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Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy

Whitehorse City Council is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

This includes children and young people who are in our care, who attend services, programs and events delivered by Council, and those who enjoy the many outdoor play and community spaces the municipality offers.

The Child Safety & Wellbeing Policy ( PDF 1.49MB) explains our approach to safeguarding children and young people. It applies to everyone who works, volunteers and contracts at Council.  

Whitehorse Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

As valued and respected members of our community, Council encourages the participation and empowerment of all children and young people.

Children and young people have the right to always be safe, respected and heard. The Council values inclusivity, welcomes diversity, and has zero tolerance of child abuse. The Council recognises that the safety of children and young people is a shared responsibility across the community, and it is everyone’s role to keep children and young people safe from abuse, harm and neglect.  

The Council is committed to:  

  1. Preventing child abuse occurring within our services, programs, and facilities.  
  2. Creating an organisational culture of child safety.  
  3. Setting clear expectations of employees, volunteers, and contractors as to what is required to keep children safe.  
  4. Ensuring employees, volunteers and contractors are clear about their responsibilities when they suspect abuse, harm or neglect of a child.  
  5. Ensuring all suspected child abuse is reported and fully investigated.  
  6. Creating opportunities to include Aboriginal children, young people, and their families, and we acknowledge and appreciate Aboriginal culture, connection to Country and cultural safety.  
  7. Council pays particular attention to the needs of children and young people with disability, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those who are unable to live at home, and who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex.