Kamispace Child Safety Policy

1. Purpose

Kamispace is committed to the safey, wellbeing and inclusion of all children and young people that participate in our programs. Our child safety policy and practices are developed in accordance with NSW child safety guidelines, including the NSW Child Safe Scheme and the Children's Gaurdian Act 2019 (NSW).

This policy applies to all staff, facilitators, contractors, volunteers, and Artists in Residence at Kamispace who interact with children or young people under 18.

2. Scope

This policy covers all child-facing programs and activities at Kamispace, including:

  • Kami Kids Studio (term classes & school holiday workshops)

  • The Good & Rare Art Club

  • School holiday workshops

  • Private events involving minors (e.g. birthday parties)

  • Any Artist in Residence activities that involve children

  • Any public facing events including age-appropriate art exhibitions

3. Our Commitment

Kamispace holds child safety as a non-negotiable organisational value. We are committed to:

  • Providing a physically and emotionally safe environment for every child

  • Upholding the rights, dignity, and voices of children and young people

  • Taking a neuro-affirming approach that respects diverse needs and communication styles

  • Upholding child protection laws and appropriate reporting protocols

  • Responding promptly and appropriately to any concerns or disclosures

  • Ensuring that all staff, facilitators and contractors understand their obligations under our child safety policy

  • Continuously reviewing and improving our child safety practices

4. Working With Children’s Checks (WWCC)

All people in child-related roles at Kamispace are required to hold a current NSW WWCC. This includes:

  • Facilitators and teaching artists

  • Contractors and visiting facilitators

  • Volunteers who have direct contact with children

  • Artists in Residence whose practice involves interaction with minors

Kamispace is responsible for verifying and recording WWCC details before any person commences child-related work. WWCC numbers are stored securely and checked against Kamispace’s OCG verification portal. Anyone who does not hold a current WWCC may not work with children at Kamispace under any circumstances, including on a trial or casual basis.

5. Child Safe Standards

Kamispace operates in accordance with the NSW Child Safe Standards. In practice, this means:

  • Children's safety and wellbeing are the priority in all decisions made in developing our children’s art programs

  • Children and families are informed of our child safety approach and encouraged to raise concerns

  • Inclusion is embedded in our values, including tailoring our programs with a neuro-affirming approach

  • All facilitators receive an induction covering this policy and child safe expectations before working with children or commencing programs (regardless if those programs are child-facing or not)

  • Any concerns are treated seriously, acted on promptly, and managed in a way that prioritises the child’s safety and wellbeing

  • Online communications with families occur through official Kamispace channels only

This policy is reviewed annually or following any incident or significant program change.

6. Reporting

Any person at Kamispace who has a concern about a child's safety or wellbeing, or who receives a disclosure, must report it to the Studio Director immediately. All facilitators are instructed to call 000 in the case of emergencies, and child safety & emergency procedures are reviewed quarterly, at the start of each school term. Mandatory reporting obligations under NSW law apply to all relevant personnel. Reports to the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) or NSW Police are made when and where required.

All disclosures and concerns are treated seriously, handled with sensitivity, and managed confidentially to the extent permitted by law. Kamispace does not investigate child protection matters internally. The role of staff and facilitators is to listen, document, and report, and not to assess the validity of a concern. Records of all concerns and actions taken are maintained securely by the Studio Director.

7. Photography and Online Safety

Kamispace strongly values children's rights to autonomy, privacy and consent. Kamispace does not photograph or film the faces of children under 16 for use on social media or any other public media platforms. Kamispace may, on occasion, photograph children's artwork or art making activities, ensuring that any children included in the images are kept anonymous. Enrolment in a Kamispace class or program constitutes agreement to the photography and media approach outlined above. Parents or guardians who prefer their child not appear in any photographs, including anonymised artwork-focused images, may request exclusion at any time by emailing hello@kamispace.com.au.

Images and footage collected by Kamispace are used for program documentation and promotional purposes only, and are not shared with third parties. All media is stored securely and access is limited to relevant staff.

8. Studio Environment

Kamispace operates as a professional art studio and therefore adheres to a studio environment that is centred around safety. Children are supervised at all times during sessions. Studio areas not in use for a program are not accessible to children during that session. All materials are reviewed for age-appropriateness and safety prior to use. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are kept on file and available upon request. Hazardous materials are stored securely and are not accessible to children without direct facilitator supervision, and the studio follows the appropriate cleanliness standards to maintain a safe and clean studio environment. The kiln is operated by trained staff only and is never in use while the studio is open for children’s classes.

First aid equipment, including eyewash stations, are adequately maintained and readily accessible in the studio. Emergency procedures, including evacuation routes and exits are clearly displayed and covered during safety inductions. Incidents and near-misses are recorded and reviewed to support continuous improvement of the studio environment.

9. Policy Breach

Any breach of this policy by a staff member, facilitator, contractor, or volunteer will be taken seriously and may result in immediate termination and referral to relevant authorities when and if appropriate.

10. Review

This policy is reviewed annually, or following any incident, complaint, or significant change to Kamispace's programs or operations.

Last reviewed: May 2026