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Organisation: Paradox Dance Studio
Location: Woolloongabba, Queensland
Applies to: Directors, employees, contractors, teachers, guest teachers, volunteers, students and other persons engaged by Paradox
Policy Owner: Directors of Paradox Dance Studio
Review Frequency: At least annually and following a significant incident, identified risk or relevant legislative change
Paradox Dance Studio is committed to providing an environment where every child and young person is safe, respected, heard, included and supported.
The safety and wellbeing of children is a fundamental responsibility of our organisation and is considered in the decisions we make, the people we engage, the environments we provide and the way we teach.
We have zero tolerance for child abuse, grooming, neglect, exploitation, harassment or any behaviour that places a child at risk of harm.
All concerns relating to the safety or wellbeing of a child will be taken seriously and responded to appropriately.
The safety and wellbeing of a child will take priority over the reputation, convenience, relationships or business interests of Paradox Dance Studio or any individual associated with it.
Child safety is everyone’s responsibility.
This policy explains how Paradox Dance Studio works to prevent harm to children and young people and how we respond when concerns arise.
It is designed to embed Queensland’s:
10 Child Safe Standards
and the
Universal Principle — Cultural Safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children
into the everyday operation and culture of Paradox.
This policy applies across all activities involving children including:
Paradox recognises that being child safe is more than holding Blue Cards.
Child safety must be embedded across our leadership, staff, policies, training, physical environments, online environments, communication, complaints procedures and everyday interactions with children.
Directors have overall responsibility for ensuring appropriate child safety systems are established and maintained.
Every person working or volunteering at Paradox is responsible for following these systems and contributing to a child-safe culture.
Child safety and wellbeing will form part of ongoing leadership discussions, staff meetings, training and review processes.
Paradox is committed to providing an environment that promotes and upholds the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Cultural safety means creating an environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children feel their identity, culture, rights and experiences are respected and valued.
We seek to create a studio environment where children and families:
Paradox recognises that cultural safety is not a separate activity. It must be considered across leadership, teaching, recruitment, complaints, communication, policies, performances and everyday studio culture.
We will continue to listen, learn and improve our understanding of cultural safety.
Child safety and wellbeing are embedded in Paradox’s leadership, governance and culture.
Paradox Directors are responsible for championing and modelling child-safe behaviour.
This includes:
No staff member should fear negative consequences for raising a genuine child safety concern.
Children have the right to understand their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and be taken seriously when they speak.
Paradox encourages children to:
Teachers should actively create environments where children feel comfortable communicating rather than relying on children to initiate difficult conversations themselves.
A child’s age, communication style, disability, cultural background or confidence must not prevent their concerns from being taken seriously.
Children will never be blamed for inappropriate behaviour by an adult.
Parents, carers and families are important partners in keeping children safe.
Paradox will provide families with information about relevant child safety policies and procedures and accessible ways to raise concerns.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to:
Where appropriate, feedback from families will be considered when reviewing child safety practices.
Every child has the right to feel safe and included.
Paradox does not tolerate discrimination, racism, bullying, harassment, intimidation or deliberate exclusion.
We recognise that some children may experience increased vulnerability or barriers to speaking up.
This can include, but is not limited to:
Paradox will make reasonable efforts to understand and respond to individual needs and remove barriers that prevent children from participating safely.
People working with children must be suitable to do so.
Where required, staff, teachers, contractors and volunteers must hold a valid Blue Card or appropriate Working with Children authority.
Paradox will:
Dance ability, professional experience or reputation does not override child safety requirements.
Guest teachers, contractors and visiting professionals are also expected to comply with Paradox child safety requirements when working with our children.
Adults working with children at Paradox hold a position of trust.
All staff must maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
Staff must:
Concerns regarding professional boundaries must be reported.
Detailed acceptable and unacceptable behaviours are contained in the Paradox Child Safe Code of Conduct.
Dance training can appropriately involve physical contact for technical correction, partnering, spotting, injury prevention, first aid and demonstrating movement.
Physical contact must:
Teachers should explain physical corrections where appropriate and remain sensitive to children’s individual boundaries.
Children are encouraged to communicate if physical contact makes them uncomfortable.
Private lessons require additional safeguards because a child may be working with one adult.
Private lessons conducted through Paradox must follow approved studio procedures.
For children:
Teachers must not use private lessons to establish secretive or inappropriate relationships with students.
Children, parents, carers, staff and volunteers have the right to raise concerns.
Complaints involving children will be handled in a manner that is:
A child or family will not be disadvantaged for raising a genuine concern.
Paradox will provide accessible information explaining how concerns can be raised.
Where appropriate, the person raising the concern will be informed about the response or outcome.
Complaints involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families will be managed with consideration of cultural safety and any support the child or family requests.
Complaints and trends will be reviewed to identify opportunities to improve our systems.
If a child says that they have been harmed or do not feel safe, staff must:
LISTEN
Allow the child to speak.
STAY CALM
Do not express shock or disbelief.
BELIEVE AND ACKNOWLEDGE
Take the concern seriously.
DO NOT INVESTIGATE
Do not repeatedly question the child or attempt to prove what occurred.
DO NOT PROMISE SECRECY
Explain that information may need to be shared with people who can help keep them safe.
PROTECT
Take reasonable immediate action if the child is currently unsafe.
RECORD
Document what was said and observed as accurately as possible.
REPORT
Follow the Paradox Child Safety Reporting Procedure immediately.
Where required, Paradox will report matters to police, child protection or another relevant authority and cooperate with investigations.
Internal reporting does not prevent any person from contacting an appropriate external authority directly.
If a child is in immediate danger, emergency services should be contacted.
Any allegation involving a teacher, director, employee, contractor, guest teacher or volunteer will be taken seriously regardless of the person’s reputation, seniority or relationship with Paradox.
Paradox may restrict or remove a person’s contact with children while a concern is assessed.
Such action is protective and does not itself determine whether an allegation is true.
Paradox will:
People working with children need the knowledge and confidence to keep them safe.
Paradox will progressively provide staff with information and training relating to:
Child safety will form part of staff induction.
Staff are expected to participate in required training and ask for assistance when unsure about their responsibilities.
Paradox operates multiple dance studios, a theatre and facilities across two buildings.
Child safety risks associated with our physical environment are actively considered.
This includes:
Staff should report hazards immediately.
Children must be appropriately supervised according to their age and circumstances.
Younger children must not travel between Paradox buildings unsupervised.
Teachers are responsible for following the Paradox studio transfer procedure.
Where children need to change buildings:
If any staff member sees a child outside without appropriate supervision, they must assist the child and bring them to reception or another responsible Paradox staff member.
Everyone shares responsibility for the safety of children within the Paradox environment.
Parents and guardians must follow designated drop-off and collection procedures.
Children should be collected from the designated Paradox collection point.
If a child is not collected:
Parents must communicate significant changes to collection arrangements.
Children participating in the Paradox Walking Bus must have current parent/guardian consent.
Authorised staff may collect registered children from Buranda State School and supervise them while travelling to Paradox Dance Studio.
Children must remain appropriately supervised throughout the journey.
Parents must notify Paradox if their child:
Changes must be communicated using the designated Paradox Walking Bus contact procedure.
If walking is unsafe or impractical because of extreme rain, storms, severe weather or another unexpected situation, alternative transport may only be provided in accordance with Paradox procedures and the parent’s/guardian’s recorded consent.
Dance performances create particular child safety risks.
Paradox will seek to:
Adults must remain mindful that children may be changing clothes even when backstage areas are busy.
Child safety extends to digital environments.
Staff must maintain professional boundaries when communicating electronically with children.
Staff must not:
Where practical, communication relating to younger students should occur through parents/guardians or approved Paradox channels.
Cyberbullying or inappropriate online behaviour connected with Paradox will be treated as a child safety concern.
Photography and video are an important part of dance education, performances and promotion.
Paradox will use images of children in accordance with applicable permissions and legitimate studio purposes.
Images must never be taken in:
Staff must never photograph or record students for inappropriate personal purposes.
Child safety includes protecting children from harmful behaviour by other children.
Paradox does not tolerate:
Teachers must not dismiss harmful behaviour as simply children being children.
Serious or repeated behaviour must be documented and escalated.
Responses should consider the safety and wellbeing of all children involved.
Where a child is injured or becomes unwell:
Emergency assistance must not be unnecessarily delayed where immediate medical intervention is required.
Paradox will identify, assess and take reasonable steps to reduce opportunities for children to be harmed.
Risk assessment may be required for activities including:
Risk management focuses on prevention rather than simply responding after something has occurred.
Controls and procedures will be reviewed when circumstances change or an incident identifies a weakness.
Paradox facilities are also used by external organisations and hirers.
Where third-party activities may interact with Paradox children, reasonable consideration will be given to child safety risks, including access to child-only areas and shared facilities.
External organisations do not automatically become authorised to interact with Paradox students simply because they are using Paradox facilities.
Paradox may establish conditions of hire or access to protect children.
Information about children must be handled sensitively and appropriately.
Child safety records should:
Confidentiality does not prevent Paradox from sharing information where this is required or appropriate to protect a child or comply with legal obligations.
Staff must understand that privacy should never be used as a reason to conceal a genuine child safety concern.
Being child safe is an ongoing process.
Paradox will regularly review its child safety systems and consider:
Following significant incidents, Paradox will consider not only what happened but whether changes could reduce the likelihood of it happening again.
This policy and the broader Paradox Child Safe Framework will be reviewed at least annually.
Paradox will maintain practical policies and procedures that support this Child Safety & Wellbeing Policy.
These documents form the Paradox Child Safe Framework and may include:
Policies must be practical, accessible and understood by the people expected to follow them.
Parents and guardians play an important role in child safety.
Families are expected to:
Every child at Paradox has the right to:
FEEL SAFE
BE TREATED WITH RESPECT
BE HEARD
SAY WHEN SOMETHING MAKES THEM UNCOMFORTABLE
ASK FOR HELP
BE INCLUDED
HAVE THEIR CULTURE AND IDENTITY RESPECTED
HAVE THEIR PRIVACY RESPECTED
REPORT A CONCERN WITHOUT BEING PUNISHED
KNOW THAT ADULTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROPRIATE BOUNDARIES
Children, parents, carers, staff and volunteers are encouraged to raise concerns about child safety.
Concerns may be raised with:
Paradox Dance Studio Directors / Designated Child Safety Contact
Contact details will be displayed with this policy and in appropriate parent/student information.
If a child is in immediate danger, contact emergency services.
Nothing in this policy prevents a person from contacting police, child protection or another appropriate authority directly.
Paradox exists because we believe dance can have an enormously positive impact on a child’s confidence, creativity, identity, friendships and future.
With that opportunity comes responsibility.
We want children to grow up remembering Paradox as somewhere they felt safe to be themselves, where adults listened to them, where differences were celebrated and where they were surrounded by people who genuinely cared about their wellbeing.
Child safety is not one person’s job.
It belongs to all of us.
PARADOX DANCE STUDIO