Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy

Burnet is committed to safeguarding the rights, safety and wellbeing of all children and youth. Burnet’s child safeguarding approach involves everyone sharing the responsibility to proactively prevent, mitigate and respond to the risk of child abuse and exploitation and maintain a child/youth safe environment in the delivery of Burnet’s research and development work and partnerships. It builds on the existing strengths, systems and skills of our workers and partners and the communities and countries with which we work.

Burnet works with a range of partners from government through to community levels, both in Australia and overseas, involving children and youth in programs. Children and youth are also present in all communities that Burnet workers and representatives work in or visit. Burnet’s safeguarding system and measures exist to avoid or minimise the potential negative impacts of our operations and programs on the communities with which we work and ensure we do no harm to children and youth. 

The Burnet Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy provides a whole-of-organisation safeguarding framework to implement child safe measures across Burnet to keep children safe.

The Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy embeds safeguarding across 3 areas:

• Burnet’s workplace culture

• Burnet’s research and program work

• Burnet’s advocacy and communication.

The policy applies to:  

• children, youth, and research and project participants

• Burnet workers: members of the Burnet Board, employees, students, directors, contractors and any of their employees, sub-contractors and any of their employees, consultants and any of their employees, honorary and/or visiting researchers, honorary and/or visiting appointees, visitors, labour hire workers, outworkers, apprentices, trainees, work experience/placement students and volunteers, or any person representing Burnet at all times (in and outside work hours)

• partners/accompanying friends/family of staff on work trips, immediate dependants of Burnet staff who are internationally mobilised

• partner organisations.

Child safe organisational culture

Burnet does not tolerate child exploitation, abuse or harm by anyone who works for or is associated with Burnet and has zero tolerance for inaction to prevent, report or respond to child exploitation, abuse and harm. Child safeguarding must be embedded in governance, leadership and organisational culture at Burnet through clear accountability, leadership commitment, investment of resources and continuous review and improvement of policies and practices to maintain a strong and open safeguarding culture.

Children’s rights

Child abuse and exploitation is a severe violation of children’s rights. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) underpins Burnet’s approach to decisions about safeguarding and protecting children.

The best interests of the child

Burnet will ensure actions and decisions prioritise children’s rights, safety and wellbeing and ‘do no harm’ approach. Children have the right to be meaningfully and safely included in all decisions, programs, and initiatives that affect them. Their views and concerns will be sought, listened to, in ways that are age-appropriate, voluntary and safe. Responses to incidents will be trauma-informed, child-centred, culturally safe and in collaboration with partners, enable access to support services.

Promoting gender equity, diversity and inclusion

Burnet welcomes and is inclusive of children and youth regardless of their circumstances, abilities, sex, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, displacement, and social, economic and cultural backgrounds. Burnet will address barriers to participation, protection, reporting and support such as language, safety, discrimination and accessibility. Children and youth project participants will have access to information, support and complaints processes in ways that are culturally safe, accessible and easy to understand.

Preventative and risk-based approach

All children are vulnerable to child exploitation and abuse, and Burnet is committed to being proactive in promoting the safety of children and minimising risks to children. Actions to protect children and youth must be embedded in policies, research and development programming, recruitment, training and operations to minimise risk and protect children and youth, both in physical and online spaces.

A child is any person under the age of eighteen (18) years.

Youth is any person defined as between 18-25 years of age.

Child abuse – includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, ill-treatment, neglect and online and digital abuse. It also includes a child or children witnessing such abuse against another child or adult.(DFAT Child Protection Policy, 2025)

Harm – refers to any detrimental effect on a child’s physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing. Harm may be caused by financial, physical or emotional abuse, exposure to family violence, neglect, and/or sexual abuse or exploitation whether intended or unintended.

Physical abuse – the use of physical force against a child or youth that results in harm. Physically abusive behaviour includes shoving, hitting, slapping, shaking, throwing, punching, kicking, biting, burning, strangling, and poisoning.

Neglect – a parent or caregiver/guardian’s pattern of failure over time to provide a child (where they are able to do so) with adequate non-physical nurture and emotional availability or the conditions that are culturally accepted as being essential for their physical and emotional development and wellbeing. Such acts have a high probability of damaging a child’s self-esteem or social competence. 

Emotional abuse – persistent or severe emotional maltreatment that adversely affects a child or young person’s emotional development, mental health, or sense of self-worth. It may include threats, humiliation, intimidation, isolation, rejection, or constant criticism. Emotional abuse can occur in any setting and may be perpetrated by caregivers, peers, or others in positions of power or trust listed under "Scope" of this policy. It often undermines a person’s dignity and can have long-term psychological impacts.

Sexual abuse – the use of a child for sexual gratification by an adult or significantly older child or adolescent. Sexually abusive behaviours can include fondling genitals; masturbation; oral sex; vaginal or anal penetration by a penis, finger, or any other object; fondling breasts; voyeurism; exhibitionism; and exposing the child to, or involving the child in, child exploitation material.

This policy prohibits sexual activity with children and youth aged under 18, regardless of the legal age of consent in each country. Mistaken belief regarding the age of the child will not be considered as an acceptable excuse.

Child labour – work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially, or morally dangerous and harmful to children and often interferes with their education and recreation. In its most extreme forms, child labour includes slavery, trafficking, sexual exploitation, and hazardous work that put children at risk of death, injury, or disease.

Ill-treatment – disciplining or correcting a child or youth in an unreasonable and seriously inappropriate or improper manner; making excessive and/or degrading demands of a child or youth; hostile use of force towards a child or youth; and/or a pattern of hostile or unreasonable and seriously inappropriate degrading comments or behaviour towards a child or youth.

Grooming – predatory conduct undertaken to prepare a child for sexual activity at a later time. Grooming behaviour is where an adult communicates, by words or conduct, with a child or with a person who has care, supervision, or authority for the child with the intention of facilitating the child’s involvement in sexual conduct, either with the groomer or another adult.

Online grooming – sending electronic messages to children, with the intention of procuring children to engage in or submit to sexual activity with another person, including but not necessarily the sender; or of sending an electronic message with indecent content to a recipient who the sender believes is a child.

Child exploitation – includes forcing or coercing another person to commit an act or acts of abuse against a child, possessing, controlling, producing, obtaining, or transmitting child exploitation material, forcing, or coercing another person to commit an act or acts of grooming or online grooming, or using a child for profit, labour, sexual gratification, or other personal or financial advantage. Child exploitation also includes modern slavery, orphanage tourism and the trafficking or recruitment of children into armed conflict.

Victim/Survivor – Child victim-survivor is a term used to describe a person under the age of 18 who is, or has been, abused, exploited or harmed. ‘Victim-survivor’ acknowledges both the harm suffered (victim) and the resilience or agency of the child in coping with the aftermath (survivor). This term emphasizes a supportive, rights-based approach to addressing their needs and upholding their dignity throughout the reporting and response process. (DFAT Child Protection Policy, 2025)

Partner – The term ‘partner’ is used broadly to capture any collaborator, government agency, organisation or stakeholder (funded or unfunded) with which Burnet works and/or which is important to achieving program outcomes and sustainability.

Burnet leadership: Executive Council, working group heads, Professional Services leaders

A commitment to effective leadership and clear messaging to enable the safeguarding of children and youth.

Creating and maintaining an environment where it is safe to raise concerns and make reports regarding child abuse and exploitation.

Embedding child safeguarding obligations in practice, visibility of child safeguarding risk management, and monitoring compliance with policies and codes of conduct.

A commitment to communication of the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Code of Conduct to all Board members, Burnet workers, partners, and visitors to projects.

Burnet Board

Accountable for the oversight of the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy and visibility of child safeguarding risk management.

Oversight through the Finance, Audit, Risk and Investment Committee (FARI-C Committee) of child safeguarding risk management (organisational and project level), and child safeguarding reports.

All Burnet workers

Prevent, report and respond to any concerns for the safety or wellbeing of a child or youth

Sign on and comply with policies, adhere to the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Codes of Conduct

Share the responsibility for child safeguarding

Management

Responsible for promoting awareness of the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Code of Conduct with the people they manage

Ensure that a standing agenda item on safeguarding (child safeguarding and PSEAH) is considered at team meetings

Responsible for actively providing information to project participants and the community on expected behaviours of Burnet workers and promote projects specific reporting mechanisms

Hiring managers and Project Managers have the responsibility for ensuring child safe recruitment and integrity screening procedures are applied and they will be supported through training and resources to enable this

Ensure that a safeguarding project level risk assessment in undertaken and regularly monitor risk assessment and all efforts to prevent, detect and manage safeguarding risks and reports

Incorporate requirement to comply with the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Code of Conduct in contracts, partner agreements, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and clause for breach.

Responsible for undertaking a due diligence assessment of all partners, which includes their safeguarding policies and practices

Responsible for ensuring partners are compliant or have a plan in place to develop or strengthen their child safeguarding/protection policies and practices and that this is documented and coordinated across managers who are working with the same partners.

Safeguarding team

Safeguarding Manager

Responsible for strengthening Burnet safeguarding systems and processes and work with all disciplines and teams across Burnet to implement child safeguarding standards and measures

Lead good practice in child safeguarding, provide technical support, develop resources, review safeguarding, policies and procedures; deliver training, monitoring compliance and supporting the Safeguarding Focal Points, country program staff and partners in locally led safeguarding

Conducting periodic audit of integrity screening to ensure that requirements and measures are adhered to, supports good risk management and allows for continued strengthening of safe recruitment and screening processes.

Support program and project level safeguarding risk management and partner due diligence and compliance

Lead continuous improvement through development and implementation of a safeguarding action plan

Report on safeguarding implementation and risks to the Finance, Audit, Risk and Investment Committee

Monitor compliance with DFAT and ACFID requirements and Australian child safe principles and standards

Monitor safe recruitment, screening and training of Burnet workers

Receive reports of child abuse and exploitation reports, manage and investigate reports, ensure a child/survivor centred approach and report to DFAT as required

Escalate child safeguarding risks to the Executive and FAR Committee as required

Maintaining the child safeguarding policy is accessible on Burnet’s organisational platform (internet and intranet).

Safeguarding focal points

Each country program has a Safeguarding focal point/s, responsible for disseminating advice and support to staff on safeguarding issues and changes to safeguarding policies and procedures, identifying safeguarding risks relevant to the local context, responding to safeguarding reports and working closely with the Melbourne Safeguarding Manager.

Safeguarding focal points and country program staff, along with the Safeguarding Manager continue to monitor and respond to child safeguarding issues, share child safeguarding knowledge, and identify ongoing training and support needs.

Burnet People/HR teams either in Australia or country offices

Ensure that Burnet workers are informed of their responsibilities and obligations under the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy and sign the Safeguarding Code of Conduct

Oversight that Burnet workers receive appropriate child safeguarding induction and training

Responsibility for compliance with Burnet safe recruitment and screening requirements.

Burnet will apply a risk-based and robust child safe recruitment and screening procedures to prevent a person from working with or being in contact with children if they pose an unacceptable risk to children.

Burnet will not knowingly engage anyone who poses a risk to children and will take seriously any allegations of personnel misconduct raised.

Burnet will conduct child safe recruitment and integrity screening for Burnet employees, Board members, students, consultants, individual contractors and sub-contractors, and will apply a risk-based approach to other roles in the broader Burnet worker category.

This includes:

• A statement that confirms Burnet’s commitment to safeguarding in advertisements and job descriptions and clearly state whether the role involves working with children
• Providing applicants with Burnet’s Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Code of Conduct during the recruitment and onboarding process.
• Job role analysis before recruitment to analyse the position to assess its level of contact with children

Screening should include reference checks, recent police checks, working with children or working with vulnerable people checks or locally appropriate alternatives such as personal declaration forms or statutory declarations.

Additional integrity measures include targeted messaging, child safe focused questions during interviews and questioning about child safeguarding at all stages of recruitment and onboarding, and ongoing monitoring of worker behaviour and adherence to child safeguarding policies and processes.

Employment/engagement contracts which contain:

• Provisions for the prevention of a person from working with children if they present an unacceptable risk to children.
• Suspension (with or without pay) or transfer to other duties for any employee/consultant who is under investigation for child safeguarding breaches and provision to dismiss any employee/consultant after an investigation.
• Sign and comply with the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Code of Conduct as a condition of commencing with Burnet. A written record of policy agreement will be retained on file.
• Candidates must disclose whether they have been charged with child related harm, abuse or exploitation offences, and if employed must notify Burnet in the event of any allegation, charge and conviction.

Working with Children Checks

A Working with Children Check (WWCC) must be provided by Burnet employees, Burnet Board, volunteers, consultants and students (Australia, NZ and UK based) who have direct contact with children, have access to child-sensitive data, are deployed internationally, regularly travel overseas for Burnet related work purposes, hold a safeguarding position, or have regular or ongoing interaction with children and youth through project visits, letter, email, phone, digital or social media.

When first engaged, Burnet employees must update their WWCC to include Burnet as their current employer.

Visitors

All visitors to Burnet project locations must sign the Safeguarding Code of Conduct and be accompanied and supervised by Burnet employees at all times.

Partner personnel

Burnet projects teams will collaborate with international partners to implement child safe recruitment and screening measures and meet both Burnet and donor compliance requirements.

In Australia, project teams must show evidence of assessment of a partner’s safe recruitment and screening measures to align with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, when project activities involve children and youth project participants.

As part of this policy several key commitments have been identified and incorporated in the Safeguarding Code of Conduct. The Safeguarding Code of Conduct outlines the expected behaviours of all Burnet workers when interacting with children or youth.

Any breach of the Burnet Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy or Safeguarding Code of Conduct will lead to disciplinary action which may include termination of employment for workers or termination of association and/or contract with Burnet for other Burnet representatives.

Burnet may terminate a contract with a consultant, contractor, sub-contractor, partner or volunteer immediately and without prejudice to any claim for damages on giving written notice to the person/organisation if the person is in breach of the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy or Safeguarding Code of Conduct.

All Burnet employees, Board members, students, and other relevant Burnet workers must complete the mandatory safeguarding online module as part of induction and undertake safeguarding refresher training annually.

Tailored and comprehensive safeguarding training and information sessions for Burnet workers and periodic training for partners will be budgeted and coordinated by the project team and Safeguarding team.

Training modules will include an understanding of:

• what is child exploitation, abuse and harm
• child and survivor centred approaches
• child safeguarding risks and impacts relevant to Burnet projects and activities
• Burnet workers responsibilities and obligations for child safeguarding
• overview of DFAT policies and ACFID Code of Conduct
• expected behaviours under the Burnet Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Code of Conduct and consequences of policy or Code of Conduct breach including disciplinary and legal implications
• how to report allegations, suspicions or concerns about child abuse and exploitation

All Burnet workers must attend a safeguarding pre-departure briefing before their first work trip or when visiting a new country for work purposes within a 2-year period.

As part of a shared responsibility, Burnet will collaborate with overseas and Australian partners to strengthen child safeguarding practice in the delivery of projects and activities. 

Burnet will work with all partners (funded and unfunded) to implement safeguarding standards and requirements which must be covered and documented, including sharing safeguarding knowledge and incorporating good practice safeguarding measures across partnerships. 

This includes:

• Ensuring documented discussions with government partners on safeguarding requirements occur at least every 2 years to clarify all key safeguarding areas.

• Training and information resources are offered (not stipulated) to regional government partners, including connections to local providers.

• National level safeguarding profiles are developed to ensure Burnet is across national context, legislation and policies and to identify any gaps in legislated safeguarding practice.

• Opportunities to engage with families and communities in promoting child safety and wellbeing be sought to foster trust and enhance collaboration.

Safeguarding clauses and mutually agreed reporting obligations must be included in partnership agreements, service agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) noting that when signing a MoU with government departments, Burnet will use government agreement templates.  

For Australian based partnerships, the National Child Safe Principles should be referred to as a guide in maintaining child safe environments in program delivery.   

As a DFAT accredited NGO, Burnet must ensure partner organisations apply the relevant DFAT Child Protection Standards when engaged to perform any DFAT-related business. Burnet is responsible for:

• ensuring documented exchange and discission of relevant safeguarding policies and practices with partners 

• ensuring partner action plans are realistic, risk-sensitive and implemented within a reasonable timeframe

• monitoring progress and providing technical assistance and support where needed.  

The safeguarding of children who accompany Burnet staff when travelling for work purposes, especially to high-risk destinations, must be prioritised. (High-risk destinations will be defined using travel advisories of International SOS and DFAT SmartTraveller platforms.)

While Burnet values inclusivity, equality and flexibility, it must balance these values with its risk appetite and the need to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children. Burnet must assess the risk to accompanying children travelling to countries where childcare regulations, standards and support are minimal, health and infection and security risks exist or exposure to conflict or violence is a risk and may cause distress or trauma to children. 

A risk assessment and approval process applies to all requests to travel with accompanying children. All Burnet staff wishing to travel with accompanying children must provide notification of this via the Travel Ready Questionnaire. A risk assessment will then be undertaken by the relevant Country Program Director, Working Group Head/Manager/Supervisor, the Safeguarding Manager and International Operations and Health Emergencies Specialist as follows:

The risk assessment process will evaluate:

• environmental, health, security, child safety and logistical factors affecting accompanying children

• work benefits against the overall risk (For example, can travel be taken at a later date, the proposed destinations be adjusted or that another team member undertake the trip)

• review insurance coverage, and emergency planning and the Country Programs operational infrastructure and capacity to oversee security, staff wellbeing and movements, as well as support accompanying children in an emergency. 

Based on the risk assessment, approval to travel with accompanying children will be determined. If approval is provided Burnet staff must arrange travel insurance for their accompanying children.

Accompanying children should not be left under the care and supervision of other Australian or Country office Burnet workers or partner personnel during or outside work times.

Burnet is committed to the safe use of children’s or young people’s images and information and video recordings, in a manner that respects the dignity, privacy, values, history, religion, language and culture of children and youth and protects their safety and rights.

This includes obtaining and documenting free, prior and informed consent from a child’s parent/guardian and children and youth themselves (age/development stage appropriate).

Informed consent applies to all information, images, stories and recordings collected for research, evaluation, and donor and supporter purposes and should not be used beyond a determined timeframe. Children, youth and/or parents/guardians can specify how long their informed consent remains valid.

All informed consent files and forms must be stored safely and securely.

The following standards apply when photographing or filming a child:

• explain to the child and parent or guardian how the photograph or film will be used, in age-appropriate language and with an interpreter if necessary

• take care that local traditions or restrictions for reproducing personal images are adhered to before photographing or filming a child

• photographs, images and videos present children in a dignified and respectful manner and not in a vulnerable, disempowering or submissive manner

• children are adequately clothed and not in poses that could be seen as sexualised or submissive

• images are honest representations of the context and the facts

• file labels, meta-data or text descriptions do not reveal identifying information about a child when sending images electronically or publishing images in any form

• Images of children and youth obtained within or outside of a work context should never be posted on Burnet worker’s or visitor’s personal social media sites.

Burnet provides a safe environment for anyone to make a report concerning the safety or wellbeing of a child or youth. 

Burnet will ensure the provision of accessible, confidential and safe community based and child/youth friendly feedback and reporting mechanisms when delivering projects involving children and youth participants.

Procedural fairness 

No action will be taken against any person who informs Burnet in good faith of incidents and risks. However, those who wilfully inform Burnet using false information, or who are found to be complicit, will be subject to investigation and consequences as per disciplinary procedures.

Burnet will ensure that all incidents and reports are handled according to the principles of confidentiality, safety, impartiality, procedural fairness, timeliness, and accuracy. All incidents and reports and the names of people involved will be handled in the strictest of confidence.

Details will only be disclosed on a ‘need to know’ basis, where required by relevant local or Australian law, or when a report to police or appropriate authorities is made.

The rights of all those involved in a report and investigation, including those of the subject of concern, will be upheld.

Safeguarding reporting process

Who must report

Burnet workers and partners must immediately (within 24 hours) report any concerns, observations, allegations, disclosures or behaviour that is suspected of being child abuse or exploitation (past or present), or a suspected breach of Burnet's Child & Youth Safeguarding Policy and Burnet Safeguarding Code of Conduct.

What to report

An observation or disclosure (by an adult or child) of harm, abuse or exploitation

An observation or disclosure of potential risk of harm or child abuse or exploitation

A breach of the Burnet Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy or Safeguarding Code of Conduct

An observation or disclosure of behaviour which could be considered grooming

Child exploitation materials that are received on Burnet electronic equipment (this can include, but is not limited to, SPAM, popups, text messages, emails, or social media communications). 

A report must be made when:

• Suspected harm is due to the actions or inactions of a Burnet worker, partner personnel or due to the actions of a person representing Burnet
• An alleged criminal offence has been committed against a child or youth and the matter will be reported to the relevant authorities both in the country where the crime was committed and to Australian authorities.

When to report

The report must be made immediately, or within 24 hours, of becoming aware of the incident, suspicion, or risk.

Who to report to

Reports must be made to one or more of the following:  

• Safeguarding Manager
• General Counsel
• Safeguarding Focal Point (Country offices)
• Member of People/Human Resources team, either in Australia or country office
• Line Manager/Country Director or Representative/Working Group Head/Activity Leader: if the worker feels comfortable doing so, and if they are not the alleged subject of concern or implicated in the report
• via safeguarding@burnet.edu.au
• the Integrity Line, online or by phone (it should be noted that in certain circumstances where the report is of a criminal nature, anonymity may not be able to be maintained. Burnet may have a legal obligation to investigate and/or report a matter to external parties).

Safeguarding reports can be made by email, phone or in person. The person receiving the report (if not the Safeguarding Manager) must enter the report into incident management system and confidentially notify the Safeguarding Manager. 

Reports associated with a partner - child safeguarding reports or a suspected breach of the partner’s Safeguarding Policies or Code of Conduct, where the subject of concern is employed or engaged by the partner. will be managed by the partner following the partners’ reporting and referral processes, including reporting to local authorities. The Safeguarding Manager and Safeguarding Focal Points must be provided with updates and outcomes of the report and any investigation by the partner.

Children, youth, project participants and members of the community may also report concerning the conduct or behaviour of Burnet workers, partners or visitors. Burnet will ensure children, youth, families, communities and partners are informed about expected behaviours, reporting mechanisms and investigation processes in accessible and culturally appropriate ways. All Burnet Offices and Project locations (e.g. health care centres where our project may be implemented) will have information, such as posters, on how to report complaints or concerns relating to safeguarding.

Burnet workers and partners must also report concerns where child abuse, exploitation or harm is committed by individuals outside the organisation (i.e. parent/caregiver, community members or tourists). The Safeguarding team and the partner will manage these reports. Where appropriate, referrals will be made to local authorities and service providers, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of the child.

For DFAT funded projects, Burnet is mandated to immediately report (within 24 hours) to DFAT any suspected, alleged or known incidents of child exploitation, abuse and harm related to DFAT business. Failure to report in accordance with the DFAT Child Protection Policy may result in disciplinary, contractual or legal consequences.  

The Safeguarding Manager will prepare the report, and it will be reviewed by the relevant Safeguarding Focal Point, Human Resources Manager and Manager People Operations. A copy of the report will be sent to the Head, OHS and Compliance and Director International Operations. Reports will be submitted to DFAT using the DFAT Incident Notification Form via childprotection@dfat.gov.au

What happens after a report is made 

All safeguarding incident reports will be documented, investigated, and responded to. 

Burnet leadership is responsible for managing any child safeguarding incidents and risks. The Safeguarding Manager with the Safeguarding Focal Points and the Manager People Operations/Human Resources Manager, will coordinate the response and provide expert advice and support to leadership and management in responding to incidents.

A safeguarding report and investigation management plan will be developed by the Safeguarding and relevant Country/Australian teams and will include:

• an assessment of any immediate risks to the safety or wellbeing of the child or young person
• an assessment of the incident report information
• an outline of the specific actions to be taken, a time frame, and those persons responsible for taking the action required

Actions may include:

• reporting to local, national or international authorities in accordance with local or extraterritorial laws
• following a formal investigation, a confirmed breach of the Child & Youth Safeguarding Policy or Safeguarding Code of Conduct may lead to the commencement of performance and disciplinary procedures.

Child-centred and trauma informed approach

Burnet is committed to a child and survivor-centred approach. Children who have experienced harm, abuse or exploitation have a right to:

• privacy and dignity
• cultural safety
• have comprehensive information provided to them and their family in age-appropriate language and through an interpreter if necessary 
• participate in decision making about the course of action in dealing with the abuse or exploitation, appropriate to their age and developmental stage and together with their family or trusted support person (as defined in consultation with the child)
• not be subject to discrimination
• be asked about what makes them feel safe and unsafe and have an environment of trust created for and with them, to encourage them to express if they are worried about the process or feeling unsafe. 

Burnet Safeguarding Focal Points, the Safeguarding Manager and partners may refer child abuse survivors and family members to local support agencies, child protection departments and emergency care/counselling providers in accordance with their needs, wants and wishes as per the child/survivor-centred approach.