January 2026

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Savvy and Sassy Support is a community organization who aim to support neurodivergent teens in the local community.

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we operate. We acknowledge and respect their contributions, experience and knowledge as First Nations people. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

This Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy was created to ensure child safety and wellbeing, and stipulates how our organisation will work to keep children safe from harm, including child abuse.

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Commitment to child safety

All children who come to Savvy and Sassy events have a right to feel and be safe. We have a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse and harm.

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Purpose

This Policy outlines how Savvy and Sassy Support prioritises the safety and wellbeing of children and what steps we will take to do this.

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Scope

This policy applies to all paid facilitators and volunteers involved in our organization. This policy applies to all activities conducted by Savvy and Sassy Support.

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Definitions

Child abuse means:

• a sexual offence committed against a child

• an offence committed against a child under section 49M(1) of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic), such as grooming

• physical violence against a child

• causing serious emotional or psychological harm to a child

• serious neglect of a child.

Child/Children means a person who is under the age of 18 years.

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Code of Conduct

As further detailed in the body of this policy members and volunteers of Savvy and Sassy Support

• will take all reasonable steps to protect children from abuse

• will model appropriate adult behaviour

• will listen to children and respond to them appropriately

• will welcome all children and their parents or carers, will respect diversity, and will be inclusive

• will report any complaints, concerns or disclosures regarding Child Safety to the relevant authorities

• will respect privacy of children and only disclose information to people who need to know

• are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children

• will not ignore or disregard any complaints, concerns, or disclosures regarding child safety

• will not develop ‘special’ relationships with specific children or show favouritism with gifts or inappropriate attention

Creating culturally safe environments for all Aboriginal children and their families (Standard 1)

Savvy and Sassy Support is committed to creating environments where Aboriginal culture is celebrated and Aboriginal children, families and community members are welcomed and included.

A child’s ability to express their culture and enjoy their cultural rights is encouraged and actively supported.

Strategies are embedded within the organisation which equip all members to acknowledge and appreciate the strengths of Aboriginal culture and understand its importance to the wellbeing and safety of Aboriginal children and young people.

Measures are adopted by the organisation to ensure racism within the organisation is identified, confronted, and not tolerated. Any instances of racism are addressed with appropriate consequences.

The organisation actively supports and facilitates participation and inclusion within it by Aboriginal children, young people and their families.

Child safety is embedded in our organization (Standard 2)

Everyone at Savvy and Sassy Support has a role in identifying and managing risks of child abuse and harm. We will work to create a positive culture around reporting so that people feel comfortable to raise concerns.

We will conduct a review of the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy at least every 2 years.

Participation of children and young people (Standard 3)

Savvy and Sassy Support seeks the views of children and encourages their participation, including on safety and wellbeing issues. This is at the core of what we do.

 

Members must hold a current working with children check (WWCC). The child safe policy is made available to new members and updated policies circulated to all members so they understand the rights of children and can recognise and act on the signs of child abuse and harm.

 

Children are taken seriously when making any complaints or expressing concerns.

 

Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting Child Safety and Wellbeing (standard 4)

We make the community aware of our child safe policies through:

• publishing this Child Safety Policy on our website

• referencing the policy in correspondence with families

Valuing diversity (standard 5)

We value diversity and equity for all children. To achieve this, we:

• welcome and support participation of all children, including children with disability, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those who are unable to live at home, LGBTIQ children and Aboriginal children and their families

• have zero tolerance of racism and other forms of discrimination and take action when discrimination or exclusion is identified

Volunteers are suitable and supported to practice child safety (Standard 6 and 8)

It is a requirement that members hold a current working with children’s check. All volunteers are encouraged to obtain a WWCC.

Any event activities that require direct engagement with children will be carried out by businesses or organisations that carry their own Working with Children Check and Child Safe Policies for eg. Facepainters, Scouts.

Complaints and reporting are child focused (Standard 7)

All reports of child abuse and child safety concerns will be treated seriously, whether they are made by an adult or a child and whether they are about the conduct of an adult or a child. All complaints and child safety concerns will be responded to promptly and thoroughly.

If a concern is raised by a child or an adult, it must be reported to child safe officer. All potentially criminal conduct must be reported to Victoria Police.

If there is concern for the immediate safety of a child, immediately call 000.

Concerns where there is a reasonable belief that a child is at risk of abuse -report to DFFH Child Protection - Tel: 1300 360 391 or 13 12 78 (after hours).

Concerns for a child’s ongoing wellbeing but abuse is not an immediate risk report to Orange Door (Outer East) - Tel: 1800 271 150

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Record keeping

All child safety complaints, concerns, incidents and near misses will be recorded as an incident report.

Records which may assist with the investigation of a complaint or safety concern will be identified and kept as part of the record of an investigation. Records will be kept even if an investigation does not substantiate a complaint.

We will record and keep the outcome of any investigations, and the resolution of any complaints. This includes findings made, reasons for decisions and actions taken.

Information sharing

Information may be shared to promote the safety and wellbeing of children, where it is appropriate and in their best interests.  Information about complaints will be kept confidential, except where it is necessary to share information to respond properly to a complaint or to prioritise child safety. We may also need to share information about incidents or complaints with external authorities to comply with the law.

Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing and minimize risk (standard 9)

We are using a public place when running our group. We encourage participants to go in groups when walking around the site.

When running face to face and online groups, we co-create an agreement with the participants to support everyone to feels safe. Bullying and discrimination will not be tolerated.

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Review of Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy (10)

Savvy and Sassy Support will review all child safe practices and policies at least every two years. We also review relevant practices and policies in response to a child safety incident or ‘near miss’.

 

Contacts

Savvy and sassy support Child safe contacts are

Kali Foster 0407564836

Libby Maitland 0402518902

 

Other contacts

Victoria Police on 000 (if emergency) 131 444 (non urgent).

Orange Door (Outer East) - Tel: 1800 271 150

DFFH Child Protection - Tel: 1300 360 391 or 13 12 78 (after hours)