​​Child Safety and Wellbeing Statement of Commitment​

Asthma Australia’s commitment

Asthma Australia is unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding the safety, wellbeing and rights of all children. We uphold a workplace culture where child safety is firmly embedded in our leadership, governance, and daily operations. Our practices are aligned with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, ensuring every child we engage with feels safe, heard, and respected at all times.

Our principles

To uphold child safety and wellbeing, Asthma Australia commits to the following principles:

• Leadership and governance: Child safety is at the core of our leadership, governance, and policies.
• Children’s participation: We inform children and young people of their rights, encourage their participation in decisions affecting them, and take their voices seriously.
• Family and community engagement: We actively engage families and communities in child safety efforts.
• Equity and inclusion: We respect diversity and ensure a safe environment for all children, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children with disabilities, and those from diverse backgrounds.
• Safe and supported personnel: Our staff and volunteers are carefully screened, trained, and supported to uphold child safety values.
• Child-focused complaints handling: Our processes for reporting concerns and complaints prioritise child safety, ensuring all reports are taken seriously and addressed promptly and appropriately.
• Education and awareness: We provide ongoing child safety training to staff and volunteers to maintain awareness and best practices.
• Safe environments: We proactively design and rigorously maintain both physical and online environments that minimise risks and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of every child.
• Continuous improvement: We annually, and when required, review and enhance our child safety policies and procedures to align with best practices.
• Clear policies and procedures: Asthma Australia has documented guidelines that reinforce our commitment to child safety and wellbeing.

Our Responsibilities

Board and Leadership:

• Ensure compliance with legal and ethical obligations related to child safety.
• Embed and champion a robust child-safe culture within Asthma Australia.

Employees and Volunteers:

• Create and uphold environments where children are consistently safe, supported and protected from harm.
• Adhere to child protection policies and reporting obligations.
• Undertake mandatory child safety training and screening, including Working with Children Checks and police checks.

Families and Communities:

• Engage with Asthma Australia to support child safety initiatives.
• Provide feedback on child safety practices and policies.

Reporting and Responding

Asthma Australia take all concerns about child safety seriously. If a suspicion, allegation, or disclosure of harm arises, we will:

• promptly report the matter to relevant authorities in line with legal and ethical obligations.
• ensure confidentiality and protect the wellbeing of the child.
• provide or arrange for appropriate support.

When unsure about what action to take, we will contact a manager, the Chief Operating Officer, or a relevant support service for guidance on meeting our reporting obligations and responsibilities.

Continuous Commitment

Asthma Australia is committed to maintaining a child-safe environment where children feel valued and protected. We will continue to strengthen our child safety measures through proactive engagement, clear policies, and continuous improvements.

For further details, please refer to our code of conduct How We Work (our code) available on our website or contact our team at info@asthma.org.au.