Safeguarding Children and Young People in the City of Glenorchy

The Universal Principle of Aboriginal Cultural Safety means that organisations must respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and ensure that children and young people’s sense self and identify is nurtured and encouraged. Because of the new law, local governments (Councils) have new responsibilities towards children and young people in our community.

Learn more:

Open Workshop

Glenorchy City Council’s Social Planning & Policy Officer, Scoutt Winter has given a presentation to Elected Members about child safe organisations.

Elected Members and attendees heard about :

  1. The Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act (2023) and what it means for Council
  2. Council’s approach and framework to meet our obligations

You can see the presentation in full by clicking here.

You can find more training or learning resources by clicking here.

If you or someone you know needs support, it is available:

  • LifeLine: 131114
  • 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
  • Family Violence Counselling and Support Service: 1800 608 122
  • Tasmanian Sexual Assault Support Line (24 hour): 1800 697 877
  • Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636

Report a child safety concern

If you are worried about a child or young person’s safety, here are some things you can do.

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, please contact the Police on 000 or the Strong Families Safe Kids Advice & Referral Line on 1800 000 123.

  • For information about child wellbeing and safety, contact the Strong Families Safe Kids Referral Line: 1800 000 123. Anyone can call this advice line – their staff will:
    • Talk to you about the situation,
    • Answer your questions,
    • Give you information or advice,
    • If needed, arrange a referral to a service which can best meet the needs of the child.
  • If you are concerned a crime has been committed (such as the physical or sexual abuse of a child or young person), contact the Police Assistance Line: 131 444
  • To report online child sexual abuse including child sexual abuse material, please contact the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, using the Report Abuse button.
  • You can report illegal online content, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse material to the eSafety Commissioner.
  • If you would like to report a historic child sexual abuse issue, find out more from the National Redress Scheme. You can visit their website or call 1800 737 377.

Historical child sexual abuse refers to child sexual abuse that happened to someone who is now an adult, when they were under the age of 18. The abuse could have happened many years ago and may not have been disclosed before or for a long time.

Wellbeing support for children & young people:

For other support:

  • For domestic, family and sexual violence counselling and support, contact 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
  • For information and support for anyone who is affected by complex trauma, contact Blue Knot Foundation: 1300 657 380
  • For free and confidential support for people who have been affected by sexual violence, contact the Tasmanian Sexual Assault Support Line (24 hour service, state-wide): 1800 697 877
  • For information and support for children, young people and adults affected by family violence, contact Family Violence Counselling and Support Service: 1800 608 122
  • For free and confidential support for people impacted by crime, contact Victims of Crime Service: 1300 300 238
  • For support for relationships and to live positive lives, contact Relationships Australia Tasmania: 1300 364 277

To look for other services, use Find Help Tas.

Report a concern about a Glenorchy City Council worker or program

When a report of inappropriate behaviour is made to Glenorchy City Council, this is what will happen. A person with a child safety concern contacts Council – through web form, email or phone (03 6216 6800). If you are using the webform, you can choose to receive a confirmation email as a record. Please tell us:

  • When and where the incident/s happened,
  • What you saw/heard,
  • Who was involved,
  • Your name and contact information (you can also report anonymously).

If the incident is Reportable Conduct, Glenorchy City Council’s General Manager will:

  • contact the Independent Regulator (appointed by the Tasmanian Government for this purpose) within 3 business days of receiving your report,
  • Start an investigation into your concern/s

If the incident is not Reportable Conduct, Glenorchy City Council will respond to your complaint under the Glenorchy City Council Complaints Management Policy.

You can report directly to the Office of the Independent Regulator if you prefer.

Reportable Conduct – includes a range of behaviour involving, or in the presence of, children and young people, and is broader than suspected criminal behaviour alone. Reportable Conduct must refer to the actions of an adult (over 18) towards a child or young person (under 18).

The Glenorchy City Council General Manager will nominate a person to conduct an investigation. This may be a staff member or an independent contractor (The Investigator). The decision about who conducts an investigation is made on the advice of the Office of the Independent Regulator.

The worker/s:

  • The worker will be removed from any activities involving children or young people, until the investigation is complete,
  • If the worker is active in any other organisations involving children or young people, the head of that organisation will be notified that an investigation is taking place,
  • The Tasmanian government department (CBOS) in charge of Registration for Working with Vulnerable People will also be notified, and the worker’s registration may be put on hold while the investigation takes place.

The Investigator may contact the person who made the report, the child or young person, any witnesses or other people involved in the incident to collect information about the concern – by phone, video or in person. In this interview, more details of your concern are recorded, including, investigators collecting evidence and keep records of their activities.

Once the evidence has been collected and assessed, an investigation report is shared with all people/organisations  involved. This will include information about:

  • the standard of proof (how likely it is that reportable conduct has occurred) for a reportable conduct investigation,
  • assessing collected evidence,
  • making findings based on evidence,
  • communicating about the outcome,
  • processes following the conclusion of the investigation.

Your Privacy

Glenorchy City Council staff are only provided with, or have access to, the information that is necessary for them to carry out their work with the Council.

All information about you, the child or young person and the worker involved will be kept private and confidential.

Under the law, we must share the information with the Office of the Independent Regulator and may also share it with the Strong Families Safe Kids Advice & Referral Line and the Tasmanian Police if required.

All Glenorchy City Council staff are bound by the GCC Code of Conduct, GCC Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy and Privacy policies.

Under Tasmania’s Information Sharing law, organisations are allowed to share personal information in specific circumstances where child safety is at risk.

Information can only be shared with specific bodies – the Independent Regulator, the Police, the Registrar of the Working With Vulnerable People Act (CBOS), and in certain cases for the safety of children.

There are financial penalties for anyone who shares information beyond or outside of these permissions.

Record Keeping

Under Tasmanian law, organisations must keep information relating to child abuse for 125 years after that child or young person’s date of birth.

You are giving personal information to the Glenorchy City Council (such as your name, email address and/or phone number). We collect and use that information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 and the City of Glenorchy’s Personal Information Protection Policy.

Your information may be shared with other relevant persons such as the Independent Regulator and Tasmania Police, in accordance with the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023. We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, complete and up to date. Where practicable, we will check on the accuracy of personal information before we use it.

More Resources about Child Safety

Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework – TRANSLATED

https://oir.tas.gov.au/resources

Child sexual abuse – Get the facts (by the National Office for Child Safety)

Child sexual abuse – Get the facts (ENGLISH)

Child sexual abuse: Get the facts – translated resources

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