Child Safe Policy
This Child Safe Policy was approved on July 8 2023. It’s due to be reviewed on January 8 2024.
It covers both tutoring with Big Picture Tutoring, and participation in The Big Study Group (a project of Big Picture Tutoring). Some sections are relevant to Big Picture Tutoring only, and some are relevant to The Big Study Group only. Anything not specifically marked is relevant to both.
This policy was written to demonstrate the strong commitment Big Picture Tutoring has to child safety and wellbeing, and to provide an outline of policies and practices we have developed to keep everyone safe from any harm, including abuse.
It has been developed based on policy guidelines produced by the Commission for Children and Young People in Victoria, but also reflects the specific issues likely to arise in an online environment.
Commitment to Child Safety
The welfare of the children in our care will always be our first priority and we have a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse. All students, parents, staff, volunteers and contractors have the right to be treated with respect and feel secure and safe.
We encourage and support Aboriginal children to express their culture and enjoy their cultural rights. We are committed to the principles of cultural safety and inclusion of children from diverse backgrounds, and to the safety and inclusion of children with a disability and children living out of home. We support and welcome students and families of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We recognise that these principles support the safety of all children.
Valuing Diversity
We value diversity and do not tolerate any discriminatory practices.
All students are different. We ongoingly educate ourselves about anything that might impact the learning of each student, and welcome feedback at all times.
Code of Conduct
All Big Picture Tutoring staff, volunteers and contractors are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct (see below). They are trained to prevent and respond to child harm, and to support the wellbeing of children.
Working With Children Check
All staff are required to have a valid Working With Children Check.
No person without a valid Working With Children Check will interact with students unsupervised.
Privacy
All personal information considered or recorded will respect the privacy of the individuals involved, whether they be staff, tutors, parents or children, unless there is a risk to someone’s safety. We have safeguards and practices in place to ensure any personal information is protected. Everyone is entitled to know how this information is recorded, what will be done with it, and who will have access to it.
For The Big Study Group:
In an online environment it is important to identify and mitigate risks without compromising a child’s right to privacy, access to information, social connections and learning opportunities. This policy was developed with this key principle in mind.
The Big Study Group is hosted on a private platform, not public social media. We do not sell data.
Whilst participants do need to provide some information about themselves to register, only their first name and their year level is displayed to other members of the group by default. Participants can choose to display other information on their profile if they wish to.
Nothing a participant posts will be shared outside the group by Big Picture Tutoring unless:
the student gives us written permission
we are concerned for their safety or the safety of others
All participants must agree not to share information about other participants when they join the group. A participant who breaks this rule may no longer be able to participate in the group. That said, it is impossible for Big Picture Tutoring to guarantee privacy in an online group setting, and all participants should keep this in mind when deciding what to post.
Reporting Procedures
Anyone who reports abuse to Big Picture Tutoring will be listened to, and all reports will be treated as serious.
We will act immediately to ensure the safety of the child or children, and to prevent further harm from occurring.
In cases of reports of abuse confidentiality cannot be maintained, and we will follow mandatory reporting guidelines.
If you have any concerns about the conduct of anyone associated with Big Picture Tutoring please contact us immediately.
If we do not resolve your concern you can contact the Australian Tutoring Association on (02) 9704 5724.
If you believe a child is at immediate risk of abuse phone 000.
Communication with Students
For Big Picture Tutoring:
Big Picture Tutoring provides mentoring as well as tutoring, and encourages strong, safe, respectful and appropriate relationships between tutor and student (and tutor and parent).
Our tutoring occurs online, and all technology we use to deliver tutoring is password protected. We regularly review our procedures to make sure we are following the best online privacy and security practices.
All classes are scheduled in our online portal, which is available to parents. No class will take place that is not scheduled in the online portal.
Parents are welcome to be present in the room during tutoring to satisfy themselves that their child is in a safe environment.
Students may have contact with the tutor outside of class time. This is usually for practical reasons, like rescheduling a class or following up something that was discussed in a previous session.
In addition, the tutor may wish students well for important events in their lives like exams and birthdays, and at times students want to share events that are occurring in their lives with the tutor. These communications can be important for building a good relationship, and are similar to the conversations a student may have with a classroom teacher outside of class time (eg in the schoolyard).
The tutor may communicate with students outside of class by phone (call or text), by email, or through official Big Picture Tutoring social media accounts (never a personal account). The tutor will not see a student in person unless it is incidental (they run into them down the street), at an official Big Picture Tutoring event, or another appropriate event (like a school play) about which parents are informed.
In all situations, the tutor will observe professional boundaries.
The tutor is also aware that parents may be monitoring any of the above communication methods. Alternatively parents can be provided a copy of communications from Big Picture Tutoring upon request. Records will be retained for 6 months.
If a parent has any concerns Big Picture Tutoring will be happy to discuss them and make adjustments to these arrangements.
For The Big Study Group:
For students who also receive personal tutoring, The Big Picture Tutoring Child Safe Policy applies.
For all other students communication will only be through The Big Study Group Platform and the email provided.
Parents can be provided a copy of all email and private message communications from Big Picture Tutoring upon request. Records will be retained for 6 months. However in order to protect the privacy of all members of the Big Study Group copies of communications occurring within the group are not available.
Registering for The Big Study Group
The group is only open to secondary students. This means that most participants will be children though there may at times be adult participants – Year 12 students who have turned 18 and mature age students returning to complete their secondary schooling.
To register all students must prove they are currently enrolled at secondary school by providing a working school email address. If for some reason they cannot do this a photograph of valid school identification can be used.
All parents or guardians of minor students and adult students must provide an email address and phone number so they can be contacted if any issues arise.
All parents or guardians and students must agree to The Big Study Group Rules and Guidelines.
Participating in The Big Study Group
The Big Study Group will be regularly (although not constantly) moderated according to The Big Study Group Guidelines. These guidelines will be used proactively to develop a strong, safe group culture that fosters diversity and well-being.
The Guidelines will be on display for participants each time they log in.
Resources that support safe online behaviour will be available at all times.
If a parent has any concern about the safety or well-being of a student participating in The Big Study Group please contact us immediately.
big picture tutoring code of conduct
This Code of Conduct covers both Big Picture Tutoring, and The Big Study Group (a project of Big Picture Tutoring).
Commitment to Child Safety
The welfare of the children in our care will always be our first priority and we have a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse. All students, parents, staff, volunteers and contractors have the right to be treated with respect and feel secure and safe.
We encourage and support Aboriginal children to express their culture and enjoy their cultural rights. We are committed to the principles of cultural safety and inclusion of children from diverse backgrounds, and to the safety and inclusion of children with a disability and children living out of home. We support and welcome students and families of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We recognise that these principles support the safety of all children.
Code of Conduct Agreement
All Big Picture Tutoring staff, volunteers and contractors are responsible for promoting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people by agreeing to and adhering to the below standards of behaviour:
I WILL:
- Adhere to all relevant Australian and Victorian legislation, Big Picture Tutoring’s Child Safe Policy and other organizational policies
- Take all reasonable steps to protect children from abuse, and raise concerns with management if risks to child safety are identified
- Report and act on any behavioural complaints, concerns or observed breaches regarding this Code of Conduct
- Immediately report any concern, allegation, disclosure or observation of child abuse to Big Picture Tutoring and the relevant person or authority in line with mandatory reporting requirements, including the Reportable Conduct Scheme
- Respect the privacy of children and their families by keeping all information regarding Child Protection concerns confidential, only discussing information with the relevant people to follow reporting procedure
- If a child chooses to disclose to me, I will:
be accessible and receptive;
listen carefully and uncritically at the child’s pace;
take what is said seriously;
reassure the child that they are right to tell;
tell the child that this information must be passed on;
make a careful record of what was said.
- I will treat all children and young people with respect, regardless of race, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, culture, property, disability or other status
- Ensure that all children and young people I interact with are treated with respect, and are able to learn in an environment free from racism and discrimination
- Listen to children and respond to them appropriately, including valuing their ideas and opinions
- Welcome all children and their families and carers by being inclusive
- Actively promote cultural safety and inclusion
- Conduct myself in a manner consistent with the values of the Big Picture Tutoring organisation
- Respect the privacy of students, parents, other staff and Big Picture Tutoring, and follow procedures to protect information
- For Big Picture Tutoring: Communicate with students and parents only by the phone number and email address they have provided to Big Picture Tutoring, and retain records of all communications for 6 months
- Observe professional boundaries with children at all times, including when communicating with a child outside of class times
- For The Big Study Group: Communicate with students only through The Big Study Group Platform or an official Big Picture Tutoring email account
I WILL NOT:
- Condone or participate in behaviour with children that is illegal, unsafe or abusive
- Seek to use children in any way to meet the needs of adults
- Ignore or disregard any concerns, suspicions or disclosures of child abuse
- Exaggerate or trivialise child abuse issues
- Use hurtful, discriminatory or offensive behaviour or language with children
- Discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender identity, race, culture or sexual orientation
- Communicate with students on social media through anything other than the official Big Picture Tutoring accounts
- Use any computer, mobile phone, or video or digital camera to exploit or harass children
- For Big Picture Tutoring: Arrange to see a student in person without getting the consent of Big Picture Tutoring, and the student’s parent or guardian.
