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Code of Conduct

Our Code of Conduct described the minimum standards of performance and behaviour for employees and volunteers. 

What you can expect from us – we will: 

  • Understand and abide by the RREE Statement of Commitment to Child Safety, 

  • Understand and abide by the RREE Child Safe Code of Conduct when working with or interacting with children,

  • Demonstrate organisational values and philosophy in work performance, conduct when seen to be representing the organisation in person or online, and in all interactions with children, families, community and work colleagues, 

  • Be honest and act with integrity and accountability for their actions, 

  • Treat all people with dignity and respect and uphold their human rights, including those identified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the ECA Australia Code of Ethics, 

  • Ensure no person is discriminated against due to their gender, sexuality, age, cultural background, physical or intellectual abilities, appearance, family status or other protected attributes, 

  • Set and maintain clear professional boundaries with children, families and work colleagues, 

  • Only have physical contact with a child in ways appropriate to their professional role and responsibilities and avoid any form of corporal punishment, inappropriate discipline or inappropriate conduct. 

  • Take responsibility for achieving and maintaining a high standard and continuous improvement of work performance, 

  • Work within the requirements and delegations of their job role or position description and follow reasonable directions from supervisors, 

  • Be compliant with all relevant laws and regulations, including Education and Care Services National Law and Regulation, 

  • Maintain the privacy of children, families and work colleagues and the confidentiality of RREE information, 

  • Use RREE resources lawfully, efficiently and only as authorised, 

  • Declare and manage any real, perceived or potential conflicts of interest, and 

  • Maintain awareness of and follow RREE policies and procedures 

 

What we expect from you when we interact with you, or you are attending our services: 

  • Treat all children and adults at the service with dignity and respect, 

  • If you suspect or know that a child is being abused, neglected, discriminated against or mistreated, including by one of our employees or volunteers, notify the nominated supervisor, the General Manager, a Board member or any employee as soon as possible, 

  • Don’t discriminate against or be disrespectful to any person due to their gender, sexuality, age, cultural background, physical or intellectual abilities, appearance, or family status, 

  • Maintain the security of any confidential information, including security codes, logins or any confidential information disclosed to you, 

  • Don’t take photographs of children at our services on personal devices or share them online without direct consent (we will take photos for you on request), 

  • Don’t use or be affected by alcohol, illegal drugs or tobacco (including vapes) while on our premises, 

  • Meet any responsibilities identified in our policies and procedures, including keeping your information up to date, providing authorisations when requested, paying fees on time, providing medical information and medicine when needed and keeping us informed of important information related to your child, and 

  • Let us know as soon as possible if you have feedback, a complaint or a concern (you can talk to any employee or Board member or contact our General Manager. 

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You can find more information in our NQS7.45 Code of Conduct Policy 

Child Safe Code of Conduct

All paid and unpaid staff are expected to act in accordance with the Child Safe Code of Conduct in their physical and online interactions with children under the age of 18 years.

I will:

  • Be a positive role model in my conduct with children and behave respectfully, courteously and ethically towards children and their families and towards other staff,

  • Listen and respond to the views and concerns of children, particularly if they communicate to me (verbally or non-verbally) that they do not feel safe or well,

  • Promote the human rights, safety and wellbeing of all children in our services and always act in accordance with RREE policies and procedures,

  • Demonstrate appropriate personal and professional boundaries, including setting clear boundaries between myself and any child,

  • Only have physical contact with a child in ways that are appropriate to my professional or agreed role and responsibilities,

  • Consider and respect the diverse backgrounds and needs of children and create an environment that promotes and enables children’s participation and is welcoming, culturally safe and inclusive for all children and their families,

  • Involve children in making decisions about activities, policies and processes that concern them wherever possible,

  • Contribute, where appropriate, to RREE policies, discussions, and reviews about child safety and wellbeing,

  • Identify and mitigate risks to children’s safety and wellbeing as required by RREE Risk Management Policy and other policies and procedures,

  • Respond quickly, fairly and transparently to any concerns or complaints made to me by a child or related to a child in line with RREE Child Safe Complaint Policy,

  • Notify the General Manager within 24 hours of any negative notice or prohibition related to my working with children or a change to my registration or accreditation as a teacher, and

  • Abide by my reporting obligations in relation to incidents, serious incidents and disclosures or suspicions of harm, abuse or neglect in line with RREE Incident and First Aid Policy and Child Protection Policy.

I will not:

  • Engage in any unlawful activity with or in relation to a child,

  • Engage in any activity that is likely to physically, sexually or emotionally harm a child, including any form of corporal punishment, inappropriate discipline, inappropriate conduct, social isolation, immobilisation, sexual suggestion, offence or misconduct,

  • Communicate with a child in ways that are likely to humiliate, frighten or distress the child,

  • Unlawfully discriminate against any child or their family members,

  • Arrange personal contact, including online contact, with children I am working with for a purpose unrelated to RREE activities,

  • Develop any relationships with children that could be seen as grooming or favouritism, such as offering gifts or special treatment, being unnecessarily alone with a child, offering education and care for a child outside my work, communicating with a child in secret or in a sexual or flirtatious manner, unnecessary physical contact, or influencing the child’s family, guardians or other professionals,

  • Carry, wear or use a personal device capable of capturing, storing or transmitting images while working directly with children, unless authorised,

  • Disclose personal or sensitive information about a child, including images of a child, unless the child and their parent or legal guardian consent or unless I am required to do so by law or RREE policy and procedure,

  • Use inappropriate language in the presence of children or show or provide children with access to inappropriate images or material,

  • Use tobacco products or possess or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs at any time while working with children, and

  • Ignore or disregard any suspected or disclosed child harm or abuse.

If I think the RREE Code of Conduct or Child Safe Code of Conduct have been breached by another person, I will:

  • Act to prioritise the best interests of children,

  • Take actions immediately to ensure that children are safe,

  • Promptly report any concerns to my supervisor, the General Manager, another supervisor in the organisation or a Board member,

  • Follow RREE Child Safe Complaint Policy and procedures, and

  • Comply with the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act and Children’s Guardian Act if relevant, and RREE Child Protection Policy and procedure on internal and external reporting.

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