ACICIS Child Protection Policy

1.   Introduction

The Australian Consortium for ‘In-Country’ Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) has a zero tolerance approach to child exploitation or abuse. ACICIS has a commitment to safeguarding children from harm and respects children’s right to safety and freedom, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.ACICIS recognises that it is a shared responsibility of all adults to prevent child exploitation and abuse.

This policy has been written with guidance from the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Child Protection Policy which is part of DFAT’s child protection framework.

2.   Scope of this Policy

The policy applies to:

  • ACICIS staff in Indonesia and Australia
  • ACICIS interns and student buddies in Indonesia and Australia
  • All students and participants on ACICIS in-country study programs

ACICIS partner universities and host organisations in Indonesia are expected to act in accordance with this policy. They must also abide by their own relevant policies, international declarations, conventions, agreements, and domestic legal framework, which seek to protect children.

3.   Policy Principles

Principle 1: Zero tolerance of child exploitation and abuse

  • ACICIS has a zero tolerance approach to child exploitation or
  • ACICIS does not knowingly engage anyone who poses a risk to
  • ACICIS uses robust recruitment and screening processes to ensure that staff, students, partners and other individuals it engages do not pose a risk to children.
  • ACICIS works to minimise the risks of child exploitation and abuse associated with its programs and trains staff, students and partners on their obligations under this policy.

Principle 2: Assess and manage child protection risk and impact

  • ACICIS takes responsibility for assessing and managing child protection risk and

Principle 3: Sharing responsibility for child protection

  • ACICIS requires the commitment, support and cooperation of partner universities and host organisations to manage potential risks to children.

Principle 4: Procedural fairness

  • ACICIS will apply procedural fairness when making decisions that affect a person’s rights or interests of a person and expects all partners to adhere to this principle when responding to concerns or allegations of child exploitation and abuse.

4.   Risk Based Approach

If an ACICIS program or activity involves potential contact with children, an assessment of child protection risk will be conducted. If an ACICIS program or activity involves ‘working with children’, ACICIS students are required to obtain a relevant Criminal Record Check (or equivalent) before being permitted to undertake the program.

5.   Responsibilities under the Policy

ACICIS Staff

ACICIS staff must ensure child protection risk is considered in all aspects of ACICIS’ operations. ACICIS staff are expected to act in accordance with ACICIS’ Child Protection Code of Conduct and the policy principles outlined in this document.

ACICIS Students

ACICIS students and program participants are expected to act in accordance with ACICIS’ Child Protection Code of Conduct and the policy principles outlined in this document.

ACICIS Partners

All ACICIS partners are expected to act in accordance with ACICIS’ Child Protection Code of Conduct and the policy principles outlined in this document.

6.   Reporting, Non-compliance and Sanctions

If there is any suspicion of child abuse and exploitation in an activity related to ACICIS it must be reported to the ACICIS Consortium Director immediately via email at enquiries@acicis.edu.au . When responding to any report of child abuse or exploitation, the Consortium Director must ensure every action is taken to adhere to the policy principles in this document.

If a report is received, the Consortium Director (or appropriate delegate) will complete the report template provided in Appendix A. The Consortium Director will refer to the mitigation strategies outlined in the DFAT Child Protection Guidance Note: Child Protection in Emergencies when dealing with a report of child abuse or exploitation.

In the event of a report of possible child abuse or exploitation being filed with the Consortium Director, the Consortium Director will convey the completed report template to the ACICIS National Reference Group before also conveying it – if appropriate – to the relevant authorities in Indonesia and Australia. The National Reference Group will then conduct a formal investigation and impose sanctions if/where deemed necessary.

7.   Minimum Child Protection Standards

Requirement Minimum Standard Evidence
Child Protection Policy ACICIS implements this child protection policy and raises awareness with all parties to adhere to this policy. ·        Child Policy Protection in place.

·        Personnel aware of this policy.

·        Initial risk assessment of partner/activities to inform policy development.
Reporting Procedures Reporting procedure in place in the event there is suspicion of child abuse and exploitation. ·        Clear line of reporting outlined within this policy.

·        Personnel aware of the processes.
Risk Assessment ACICIS undertakes a risk assessment to reduce the risk of any child being harmed as a result of any partnership or activity connected to ACICIS in Indonesia. ·        Risk plan and measures in place to reduce or remove the risk to children.

·        Documentation that risk assessments are reviewed and updated.
Placement/Activity Practices ACICIS students participating in placements where children are present will need to have a valid Criminal Record Check, issued by the appropriate state in Australia. ·        Students to provide a copy of a valid Criminal Record Check before starting their program in Indonesia (if deemed applicable).

8.   Photography or Filming Children

ACICIS will advise all staff, students and participants on ACICIS in-country study programs of their obligation to adhere to ACICIS’ Child Protection Code of Conduct when photographing or filming a child or using children’s images for ACICIS-related purposes.

ACICIS will not use any images of children for marketing and promotional purposes. ACICIS will only take photos or footage of children with consent from both the child and the child’s parent or guardian, and will explain how the footage or photograph(s) will be used.

ACICIS will not reveal any information about the identity of children in images or footage it sends electronically or publishes in any form.

9.   Date of Effect

This policy is effective as of 1 January 2021 and will be reviewed every three years.

10.  Glossary

The following definitions are taken from the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Child Protection Policy 2018.4

ABUSE

  • Physical abuse – the use of physical force against a child that results in harm to the child. Physically abusive behaviour includes shoving, hitting, slapping, shaking, throwing, punching, kicking, biting, burning, strangling and poisoning.
  • Neglect – the failure by a parent or caregiver to provide a child (where they are in a position to do so) with the conditions that are culturally accepted as being essential for their physical and emotional development and wellbeing.
  • Emotional abuse – refers to a parent or caregiver’s inappropriate verbal or symbolic acts toward a child, or a pattern of failure over time to provide a child with adequate non-physical nurture and emotional availability. Such acts have a high probability of damaging a child’s self-esteem or social competence.
  • Sexual abuse – the use of a child for sexual gratification by an adult or significantly older child or Sexually abusive behaviours can include fondling genitals; masturbation; oral sex; vaginal or anal penetration by a penis, finger or any other object; fondling breasts; voyeurism; exhibitionism; and exposing the child to, or involving the child in, pornography;5
  • Ill-treatment – disciplining or correcting a child in an unreasonable and seriously inappropriate or improper manner; making excessive and/or degrading demands of a child; hostile use of force towards a child; and/or a pattern of hostile or unreasonable and seriously inappropriate degrading comments or behaviour towards a child

CHILD EXPLOITATION

  • Using a minor for profit, labour, sexual gratification, or some other personal or financial advantage
  • Committing or coercing another person to commit an act or acts of grooming or online grooming
  • Possessing, controlling, producing, distributing, obtaining or transmitting child exploitation material
  • Committing or coercing another person to commit an act or acts of abuse against a child

11.  References

  1. United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
    https://www.humanrights.gov.au/convention-rights-child
  2. Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Child Protection Policy 2018
    https://dfat.gov.au/international-relations/themes/child-protection/Documents/child-protection- policy.pdf
  3. DFAT Child Protection Guidance Note: Child Protection in Emergencies 2017
    https://dfat.gov.au/international-relations/themes/child- protection/Documents/Child%20Protection%20in%20Emergencies.pdf
  4. Australian Institute of Family Studies, ‘Fact Sheet 12 What is child abuse and neglect?’ National Children’s Clearinghouse

Download a pdf version of this policy here.