Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable People Handbook

2.3 Recruitment, screening and management practices: St John SA takes all reasonable steps to ensure that it engages the most suitable and appropriate candidates to work with children and vulnerable persons. St John SA employs appropriate measures and applies best practice standards in the thorough screening, recruitment and employment of its Members. This includes: The requirement of all current and potential Members to hold a current National Police Certificate (NPC). As required under Section 8B of the Children’s Protection Act 1993. To comply with the Act: All potential Members of St John SA must undertake an NPC with an assessment of any recorded convictions prior to the confirmation of their employment or volunteering with St John SA All Members are required to maintain a NPC and this must be updated every three (3) years In addition Community Care and First Aid in School Volunteers require clearance from the Department of Communities and Social Inclusion. All members must attend Child Safe Environment training A thorough face to face interview with a trained member, who will ask questions relevant to the safety and protection of children and vulnerable persons Thorough reference checks of each potential member An induction process and training required for the fulfilment of specific roles A monitored 6 month probation period prior to ongoing full time appointment Ongoing performance management to ensure fulfilment of duties including compliance to child and vulnerable persons protection practices.

2.4 Training and resources: St John SA has a comprehensive training framework which incorporates a number of training requirements and resources to support our commitment to the protection of children and vulnerable persons at St John SA. This framework and resources are continually reviewed and updated to ensure that all Members at St John SA receive appropriate and timely training and the information they need to undertake their roles. 2.5 Safety awareness for Youth Members: It is important part of any child safe environment that children should be empowered and made aware of the organisations child safe practices and their role - education of all members is the primary means of promoting safe environments. St John has a responsibility to teach protective behaviours to children. The St John Personal Safety Toolkit, amongst other resources, has been developed for this purpose. The aim of the education program is for the child to: Recognise situations that may result in harm Be able to assert the right to resist an offender Set up a network of trusted adults Feel confident that an adult will take action to prevent further abuse. Without creating undue fear or alarm, children and young people will be made aware: “…of potential dangers and how to avoid them That they should not talk to, accept presents or lifts in cars from strangers That, if in trouble, they should seek an appropriate authority figure such as a police officer or leader That sometimes it is necessary to scream and shout to attract attention or be rude to a potential abuser if they think they are in danger That they should not have to accept touching, kissing or language that makes them feel uncomfortable That some secrets are wrong and should not be kept

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Member Handbook July 2016 St John Ambulance SA Inc