Child Safety Practices for Outdoor Industry Professionals

Child safety isn't just about ticking boxes – it's about creating environments where children can thrive while in our care. This week's Connect and Share forum delves into the critical topic of child protection in the outdoor industry, featuring expert insights from Jon, a former federal police officer with a decade of specialised experience in child protection investigations.

The conversation examines why standard compliance measures like Working With Children Checks provide only minimal protection, capturing just the reported incidents while missing potentially concerning behaviours. Jon emphasises the importance of thorough recruitment practices, explaining how actual conversations with referees about a candidate's approach to child safety and behaviour management can reveal red flags that email forms miss. He shares real-world examples of investigations that could have been prevented through better training and supervision.

For outdoor providers working with schools, the forum addresses the complexities of shared responsibility. While schools maintain duty of care, outdoor organisations must develop their own robust child safety systems rather than simply deferring to school protocols. Simple preventative measures – like providing secure medication storage even when teachers retain administration responsibility – demonstrate commitment to safety beyond minimum requirements.

The discussion tackles unique industry challenges including casual staffing models, remote environments, and supervision practices. Jon provides practical guidance on developing comprehensive child safety policies, implementing thorough recruitment practices, and conducting meaningful face-to-face training using scenario-based learning. These conversations allow staff to ask questions about complex situations they might encounter, such as managing children with challenging behaviours or recognising when they themselves need to "tap out."

Join us as we explore how to move from conversation to action on child safety – because creating secure, enriching outdoor experiences for young people demands nothing less than our absolute commitment. Have you reviewed your child safety practices lately? What preventative strategies does your organization have in place?

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome and Industry Updates
• 11:13 Great Koala National Park Announcement
• 16:12 Leadership Programs and Outdoor Learning
• 26:24 Digital Workshops and Workforce Challenges
• 32:52 Child Protection Week with John
• 49:27 Child Safety Practices and Red Flags
• 54:56 Industry Risk Areas and Compliance