Every child has the right to be safe and feel safe. At Bould Move we commit to the safety and wellbeing of every child with whom we interact.  

As a Child Safe organisation, we commit to:   

• implementing the 10 Child Safe Standards   

• providing a safe and supportive environment for all children, respecting each child’s identity, including those with diverse cultures, backgrounds, abilities and experiences  

• embedding Child Safety in our organisational culture, making sure that children are not exposed to any form of harmful conduct or abuse    

• empowering children, listening to them and their families and carers, especially about decisions that affect them.   

• making sure children know who to approach if they feel unsafe or have any child safety concerns. We will treat all allegations and safety concerns seriously.   

• educating everyone at Bould Move about what it means to be a child safe organisation, so we can prevent, detect and effectively respond to child abuse   

• continuously reviewing and improving our Child Safe policies and processes   

As a Child Safe organisation, we want you to:    

• feel empowered to raise any concerns you have with Bould Move, whether it be something serious, like your safety or the safety of someone else, someone’s behaviour or about the programs or facilities.    

• tell us if you have an idea to make something better or safer, you have a right to speak up   

• feel safe to speak to someone you trust, a parent or carer, family member, your coach or the staff at Bould Move   

• share your concerns by writing them down and giving them to us by letter or email, whichever you would prefer 

Purpose

All children at Bould Move have a right to feel safe, protected and included. 

This policy is part of our organisation’s ongoing commitment to protecting the children in our care by minimising the risk of abuse, misconduct and misuse of positional power. It outlines the child safe practices our organisation has put in place and sets out what is required from staff, including volunteers, and our community so they know what is expected from them to keep children safe.

Our commitment to child safety

At Bould Move, we commit to the safety and wellbeing of every child in our care. Please read our Statement of Commitment to Child Safety, which is available on our website, www.bouldmove.com.au, and is displayed at the front entrance of the venue 

Scope and audience for this policy 

• The policy applies to all staff in all roles at all levels, volunteers, contractors, customers, children and young people, families, carers and community members. 

• The policy applies to any activities, services and events that involve children, or may involve children 

Responsibilities for children’s safety 

Everyone in our organisation is expected to carry out the requirements specific to their role to keep children safe. This includes: 

• upholding our organisation’s commitment to child safety 

• reading, signing and adhering to our Child Safe Code of Conduct 

• meeting requirements across all other child safe policies and procedures 

• taking part in our regular reviews of our child safe documents 

• complying with laws regarding child safety 

• reporting all risks, concerns or breaches of our policies or any allegations of child harm or abuse, and meeting all external reporting obligations 

• completing all child safe training. 
• Being identifiable to minors—e.g. by wearing staff shirts or name badges.

Please contact Christian Ellul or Josh Roberts, with any of your child-safety related questions or concerns.  

Active participation of children, families & communities  

• All our child-related policies and procedures are easily accessible on our website and offline for everyone who accesses our services and events 

• Everyone is expected comply with our Code of Conduct and Reporting Policy 

• Children, parents and carers, from all backgrounds and circumstances, are encouraged to become acquainted with and provide feedback on our Child Safety policies and procedures 

• We endeavour to provide opportunities for children to provide feedback to our team on what makes them feel safe, supported and included. 

Definitions

Child
A child is defined as any individual under the age of 18 years. 

Child contact
Child contact is defined as the various forms of engagement with a child, including: 

• Physical contact.
• Face-to-face contact.
• Oral communication.
• Written communication.
• Electronic communication (for example, email, instant messaging, socialmediaand video chats, etc.) 

Child harm and abuse
Child harm is defined as any action, or lack of action, that significantly harms the child’s physical, psychological or emotional health and development. Forms of child harm and abuse include: 

Psychological abuse (also known as emotional abuse) 
Inappropriate verbal or symbolic acts towards a child, such as bullying, threatening and abusive language, intimidation, shaming and name calling, ignoring and isolating a child. This can also include online abuse such as cyber-bullying 

Physical abuse
Intentional use of force, including physical punishment, such as pushing, shoving, punching, slapping and kicking 

Identity-based abuse
Behaviours that target someone’s sexual identity or gender identity such as blackmail or shaming, and using language to dehumanise, delegitimise, or intimidate marginalised people 

Sexual abuse 
Involvement of a child in sexual activity that they do not fully comprehend, cannot give informed consent to, or for which they are not developmentally prepared. This includes the sexual touching of a child, grooming, and production, distribution or possession of child abuse material. Children can be sexually abused by both adults and other children who are – by virtue of their age or stage of development – in a position of responsibility, trust or power over the victim.  

Grooming
This is a process where a person manipulates a child or group of children and sometimes those looking after them, including parents, carers, teachers and leaders. They do this to establish a position of ‘trust’ so they can then later abuse the child. This can occur online, via the internet or phones and apps, or in-person 

Misconduct 
Inappropriate behaviour that could indicate that abuse is occurring and would often be in breach of Bould Move’s Child Safe Code of Conduct. This could include showing a child something inappropriate on a phone, having inappropriate conversations with a child or an adult sitting with a child on their lap. 

Institutional Abuse
This can include failure to respond appropriately to disclosures, covering up abuse, enabling unsafe environments, or prioritising the reputation of the organisation over child safety. 

Lack of appropriate care
This includes not providing adequate and proper supervision, nourishment, clothing, shelter, education or medical care. 

What the policy covers 

Training and Recruitment  

Staff are provided with training to ensure they understand all our obligations as employees of a Child Safe organisation. This training is delivered at onboarding sessions and staff meetings or when significant changes are made to the policy. 

The training and recruitment policies include: 

• Induction training for all staff and volunteers on their child safety and wellbeing responsibilities, the organisation’s child safety and wellbeing policies and procedures and external reporting obligations 

• A Blue Card register to ensure compliance 

• Annual training on our Child Safe Code of Conduct, Risk Management Plan, and Reporting Policy 

• Periodic training on how to recognise signs of harm or abuse, responding to disclosures, responding to harmful behaviours by a child towards another child.
• Recruitment guidelines including advertising, selection criteria and reference checks

Social media use and online communication  

Staff and volunteers must never communicate privately with children online or on social media. Any necessary online communication should include the child’s parent or carer in the correspondence.

Photography and the use of images  

Photos and videos of children can only be taken with the permission of parents or carers. Parents and carers must also approve any images used on our social media channels. It is unacceptable for staff or volunteers to take photos or videos of children, other than their own, on personal devices, or to share images without permission.

Physical contact  

Physical contact with children should be kept to a minimum. Physical contact, like sitting children on laps or hugging is inappropriate. Everyone involved in the organisation is expected to have healthy physical boundaries with children.  

Staff must ask the child for permission (if age appropriate) to correct any movement. Firstly, because the child has the right to decide who can touch them. Secondly, because if the child has been the victim of abuse then touching them without their permission could create additional trauma for them.

Gifts and benefits 

Staff and volunteers must never give gifts to children, or bestow benefits of any kind to a child, unless they have direct permission from the child’s parents or carers.

Secondary employment 

Staff members must declare any secondary employment and make sure there are no conflicts of interest associated with the employment.  

Staff and volunteers are not allowed to babysit children in our care unless they know the family or carer outside the organisation. It this is the case, they must let the organisation know that this arrangement is in place so it can be documented.

Out of hours contact with children 

Staff and volunteers must maintain professional boundaries at all times. It is unacceptable for staff or volunteers to have any out-of-hours contact with children in our care without a valid reason, and we must be informed if this is happening.

Alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, vapes and pornography 

Supplying alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, vapes and pornography to a child under the age of 18 is illegal in Queensland. Adults who do this may intend to abuse a child.

Inappropriate conversations 

Inappropriate conversations in child safe organisations can include: discussions that are not age appropriate, including sharing details of a sexual nature; inappropriate physical contact; any behavior that could be seen as coercive or intimidating.

Illness and injury management 

Injuries must be reported to the Senior on duty and first aid administered in a safe space within lines of sight of other adults. Any incident requiring first aid must be documented on an Incident Report form. 

Physical & Environmental Safety 

Bould Move manages unique bouldering risks by providing a Safety brief to all guests new to the venue, signs and screens display the rules to be followed to keep everyone safe, ongoing monitoring and reminding when breaches occur, restricted access to sections during setting, safe bathroom access (no bathroom cleaning to be done by staff if children are in the room without a parent or guardian), safe equipment setup for youth classes.

Behaviour Standards 

All staff must: treat children with respect, use positive and age‑appropriate language, maintain observable and interruptible interactions, avoid unnecessary physical contact, enforce fall‑zone safety, avoid private communication with children, never consume alcohol while supervising children, never allow children into active route‑setting zones.

Supervision Requirements 

We maintain appropriate staff‑to‑child ratios of 1 staff member per 10 children when coaching, line‑of‑sight supervision across the full venue, no 1:1 unsupervised coaching with children, clear rules for junior staff working around children.

Working with Junior Staff and Minors – Boundaries and Expectations 

Appropriate Task Levels 

Junior workers should be assigned tasks that are suitable to their level of maturity, experience and training, and must not include responsibilities beyond their capabilities or legal permissions (e.g. supervising other minors, handling complex customer disputes, or operating dangerous equipment unsupervised). 

Professional Boundaries 

Senior staff must maintain appropriate professional boundaries with junior workers. Oversharing personal information—particularly regarding relationships, legal issues, work grievances, medical conditions, family matters, or past convictions—is inappropriate and can create discomfort or undue emotional burden on junior staff. 

Invitations to External Activities 

Adults, including senior staff and customers, must not invite junior workers or minors to activities outside of the workplace (e.g. parties, social gatherings, outdoor climbing) unless: 

• It is a formally organised event or activity and has been approved by Bould Move management, or 

• The appropriate consent and permission from parents/guardians of junior workers or minors has been given. Even with parental consent, extra care must be taken to maintain clear professional boundaries.
  
  

Adults should also follow these guidelines accordingly: 

• If a junior worker or minor is under 16 years old, parental consent/permission MUST be sought. 

• If a junior worker or minor is between 16 and 18 years old, parental permission is ENCOURAGED to be sought. 
• The activity organised must always be age appropriate 
• Adults should avoid being alone/one-on-one with junior workers or minors (i.e., include others in the organised activity and always have others around).
  

Communication Protocols 

All informal communication with junior workers or minors, including emails, phone calls, and messages, should go through their parents or guardian. The only time it is ever acceptable for adults to communicate directly with junior workers or minors via emails, phone calls, and messages is when it is directly work related (e.g., a question regarding their shift, shift swaps etc.) Any inappropriate conversation between an adult and a minor, whether in person or online, is unacceptable and can result in termination of employment. 

Special Age Circumstance 

Where an adult and a minor are within two years of each others’ age (e.g., 16 and 18 or 17 and 19) and have a pre-existing or established friendship due to being close in age, parental permission does not need to be sought to communicate or engage in friendly activities (e.g., climbing together). 

Reporting requirements for different types of concerns or incidents 

Child Safe Reporting Policy 

Our Child Safe Reporting Policy sets out requirements and procedures for complaints, allegations, disclosures and reports, and external reporting obligations. It can be accessed at www.bouldmove.com.au   

Other related child safe documents 

Bould Move has a range of other key documents that relate to child safety. These can be accessed at www.bouldmove.com.au and include: 

Statement of Commitment to Child Safety  

Our public commitment to prioritising child safety across our organisation. 

Child Safe Code of Conduct 

Guides the day-to-day behaviours of staff and volunteers within our organisation interacting with children.  

Child Safe Reporting Policy 

Sets out Bould Move’s policy on child safe reporting and complaint handling. Everyone in our organisation must know what to report, who to report to and how to report 

Child Safe Recruitment, Induction and Training Policy 

Sets out what is involved in the recruitment process and the procedures to be followed before a person is considered for a role at the organisation. This includes the verification of their Working with Children Check. It also outlines what is involved in the induction process for new recruits and any further training requirements. 

Child Safe Risk Management Plan 

Describes the specific risks at the service that could affect children’s safety and identifies the protective strategies used to lower each risk.  

Publication, communication and engagement 

• Our Child Safe Policy and other child safe documents can be found on our website at www.bouldmove.com.au.  

• We provide them to all new members with their Welcome Pack.  

• Anyone involved in our community can request a copy via email at any time by emailing hello@bouldmove.com.au.  

• As part of our ongoing review process, we send out regular newsletters to our community about our child safe documents and invite feedback whenever one of our organisation’s child safe documents is up for review.  

• We discuss our Child Safe policy and other child safe processes at staff meetings, inductions and ongoing training

Related legislation, regulations and standards 

Bould Move must understand and comply with a number of QLD child protection laws and schemes. These include: 

• Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 (Qld) 

• Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Regulation 2020 

• Child Employment Act 2006 

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 

• Child Protection Act 1999 

• Privacy Act 1988

Next review date 

1st July 2027, or earlier if there are any legislative changes, critical incidents or following feedback received from parents and children that are relevant to the policy. 

Bould Move Management is responsible for compiling and regularly reviewing this policy. 

Commitment to child safety 

Our Child Safe Code of Conduct sets out how we expect adults and staff in our organisation to behave around children to help prevent harm and abuse in our physical spaces and online. Our Child Safe Code of Conduct identifies: 

• ‘I will’ child safe behaviours that we consider acceptable 

• ‘I won’t’ behaviours that we consider unacceptable. 

Engaging in unacceptable behaviour is a breach of our Child Safe Code of Conduct and may result in disciplinary action.  

Different types of child harm and abuse 

Child abuse takes many forms. Definitions and examples of these can be found in Bould Move’s Child Safe Policy which can be accessed here 

Acceptable and unacceptable behaviours in our organisation 

The list of acceptable and unacceptable behaviours below relate to interactions of staff and volunteers with children who interact with our organisation’s services, locations or activities.  

(Acceptable) I will: 

• treat all children with respect  

• uphold the rights of the child and prioritise their safety and security 

• make sure the needs of all children are factored in to all relevant decision-making 

• empower children to submit ideas and opinions and respond appropriately  

• welcome all children and their families and carers, and invite them to participate in decisions around child safety 

• actively promote safe and inclusive practices for all children, including those with diverse needs, circumstances and backgrounds, including children with disability   

• adhere to Bould Move’s child safe policies, procedures and practices 

• participate in all compulsory child safe training  

• include a child’s parent or carer in any direct online communication or correspondence.  

• let Bould Move know about any outside contact with any children who interact with our services, provide a valid reason and ensure parents or carers are also aware 

• take all reasonable steps to protect children from harm and abuse, and report and act on any concerns or allegations (see Child Safe Reporting Policy here) 

• report any conflicts of interest such as a relationship with a child that is outside Bould Move 

• raise concerns with the leadership team if risks to child safety are identified 

• take a child seriously if they disclose harm or abuse and follow the correct procedures for responding to a disclosure 

• make sure breaches of the Child Safe Code of Conduct and any instances of concerning behaviour from adults are reported immediately 

• respect the privacy of children, and their families, and keep all information about child protection concerns confidential.
   

(Unacceptable) I won’t: 

• condone or participate in unsafe, harmful or abusive behaviour towards children, (see definitions and examples of these in Bould Move’s Child Safe Policy here) 

• ignore or disregard any concerns, suspicions or disclosures of child abuse  

• exaggerate or trivialise child abuse issues  

• persistently criticise or denigrate a child 

• use hurtful, discriminatory or offensive behaviour or language with children 

• verbally assault a child, or create a climate of fear  

• deliberately prevent a child from forming friendships  

• engage in unwarranted and inappropriate touching involving a child  

• be alone with a child without supervision or adequate risk management in place 

• have contact after hours with children 

• encourage a child to communicate with me privately, including online and via social media 

• give personal gifts or benefits of any kind to a child unless direct permission has been given from the parent or carer 

• share details of sexual experiences with a child  

• use sexual language or gestures in the presence of children 

• show sexual, violent or other inappropriate images to a child 

• take videos or images of children interacting within or under the care of Bould Move on a personal device without permission from Bould Move or the parent or carer 

• share videos or images of children on social media without consent 

• fail to report information to the Management Team, or police or other relevant authorities where appropriate, if I know a child has been harmed or abused (see reporting obligations below). 

Internal and external reporting obligations  

You must follow all internal and external reporting obligations set out in Bould Move’s Child Safe Reporting Policy here  

Concerning behaviours 

Concerning behaviours are behaviours that on their own may not constitute a breach of our Child Safe Code of Conduct but when viewed together may indicate grooming behaviour. 

These include: 

• Showing favour to one child over others  

• Babysitting children without prior consent from Bould Move (which is only allowed in exceptional circumstances when the child and their family or carer is known and has a pre-existing relationship with the staff member or volunteer outside Bould Move) 

• Participating in the lives of children outside Bould Move without a valid reason  

• Crossing professional boundaries with the children in our care  

• Spending time alone with children 

• Being ‘child centric’, which means showing a preference for hanging out with children rather than your own age group or adults. 

Criminal offences for not acting to protect children 

Some breaches of this code of conduct may need to be reported to Queensland Police Service, Queensland Family and Child Commission or the Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services.  

It is a criminal offence for adults not to report if they know or believe that a child abuse offence has been committed. People employed in child-related work may be subject to a criminal offence if they fail to reduce or remove the risk of child abuse occurring. 

Internal and external reporting obligations are set out in Bould Move’s Child Safe Reporting Policy here. Please reach out to the Management Team if you are unsure of what may need to be reported externally. 

Penalties for staff or volunteers who breach our Child Safe Code of Conduct  

Staff or volunteers who breach our Child Safe Code of Conduct but do not commit a criminal offence may still be subject to disciplinary action. This can include increased supervision, appointment to a different role, additional training, suspension or termination from the service.  

Concerning behaviours 

If a staff member or volunteer shows patterns of concerning behaviour but do not commit a criminal offence, this may result in increased supervision and/ or additional training. If these behaviours of concern continue, the staff member or volunteer may be subject to disciplinary action, including appointment to a different role, suspension or termination from the service. 

Agreement to abide by the terms of Child Safe Code of Conduct 

I have read and agree to abide by the terms of this Child Safe Code of Conduct 

Name of staff member or volunteer 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Role in organisation 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Signature and date 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Date document reviewed

9th July 2027 

Next review date 

9th July 2027 

If there are any critical incidents, the document will be reviewed immediately.  

Name and Signature of responsible officer 

Josh Roberts – 13th July 2026 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Signature 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Purpose of the policy  

This document sets out Bould Move’s policy on child safe reporting and complaint handling.  

Everyone in our organisation must: 

• know what to report, who to report to and how to report 

• report concerns about the safety or welfare of a child or young person immediately 

• ensure that the safety and wellbeing of the child is paramount when responding to a disclosure or allegation about a child being harmed or at risk. 

Our reporting practices will be regularly reviewed and updated to make sure they remain effective and comply with legislation.  

Different types of child harm and abuse 

Child abuse takes many forms. Definitions and examples of these can be found in Bould Move’s Child Safe Policy which can be accessed here 

Types of complaints (what to report) 

All complaints should be reported. This includes: 

• criminal conduct 

• risk of significant harm (ROSH) 

• disclosures or reports of abuse 

• unacceptable behaviour around children and young people that breaches our Child Safe Code of Conduct. Our Child Safe Code of Conduct can be accessed here 

• reportable conduct 

Who can report 

Everyone at Bould Move has the right and obligation to make a genuine complaint and won’t be punished if they do. This includes children and young people, staff, volunteers and members. 

The chain of reporting: 

1. Children and young people, their families, carers and members of the community who interact with our services are encouraged to disclose and report to Bould Move management and will be supported when doing so.  
2. Bould Move staff: If you have received a complaint or concern of a breach of our Child Safe Policy and/or Code of Conduct, or you have one yourself, report the concern immediately to a manager. The person making the internal report will not be penalised. A failure to report, or preventing another person from reporting, will be considered misconduct. 
3. Bould Move management: assess the situation and if necessary (the child is at immediate risk or if legal obligations require such action) escalate the matter to external authorities 
4. Document the incident: Keep a clear and accurate record of the incident, the actions taken, and any communications with the child, their parent/guardian, and other staff members.
   
   

Making an external complaint/report

Reporting criminal conduct to the police 

It is of the utmost importance that criminal allegations be reported to police at the earliest opportunity and that entities obtain guidance from police before taking any action that could compromise a criminal response. 

Sometimes, it will be very clear that a report to police is required.  For example, if you receive a report about sexual assault of a child, or a serious physical assault.  At other times, it may be less clear. The Queensland Police Service encourages all matters to be reported. It is critical that criminal allegations be reported immediately to police, as taking risk management action or commencing investigative steps before consulting with police may jeopardise a police investigation. 

It is important to note that some failures to report criminal allegations to police will constitute a criminal offence. A failure to report allegations of criminal abuse of a child may also constitute reportable conduct in some circumstances. 

Contact Queensland Police Service on 131 444 for anything you consider could be a criminal offence. This includes sexual assault, physical assault, grooming offences, and producing, disseminating or possessing child abuse material.

How complaints should be handled 

Overview of the complaint-handling process 

Once an allegation or complaint has been made, use this step-by-step process to make sure it is appropriately followed up: 

• steps are taken to identify and address any risks  
• the incident is recorded 
• reporting obligations are met, if necessary 
• an investigation is conducted, keeping everyone who needs to be involved up to date with what is happening 
• ongoing support is offered to the child or young person as needed, and to any staff affected 
• the incident is reviewed and our child safe documents are updated, if necessary. This includes reviewing our Risk Management Plan. 
  
  

Risk management on receiving an allegation or disclosure 

To ensure the immediate and ongoing safety of the child: 

• establish the welfare and safety of the child and take steps to ensure the child is removed from the risk if safe to do so 

• reassure them and remain calm 

• listen carefully without interrupting 

• don’t ask leading questions or any additional questions once you’ve established there is a genuine concern so as to not compromise future investigations by Queensland Police Service (QPS) or Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) 

• support them, reassuring the child that they have done the right thing, that you believe them and that the abuse is not their fault 

• explain what will happen, including timeframes 

• don’t make promises you can’t keep 

• don’t directly confront (with hostile or argumentative intent) the alleged perpetrator 

• seek guidance if you are unsure about what to do.

It is the responsibility of Christian Ellul and/or Josh Roberts to conduct a risk assessment after receiving an allegation, to ensure the safety of all people involved and maintain the integrity of any potential investigation.

Procedural fairness, including privacy and confidentiality 

Any allegation of abuse must be treated in a fair, transparent and timely manner.  

Workers subject to an allegation will be notified when a disciplinary hearing is to take place and what will occur at the hearing. We follow the obligations defined under the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth).  

Additionally: 

• all information is recorded on our Bould Move – Child Safe Reporting Form 

• all Child Safe reporting forms are stored securely and only accessed by those in the organisation with responsibility for oversight of the investigation 

• information may be exchanged under the Child Protection Act 1999, with other agencies who have responsibilities relating to the safety, welfare or wellbeing of children or young people  

• our organisation maintains the privacy of those involved in accordance with our obligations under the Privacy Act 1988  

• if an incident is found to be substantiated, likely outcomes or responses will be determined from advice given by relevant authorities. 

Next review date 

Christian Ellul and/or Josh Roberts will review this policy annually and after any critical incidents, to make sure our child safe reporting practices are continually improved and that we keep up to date with relevant legislation and sector requirements. 

The next review date is 9th July 2027

Template for recording complaints and allegations 

Bould Move – Child Safe Reporting Form