Child Safety

Our Anglican schools and education care services are committed to promoting the safety, wellbeing and best interests of children, and to preventing, detecting and responding to child harm. Every child has the right to be safe and feel safe.

As Anglican child safe organisations we commit to:

• Implementing Queensland’s 10 Child Safe Standards and the Universal Principle
• Operating by Gospel values which emphasise service, inclusivity, integrity, character, dignity, compassion and justice.
• Providing children with exceptional pastoral care.
• Providing care, that is physically, emotionally, psychologically and culturally safe.
• Taking all reasonable steps to protect children from exposure to harm.
• Empowering children to participate in decisions that affect them.
• Educating children about who to approach if they feel unsafe or have concerns.
• Instructing our community members on how to respond to complaints, concerns, and breaches of our conduct expectations.
• Maintaining effective processes for responding to concerns of child harm.
• Listening, learning and seeking to improve.

STUDENT RIGHTS

As a service organisation we promise to Educate, Empower and Protect all children through…

RESPECT – We will make sure everyone feels included and welcome in our community.

INFORM – We will teach you how to feel and be safe physically, emotionally and when you are online. We will tell you what to do if you feel unsafe.

GIVE YOU A VOICE – we will give you lots of opportunities to have a voice and be part of what you would like to be involved in.

HELP – we will listen and act on what you tell us. We are always there to help you to achieve your hopes and dreams and support you with your worries and fears.

TRUST – We want you to know that you can trust us to care about your needs and feelings and we will help you. We will always get better at what we do.

SAFETY – We will make Coomera Anglican College a happy, comfortable, safe place for you.

What should you do if worried about a student or family?

If, at any time, you or you think someone you know is feeling worried, scared, bad, or hurt; or someone might be treating you or someone you know in a way that is wrong; it doesn’t matter how, when or where it has happened; we want you to tell an adult who can help. 

As a student you have a right and responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your peers and yourself.

“If you see, hear or feel something, say something.”

What can I expect if I share my concerns with a member of staff?

If you share your concern with a member of staff, they will help to address the concern and try to keep your concerns confidential as much as possible. If the concern is serious and the member of staff is aware or reasonably suspects that someone has been harmed, or place at risk of harm due to the behaviour or actions of another person, he or she will report it to a Child Safe Advocate. If the staff member has no choice about reporting what you have told them, he or she will explain to you exactly what will happen next.

What will the Child Safe Advocate do?

If the Child Safe Advocate is aware or reasonably suspects that someone has been harmed, or place at risk of harm due to the behaviour or actions of another person, it must be reported to the Principal and it may have to be reported to the Police. 

At the College, some adults who can help are our Child Safe Advocates or the Principal. Child Safe Advocates at Coomera Anglican College are: 

Coomera Anglican College Child Safe Advocates

Reportable Conduct 

Reportable conduct works alongside our commitment to child safety by ensuring that any concern about a worker’s behaviour towards a child is identified, reported, investigated and managed in a child-focused way. Please note: Workers have a very broad definition - any person who performs work of any kind within, or on behalf of the school or ECS. 

As Anglican child safe organisations, the Reportable Conduct Scheme supports child safety by:

• Strengthening prevention — requiring systems, policies and practices that reduce the risk of abuse or misconduct by workers.
• Encouraging early reporting — ensuring concerns about inappropriate or harmful behaviour are raised and acted on, even where the matter may not meet the threshold for police action.
• Ensuring accountability — requiring investigation of allegations involving workers and report outcomes to the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC).
• Prioritising the child’s best interests — ensuring decisions are made with the safety, wellbeing and protection of children at the centre.
• Managing ongoing risk —timely steps to mitigate risks to students while concerns are investigated.
• Supporting information sharing — helping prevent people who pose a risk to children from moving between organisations without their conduct being identified.

In this way, reportable conduct forms part of our broader child safe framework and supports the College’s commitment to maintaining a safe, respectful and protective environment for all students.

How to report

Workers at Coomera Anglican College (School)

• Reports are made directly to the Principal, as the Head of Entity via reportableconduct@cac.qld.edu.au

Workers at Coomera Anglican College Early Learning Centre

• Reports are made directly to the Executive Director of the Anglican Schools Commission, as the ESC’ Head of Entity via the below contact information
• Executive Director can be contacted by:
  • Via the Contact Us section of the Anglican Schools Commission website https://ascqld.org/contact-us/
  • Email: reportableconduct@ascqld.org.au
  • In writing to GPO BOX 421, Brisbane, Qld, 4001
  • The Anglican Schools Commission can also be contacted by telephone: (07) 3825 2306

For concerns about the reportable conduct of the Principal, or their management of reportable conduct matters, reports can be made directly to the Executive Director and Director of Child Safety at the Anglican Schools Commission, as Delegated Reporting Officers. You can also contact the Queensland Family and Child Commission. For more information, visit Reportable Conduct Scheme | QFCC. In addition to this, if you are concerned about our operations, you may also consider making a complaint through our Complaints Management process.

For more information please see our Child Safety page on The Hive.