Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

City of Stonnington has a zero tolerance to child abuse. All Council Officers, including employees, contractors, volunteers and Councillors have a legal and moral obligation to keep children safe and promote their best interests. All children regardless of their age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, ability and family background have the right to be protected from harm and to be treated with dignity, respect and integrity.

As a child safe organisation we are committed to providing welcoming, safe and accessible environments where children feel valued, listened to and considered in decisions that affect their lives. The need to remove or reduce the risk of child abuse informs our decision making concerning children in our care. We have specific policies, procedures and practices in place to support our people to achieve these commitments.

Stonnington Library and Information Service is an eSmart Library Service, recognising we are equipped to support our customers to use technology in a smart, safe and responsible way. 

We want our online events to be a fun, safe and inclusive space for children. Our online events are suitable for children attending primary school and aged 5 to 12 years. Children must be supervised by a responsible adult while attending online events.

To keep children safe during online events, we will:

  • Ensure our events and activities are age appropriate and restricted to the recommended age.
  • Dedicate staff members to monitor the event.
  • Set clear expectations of behaviour and communication for all guests and staff.
  • Edit or remove inappropriate posts that do not meet our guidelines at any time.
  • Remove unwanted or disruptive guests whose behaviour is deemed inappropriate.
  • Remove posts that reveal personal information about children, or that refer children to third-party websites.   
  • Use a licensed account and secure the event with a meeting ID and password.

To keep children safe during online events, we require parents/guardians:

  • To provide consent for your child to join the online event.
  • Keep the computer or device in an area of your home that can be supervised.
  • Actively participate in discussion or content your child engages with online, and check in regularly with your child to see what they are viewing.

For more tips and information about staying safe online during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit the eSafety Commissioner website.

The eSafety Commissioner has practical instructions about disabling features to increase safety. It has information for different platforms e.g. Zoom, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, Fortnite etc. 

Information about Stonnington’s:

  • Child safety Code of Conduct
  • Code of conduct for parents and guardians
  • Code of conduct for children and young people
  • Child safety and child protection policy

is available on the City of Stonnington website. 

 

Back to top