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Term
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Definition
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Abuse
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Abuse, in relation to a student, child or young person, means:
- physical abuse; or
- sexual abuse; or
- emotional abuse (including psychological abuse) if the student, child or young person:
- has suffered, is suffering or is likely to suffer in a way that has caused, is causing or is likely to cause or at risk of causing significant harm to their wellbeing or development; or
- the student, child or young person has seen or heard the physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a person with whom the student, child or young person has a domestic relationship, the exposure to which has caused or is causing significant harm to the wellbeing or development of the student, child or young person; or
- the student, child or young person has been put at risk of seeing or hearing abuse mentioned in subparagraph (ii), the exposure to which may cause significant harm to the wellbeing or development of the student, child or young person.
- has been, is being or is likely to be exposed to behaviour that is a domestic violence offence and that has caused, is causing or is likely to cause significant harm to the student, child or young person’s wellbeing or development. (s.33 (1) of the CWA).
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Adult
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A person who is 18 years old or older.
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Australian Government
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Refers to the Australian Government department administering the Norfolk Island Act 1979 (Cth).
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Child
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A person under 12 years of age (s.7 of the CWA).
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Child welfare officer
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Appointed by the Commonwealth Minister, the child welfare officer is the Chief Operating Officer of Key Assets, which operates services through NI-Connect. The child welfare officer may delegate their powers and functions under the CWA. Delegates include staff at NI-Connect.
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Employee
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A person engaged by the Queensland Department of Education or the Australian Government to carry out work for financial reward. This includes:
- school staff members (see definition);
- employees located in central and regional offices who have contact with children or students, for example senior guidance officers; and
- non-departmental employees such as employees of other Queensland government departments, employees of organisations contracted by the Australian Government to provide services, or employees of organisations accredited by the Queensland Department of Education to provide services, for example Youth Support Coordinators, school-based youth health nurses, school-based police officers, student welfare workers and chaplains.
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Immediately
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The EGPA requires school staff members to immediately submit a written report regarding sexual abuse to the principal, and for the principal to immediately forward reports regarding sexual abuse to a police officer. In this context, ‘immediately’ means the report must be progressed without unreasonable delay, once a reasonable suspicion of sexual abuse or likely sexual abuse has been formed.
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In the course of employment or duties
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Any time when performing paid work or volunteer duties at NICS. This includes during activities such as excursions, school camps, trips within or outside Australia, sporting activities, online activities and other extracurricular activities.
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Neglect
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A failure to provide the student, child or young person with a necessity of life that has caused, is causing or is likely to cause the student, child or young person significant harm to their wellbeing or development. (s.33 (2) of the CWA).
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NI–Connect
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The NI-Connect, Child and Family Wellbeing Unit, delivers child protection, child wellbeing and family support services on Norfolk Island and is managed by Key Assets.
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Notifier
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For the purpose of this procedure, a person who informs NI-Connect and/or Norfolk Island Police Force of a suspicion of abuse or neglect of a student, child or young person.
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Physical abuse
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Non-accidental physical injury.
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Reasonable suspicion
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A suspicion formed on grounds that are reasonable in the circumstances.
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Reporting threshold
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The threshold at which point school staff members are required to complete a Child protection report form. The threshold is reached when school staff members form a reasonable suspicion that:
- a student, child or young person has been sexually abused or is likely to be sexually abused; or
- a student, child or young person has suffered, is suffering, or is at risk of suffering abuse or neglect.
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School staff member
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An individual who is employed by the Queensland Department of Education or the Australian Government and normally performs their daily duties at NICS, whether on a temporary, permanent or casual basis. This includes, but is not limited to principals, teachers, teacher aides, supply teachers, early childhood education and care professionals, specialist and support staff such as guidance officers, state schools registered nurses, administration staff and grounds and facilities employees.
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Secure location
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A location determined by the principal which is appropriate for confidential storage of information relating to student protection matters. Electronic copies should be saved in the student’s OneSchool record as a Record of Contact, with access restricted to the principal, deputy principal and guidance officer. Hard copies should be stored in a locked cabinet with access restricted to the principal, deputy principal and guidance officer. Records relating to the abuse of vulnerable persons must be retained for 100 years. For further information about records management, visit the Recordkeeping OnePortal page (DoE employees only).
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Sexual abuse
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For the purposes of this procedure, sexual abuse means sexual behaviour involving a student, child or young person and another person in the following circumstances:
- the other person bribes, coerces, exploits, threatens or is violent toward the student, child or young person;
- the student, child or young person has less power than the other person; or
- there is a significant disparity between the student, child or young person and the other person in intellectual capacity or maturity.
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Student
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Any person who is enrolled at or attends NICS and for the purposes of this procedure, includes a kindergarten age child registered in a kindergarten learning program at the school.
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Suspicion
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A suspicion that a student, child or young person has been harmed or is at risk of harm may be based on a variety of sources, including disclosures, observations, student behaviours or contact with parents and siblings.
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Teacher
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An approved teacher under the
Education (Queensland College of Teachers) Act 2005 (Qld) who is employed at NICS, but does not include a teacher aide, a teacher’s assistant or a student teacher.
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Visitor
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Any person other than an employee, who, in order to provide services to NICS on a one-off or regular basis:
- visits NICS; or
- has contact with students, children or young people off-site or online.
This includes volunteers and external contractors such as tradespeople, guest speakers, pre-service teachers and people assisting in the tuckshop, on excursions or at sporting activities.
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Young person
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A person who is 12 years old or older, but not yet 18 years old (s.8 of the CWA).
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