Central Queensland Christian College is committed to the safety and well-being of all children and young people who use its services. Our workers will treat them with respect and understanding at all times.

PREVENTING HARM TO STUDENTS FROM PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL
Over 85% of children who are harmed are harmed by someone they know and trust – a parent, sibling, another relative, family friend or care provider. Employees should be aware of the physical, emotional and behavioural indicators of risk of student harm, and actual harm. These indicators are more significant if they are severe and/or consistent over time.

Indicators of harm

Physical abuse and excessive punishment:

• Student presents with bruises, burns or fractures at a frequency which is inconsistent with normal activity;
• Student offers explanations for an injury which appear inconsistent with that injury;
• Student or another person advise that he/she has been subjected to or threatened with physical harm;
• Reluctance/refusal to participate in swimming or other activities where getting changed or wearing more revealing clothes may show signs of harm;
• Excessive absenteeism.

Emotional abuse and/or deprivation:

• Poor peer relationships/withdrawn
• Inclined to seek adult company and/or students who are older or younger;
• Avoiding going home on a regular basis;
• Learning difficulties, including poor concentration;
• Attention seeking behaviour such as stealing, lying, running away, disrupting classes repeatedly.

Physical neglect and/or inadequate supervision or care:

• Student appears underweight for age and body type;
• Inadequate clothing;
• Asking other students for food or money or not bringing food to school;
• Excessive absences from school and/or high frequency of illness/infection;
• Student often arrives at school early and/or leaves late.

Sexual abuse:

• Bruises, bite marks or other injuries to breasts, buttocks, arms, lower abdomen or thighs;
• Bruises, scratches or other injuries not consistent with accidental injury;
• Difficulty walking or sitting;
• Persistent headaches or recurrent abdominal pain;
• Unexplained pain in genital area;
• Torn, stained or bloodied underwear;
• Itching, soreness, discharge or unexplained bleeding;
• Painful and recurrent urination;
• Recurrent urinary tract infections;
• Signs of sexually transmitted diseases;
• Pregnancy in adolescents where the identity of the father is vague or secret.

Where an employee has concerns or is unsure whether or not observations should be cause for concern, it is mandatory that they report their concerns to the Principal.

The Principal will contact the Department of Communities (Child Safety Services) to discuss, in the first instance, the fact there is a concern and to seek advice as to the appropriateness of formally reporting the matter.

If it is deemed, after this discussion, that further investigation is warranted, then the Principal, on behalf of the employee who made the original observation, will report the matter to the Queensland Police Service. Reporting to the police is mandatory where harm caused to a child indicates a criminal offence may have taken place, such as a sexual assault. At this time the employee concerned must be available to give a first-hand account of the situation.

It should be noted that the role of the employee is not an investigative one. Staff must not undertake investigations beyond satisfying themselves that they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a student has been, or is at risk of harm. Neither the employee nor the Principal is obliged to obtain proof, establish the cause of harm or assess its severity.

Once a report has been made, the employee is not required to take further action, beyond the requirement to exercise a duty of care.

Evidence
The investigation of these matters is a complex and sensitive process. In the course of an investigation, officers from the child protection agencies may request permission to interview the student concerned. In most cases, in order to ensure the interests of the child are protected, the student may be interviewed before the matter is discussed with the parent/caregiver.

The responsibility for informing parents/caregivers of notifications and any interviews rests with the investigating child protection agency officers, not with the Principal. For this reason, any person making an enquiry or complaint concerning an investigation or an interview must be promptly referred to the Principal who will refer the enquirer to the appropriate department, with the explanation that it is the responsibility of that department to answer such inquiries or complaints.

Confidentiality
The identity of the person reporting the matter must not be revealed to any person or officer of any department without that person’s consent.

Child protection agencies operate under strict laws of confidentiality. This means they do not divulge the identity of the person reporting the matter except to others requiring the information to perform duties under the Child Protection Act 1999, neither do they divulge information about their investigations to the person reporting the matter.

Support for the Student
The school has a responsibility to offer a long-term supportive environment for all students.

The following suggestions are offered as ways to support the student who may be in need of protection:

1. Treat the student with respect and dignity.
2. Be sensitive to the student’s needs, feelings and concerns.
3. Monitor the situation.
4. Maintain confidentiality as far as practicable.

In some circumstances, consultation between the teacher and student’s case worker from the Department of Communities (Child Safety Services) may be necessary. Immediate notification to the child protection agency is vital if any further incidents of harm are suspected.

Additional support and assistance may be available from personnel such as the School Counsellors and social workers or counsellors from other agencies.