers are required to agree in writing to accept and act in accordance with the  policy. 

We require parties such as contractors and work placement students to accept and act on the  policy as a condition of any contracts or agreements entered into by them. 

Communication  

This child safe policy and related documents are available to children, young people and their  families on our website, on request and provided as part of a welcome pack at the first visit . 

This child safe policy and related documents are provided to all workers as part of their induction  following recruitment. 

We encourage and respect the views of children and young people and involve them in decision  making as appropriate. We provide clear age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate  explanations to children and young people including their right to safety, their right to be listened  to and that they can provide feedback or make a complaint if they have a concern to any worker, or ask their parent/guardian to do this on their behalf. We will listen to and act upon any  complaints or concerns that a child or young person raises with us. 

Children and young people are: 

• engaged by utilising age/developmentally-appropriate language 
• considered in terms of developmental level and cultural background 
• encouraged to take part in all consultations 
• encouraged to take part in treatment decisions

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• educated on how to care for their dental and oral health utilising age-appropriate  materials 
• provided feedback to encourage preferred oral health behaviours 
• encouraged to provide feedback to the practice about their treatment/experiences 
• given appropriate behavioural management modalities such as providing for treatment by  referral to specialist clinicians 
• provided a safe environment in which to express themselves 
• made to feel welcome and respected 
• asked for feedback on previous visits – what they like/didn’t like. 

Code of Conduct  

Caring for children and young people brings additional responsibilities for all workers. We are responsible for promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people  by: 

• sticking to the organisation’s child safe policy at all times and taking all reasonable steps  to ensure the safety and protection of children and young people 
• treating everyone including those of different race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity,  sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes and religious beliefs  with respect and honesty and ensure equity is upheld 
• being a positive role model to children and young people in all conduct with them 
• setting clear boundaries and maintaining appropriate behaviours with children and  young people – boundaries help everyone to understand their roles 
• listening and responding appropriately to the views and concerns of children and young  people 
• being alert to bullying behaviours and responding promptly and appropriately 
• ensuring another adult is always present or in sight when conducting one to one  consulting, coaching, instruction or other activity 
• being alert to children and young people who have been harmed, or may be at risk of  harm and reporting this quickly to the Child Abuse Report Line (13 14 78) 
• responding quickly, fairly and transparently to any complaints made by a child, young  person or their parent/guardian 
• encouraging children and young people to ‘have a say’ on issues that are important to  them. 

Workers must not: 

• engage in rough physical games 
• develop any ‘special’ relationships with children and young people that could be seen as  favouritism such as the offering of gifts or special treatment

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• do things of a personal nature that a child or young person can do for themselves, such  as toileting or changing clothes 
• discriminate against any child or young person because of age, gender, cultural  background, religion, vulnerability or sexuality. 

Breaches or suspected breaches of the Code of Conduct should be reported as soon as practicable  to management either in person, by telephone on 83632025, or via email at  sk@reasonstosmile.com. Breaches or suspected breaches of the Code of Conduct will be taken  seriously and dealt with quickly, fairly and transparently. 

Any worker who breaches the Code of Conduct will face disciplinary action and depending on  severity of the breach, the worker may have their employment terminated. 

Recruitment  

To ensure we engage the most suitable people to work with children and young people we have  the following recruitment practices in place: 

• our commitment to child safety is included in all job advertisements 
• clear position descriptions that include our commitment to child safety and wellbeing 
• face-to-face interviews that use behavioural questions to determine the applicant’s  knowledge of child safeguarding 
• at least 2 referee checks and qualification checks. 

In accordance with the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016, our organisation is registered  with the DHS Screening Unit and we link all Working with Children Checks (WWCC). In health  organisations, all workers over the age of 14 years must hold a current, not prohibited WWCC  issued by the Screening Unit of the Department of Human Services if they are working in a role  with children or have contact with children. A person will be taken to have contact with a child if: 

• the person has physical contact with the child; or 
• is in close physical proximity to the child; or 
• communicates with the child (whether orally or by written, electronic or other means). 

Evidence of a valid WWCC must be provided prior to employment and renewed every 5 years. We  will verify the accuracy of all WWCCs in the DHS Screening Unit portal as required by law. 

We will immediately contact the Department of Human Services Screening Unit when we become  aware of assessable information regarding any person involved with our organisation, including any  serious criminal offence, child protection information, or disciplinary or misconduct information. 

Training for workers  

We have strategies in place to train and support workers to understand our organisation’s child  safe policy, their mandatory reporting obligations, how to build culturally safe environments and  their responsibilities to create a child safe and friendly environment. Our strategies include:

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• as part of their induction, ensure all workers read and understand the Mandatory  Reporting Information Booklet available at:  

https://dhs.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/103179/CSE-Mandatory-notification information-booklet.PDF 

• child safety as a standing item on meeting agendas 
• workers have access to the Department for Child Protection website at  

https://www.childprotection.sa.gov.au/reporting-child-abuse 

• clinicians have access to regular professional development opportunities to build knowledge and  skills regarding the safe treatment and well-being of children and young people. 

Reporting and responding to harm or risk of harm  

We aim to ensure that children and young people are safe from harm and risk of harm. Section 17  of the Safety Act defines ‘harm’ to mean physical or psychological harm (whether caused by an act  or omission), including harm caused by sexual, physical, mental or emotional abuse or neglect.  

Mandated reporters in our organisation are: 

• dental practitioners 
• other workers who provide services to children and young people 
• workers who hold a management position in the organisation the duties of which include  direct responsibility for, or direct supervision of, the provision of those services to  children and young people. 

Mandated reporters have a legal obligation to report the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL) on 13 14  78 as soon as practicable if they have a reasonable belief that a child or young person has been  harmed or may be at risk of harm. If the child or young person is at immediate risk, report to South  Australia Police (SAPOL) on 000.  

Even if not a mandated reporter, any person can report harm or risk of harm to a child or young  person. The individual who identifies the harm or risk of harm is encouraged to make the report to  authorities and can request the support from another worker to do so if required. 

Information about making appropriate reports of harm or risk of harm is available from the South  Australian Department for Child Protection website:  

https://www.childprotection.sa.gov.au/reporting-child-abuse.  

All adult workers (even if not a mandated reporter) have a legal obligation to report child sexual  abuse by another worker to the police and to protect a child from sexual abuse by another worker.  Failure to meet these obligations may be considered a criminal offence. 

Following a report being made to CARL or SAPOL workers must make an internal report to  management.  

We will be guided by the Department for Child Protection and/or SAPOL after a report has been  made as to whether we can conduct an internal investigation.

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If a worker is reported to CARL or SAPOL for causing harm or risk of harm to a child or young  person, they will be removed from any role that involves working with any child or young person  until authorities have concluded their investigation. 

Following a report to CARL or SAPOL we will support the child or young person by: • referring the child, young person or their family to other appropriate services 

• continuing to provide a service to the child, young person and their family and monitor  their circumstances. 

We will document all information received regarding the report and store this securely in a  separate file. 

Reporting and responding to general complaints or feedback  

Providing opportunities for complaints and feedback ensures that children, young people and their  families feel valued and respected and enables us to improve the quality of our service. Children,  young people and their families are informed that they can provide feedback or make a complaint at  their first appointment or as part of their welcome pack when they join the organisation and via the  Patient information Folder in the waiting area..  

Compliments, complaints or feedback can be provided verbally to any worker or direct to  management either by telephone on 83632025 or via email at sk@reasonstosmile.com.au. 

We will deal with all complaints and feedback received promptly, sensitively and fairly. We will: • listen to the complaint/feedback 

• the person receiving the complaint will make a record of it if received verbally • advise of the time expected for an outcome 
• if a worker receives a complaint, they must forward it to management as soon as possible • management will respond to the complainant with an outcome in a timely manner 
• clearly document and securely store decisions and actions taken in response to complaints  and feedback 
• make sure that procedural fairness is followed at all times. 

If the child, young person or their family is not happy with the outcome from the complaints process  they can contact: 

• Australian Dental Associate SA Branch 8272 8111 
• Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner 8226 8666  
• Australian Human Rights Commission Online: www.humanrights.gov.au Tel: 1300 656 419 
• South Australian Equal Opportunities Commission (for complaints relating to  discrimination) Online: www.eoc.sa.gov.au Tel: 08 8207 1977. 

Risk management  

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Related policies and procedures  

Dental Board of Australia Code of Conduct: Dental Board of Australia – Code of conduct ADA SA Code of Ethics: Constitution (adasa.asn.au) 

ADA Policy 2.3.1: Delivery of Oral Health Care: Children 

ADA Policy 2.3.2: Delivery of Oral Health Care: Adolescents and Young adults 

ADA Policy 2.3.5: Delivery of Oral Health Care: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders ADA Policy 2.3.6: Delivery of oral Health Care: Persons with Disabilities 

ADA Policy 2.3.8: Delivery of Oral Health Care: Infants and Pre-school Children

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ADA Policy: 6.1.3: Partnering for Better Health – Dentists and Patients 

Policy review  

We will, at a minimum, review this policy and the related procedures once every 5 years as  required by the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017. We will also review this policy  when: 

• new or added risks are identified for children or young people, which may require a  change in the policy or procedures 
• a critical incident where a child or young person has experienced harm through  involvement in the organisation 
• concerns are raised by anyone involved in your organisation about child safety or welfare  in the organisation 
• awareness or compliance to the child safe policy and/or procedures is low • legislative changes/requirements. 

We will lodge a new child safe environments compliance statement with the Department of  Human Services each time we review and update this policy. 

Policy Date: 18 September 2024 

Review Date: 18 September 2029