The Commonwealth Child Safe Framework was established in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It aims to protect children and young people from the risk of harm and abuse.
The framework sets the minimum standards for Commonwealth entities to ensure a safe environment for children. It includes 4 key requirements around:
- risk assessment and mitigation
- training and compliance
- National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
Annual child safety statement of compliance
We’re committed to upholding the values that contribute to the protection and safety of children and young people.
We seek to embed behaviours, practices and an organisational culture that ensures children feel:
- safe
- respected
- valued
- protected from harm.
We will never knowingly engage with any entity or person who poses a threat to children.
In accordance with the requirements of the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework, we will conduct an annual assessment of any child safety risks resulting from our operations and ensure appropriate controls are in place.
A risk assessment was conducted in November 2024 that rated our child safety risk as low.
We administer Australian Government schemes to measure, manage, reduce and offset Australia's carbon emissions. Our staff generally have little or no interaction with children. However, we have considered physical, psychological and emotional risks in:
- compliance and audit activities where agency officers or contractors enter a home or business premises where children or young people are present
- events and exhibitions where children or young people may visit our stand, display or booth
- agency celebrations and events where children may attend
- officers occasionally bringing a child or young person onto our premises for short periods while working.
We have measures to ensure risks are well managed in areas where there may be occasional or limited contact with a child or young person, or where we engage third parties.
To further embed child-safe initiatives into our culture and work practices, we will:
- make information and training available to staff to build greater awareness of their responsibilities under the framework
- apply extra child-safe practices in our operations where relevant.
We recognise that managing child safety is an ongoing process. We will continue to manage risks appropriately.