Our Commitment to Child Safety  
 
ACTWILD.org Ltd, trading as Canberra Reptile Zoo and Reptiles Inc., is committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive environment for all children and young people.  
 
We have zero tolerance for child abuse or exploitation and take our responsibility to safeguard children extremely seriously.  
 
To ensure the highest level of protection:  
All staff and volunteers hold current Working With Vulnerable People registrations and relevant police checks.  
Staff receive training in child protection and safeguarding  
Strict policies govern staff interaction with children and young people.  
Children are never left unsupervised with staff  
Clear reporting procedures exist for concerns or complaints  
 
We welcome feedback from families, schools and visitors and encourage anyone with concerns regarding child safety to contact us. If you would like to see our full Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy and reporting process feel free to contact us and request it on canberrareptilezoo@icloud.com.  
 
The Canberra Reptile Zoo proudly aligns its practices with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and ACT Child Safe Standards.  
 
 
1. Policy Statement  
 
ACTWILD.org Ltd, trading as Canberra Reptile Zoo  
and Reptiles Inc. (hereafter referred to as ?the  
Company?), is committed to providing a safe,  
supportive and respectful environment for all children and young people who visit or interact with  
our organisation.  
 
The Company has zero tolerance for any form of child abuse, exploitation, harassment or neglect  
and is committed to maintaining the highest standards of child protection in accordance with  
Australian legislation, the ACT Child Safe Standards and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.  
 
Children and young people have the right to feel safe, respected and protected at all times when  
visiting our premises, attending our programs, or interacting with our staff, volunteers or representatives.  
 
The Company recognises that safeguarding children is the responsibility of every person  
associated with the organisation, including staff, volunteers, contractors, management and board  
members.  
 
2. Scope of this Policy  
 
This policy applies to:  
 
- All employees of ACTWILD.org Ltd  
- Volunteers  
- Contractors and consultants  
- Temporary staff and interns  
- Board members and management  
- Any individual representing the organisation at events or activities  
It applies to all Company operations, including:  
- On-site activities at Canberra Reptile Zoo or associated premises  
- Mobile displays and educational programs  
- School visits and incursions  
- Public events and exhibitions  
- Online or digital engagement  
- Any situation where staff represent the Company  
- Commitment to Child Safety  
 
The Company is committed to:  
 
-Promoting the safety, wellbeing and dignity of children and young people.  
- Maintaining environments that minimise risk to children.  
- Ensuring children are treated with respect and their rights are upheld.  
- Ensuring all staff understand their responsibility to protect children.  
- Taking immediate action when concerns are raised.  
Child safety and wellbeing are embedded into the organisation?s leadership, governance, culture  
and daily operations.  
 
4. Screening and Suitability of Staff  
All individuals engaged by the Company who may interact with children must:  
- Hold a current Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP) registration in accordance with ACT legislation.  
- Complete appropriate induction and training in child protection and safeguarding.  
- Agree to comply with the Company?s Code of Conduct and Child Protection Policy.  
Employment or volunteer roles may be refused, suspended or terminated where a person:  
- Fails to maintain a valid WWVP registration.  
- Is deemed unsuitable to work with children.  
- Engages in behaviour inconsistent with this policy.  
5. Supervision and Interaction with Children  
To ensure a safe environment, the following rules apply:  
 
Supervision  
Staff and volunteers must never be left alone with a child or young person where supervision by  
parents, guardians, teachers or other responsible adults is not present.  
This applies to:  
- Company premises  
- Off-site events  
- School programs  
- Mobile displays  
- Any activity conducted by the organisation  
Where interaction with children occurs, it should take place in open, observable environments.  
Appropriate Conduct  
Staff and volunteers must:  
- Treat children with respect and dignity.  
- Maintain professional boundaries at all times.  
- Avoid any behaviour that could be interpreted as inappropriate or exploitative.  
Staff must not:  
instruction.  
- Engage in physical contact unless necessary for safety or animal handling  
- Use language that is abusive, discriminatory, humiliating or inappropriate.  
- Engage in behaviour that could be perceived as grooming.  
6. Personal Contact and Communication  
To protect both children and staff:  
- Staff and volunteers must not request, share or exchange personal contact details  
with individuals under the age of 16, and in many circumstances under the age of 18.  
- This includes phone numbers, email addresses, messaging apps and social media  
accounts.  
- Communication with children should only occur through official organisational  
channels and typically through parents, guardians, teachers or supervising adults.  
Online communication between staff and minors through personal accounts is strictly prohibited.  
 
7. Photography and Media  
The privacy and safety of children are taken seriously.  
Staff and volunteers must not photograph or record children unless:  
- Explicit permission has been granted by a parent or guardian; and  
-The parent or guardian is present; or  
-The photography is part of a pre-approved event or promotional activity where  
consent has been obtained in writing.  
Personal devices must never be used to photograph children for private purposes.  
 
8. Staff Conduct Outside the Workplace  
Employees have the right to disconnect from work outside their scheduled duties. However, as  
representatives of the organisation, staff behaviour outside the workplace may still impact the  
reputation and safety obligations of the Company.  
Accordingly:  
- Conduct outside work, including social media behaviour, may be reviewed where it  
affects the safety of children or the reputation of the organisation.  
- Behaviour that may compromise child safety, professional boundaries or the  
organisation?s reputation may result in disciplinary action.  
 
9. Relationships Within the Organisation  
To maintain professional boundaries and safeguard all individuals:  
- Staff and volunteers are discouraged from forming personal relationships that arise  
solely through organisational contact.  
- Any relationship involving a power imbalance, particularly involving young  
volunteers or junior staff, is strictly prohibited.  
Any concerns regarding workplace relationships must be disclosed to management.  
10. Reporting Concerns or Complaints  
The Company maintains a clear reporting process to ensure concerns are taken seriously and  
addressed promptly.  
Any person who:  
-Witnesses behaviour inconsistent with this policy  
-Suspects child abuse or exploitation  
-Receives a complaint from a child, parent or guardian  
must report the matter immediately to management.  
Reports may be made by:  
- Staff  
- Volunteers  
-Visitors  
- Parents or guardians  
-Members of the public  
All concerns will be treated confidentially and handled in accordance with applicable laws and  
reporting obligations.  
Where necessary, matters may be reported to:  
-ACT Child and Youth Protection Services  
- ACT Policing  
- Relevant regulatory authorities  
Child Safety Reporting Process Flow chart.  
Child Safety Concern Identified  
│  
▼  
Is a child in immediate danger?  
│  
┌────────┴─────────┐  
│ │  
YES NO  
│ │  
Contact Emergency Report concern to  
Services (000) Management immediately  
│ │  
▼ ▼  
Notify Company Document the concern  
Management in incident report  
│ │  
▼ ▼  
Management assesses the concern  
│  
▼  
Does the concern meet mandatory reporting requirements?  
│  
┌────────┴─────────┐  
│ │  
YES NO  
│ │  
Report to ACT Internal investigation  
Child & Youth and monitoring  
Protection Services  
│  
▼  
 
11. Training and Awareness  
The Company is committed to continuous improvement and education.  
Measures include:  
- Staff induction training  
-Ongoing child protection awareness training  
-Clear procedures for identifying and reporting concerns  
-Regular policy review and updates  
Training ensures staff and volunteers have the knowledge and skills required to keep children  
safe.  
12. Safe Physical and Online Environments  
The Company works to ensure that both physical and digital environments minimise opportunities  
for harm.  
 
Measures include:  
- Public-facing spaces and supervised environments  
- Clear visibility during educational activities  
- Safe animal interaction protocols  
- Responsible digital communication policies  
13. Continuous Review  
This policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it reflects:  
- Current legislation  
- Child Safe Standards  
- Best practice safeguarding principles  
The Company remains committed to strengthening its approach to child protection and ensuring  
a safe environment for all visitors.  
 
14. Our Commitment  
The Canberra Reptile Zoo welcomes thousands of children and young people each year through  
school programs, educational visits and community events.  
We recognise the trust families and schools place in our organisation and are committed to  
ensuring that every child who visits our facility experiences a safe, respectful and positive  
environment.  
Child safety is fundamental to our mission of wildlife education, conservation and community  
engagement.  
Safeguarding & Inclusion Framework  
ACTWILD.org Ltd ? Canberra Reptile Zoo  
& Reptiles Inc.  
A Personal Commitment to a Safe and Inclusive Environment  
For most of my life I have worked to build a place where people can connect with wildlife, nature  
and each other in a positive and meaningful way. What began as a personal passion for reptiles  
and conservation has grown into a community space where families, schools and visitors from  
across Australia and around the world come to learn, explore and share experiences together. At  
the heart of everything we do is a simple principle: everyone deserves to feel safe, respected  
and welcome. This includes children and young people, families, older members of our  
community, people living with disability, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds, faiths,  
gender identities and sexual orientations. Because the Canberra Reptile Zoo regularly works with  
school groups, youth programs and community organisations, we recognise the responsibility that  
comes with welcoming people of all ages into our space. The trust placed in us by families,  
educators and the wider community is something we take very seriously. For many years our  
organisation has been built by community volunteers, educators and conservationists who believe  
that protecting wildlife also means creating a safe and welcoming environment for people.  
 
Our Commitments  
- Maintain strong safeguarding and child protection policies.  
- Require Working With Vulnerable People registrations for relevant staff and volunteers.  
- Provide training to staff and volunteers in safeguarding and professional conduct.  
- Maintain clear procedures for reporting safety concerns.  
- Promote inclusive environments for people of all backgrounds and abilities.  
 
Child Safety Principles  
- Children must be treated with dignity, respect and fairness.  
-Staff must maintain professional boundaries at all times.  
- Children should never be left alone with staff without appropriate supervision.  
- Concerns regarding child safety must be reported immediately.  
 
Inclusive Community Principles  
- We welcome people of all ages and abilities.  
- We support cultural diversity and respect different faiths and traditions.  
- We support gender identity and sexual orientation diversity.  
- We strive to ensure our facilities and programs are accessible to everyone.  
 
Reporting Safety Concerns  
- If a child or person is in immediate danger contact emergency services (000).  
- Report concerns to Canberra Reptile Zoo management as soon as possible.  
- All reports are treated confidentially and investigated responsibly.