Child Safety Policy

1. Our Commitment

We support and respect all children and want them to be safe, happy and empowered. NextStepAcademy has zero tolerance for child abuse. All allegations and safety concerns are treated seriously and acted on promptly.

We are committed to the safety, participation and inclusion of all children and young people, regardless of race, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, religion, health status, national, ethnic or social origin, culture, ability or other status. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first Australians.

This policy applies to anyone under the age of 18 and to every tutor and team member at NextStepAcademy.

 

2. How We Screen Our Tutors

Every tutor goes through our screening process before they ever work with a student:

• Working With Children Check (WWCC): every tutor must hold a valid WWCC for paid work. We verify it before any student contact, keep records of that verification, and tutors must notify us immediately if their check is suspended, cancelled or expires.

• Identity verification: every tutor’s identity is verified during onboarding.

• Character references: we contact independent referees for each tutor and review their responses as part of our vetting process.

• Application screening and interview: tutors are assessed for suitability, professionalism and experience before being accepted.

• NDIS Worker Screening: where a tutor supports funded participants, an NDIS Worker Screening Check is obtained and maintained where required.

Tutors are bound by confidentiality obligations and by our code of conduct at all times.

 

3. Safe Session Environments

We ask every family to help us maintain a safe environment for their student:

• In-home lessons should take place in a common area of the home, such as the dining table or living room, with a parent, guardian or responsible adult present for the duration of the session.

• No child should be left alone with their tutor behind a closed door.

• Online lessons should be conducted through the lesson links we provide, not personal third-party video accounts.

• We encourage parents to check in with their child after sessions about how they are feeling and how lessons are going.

 

4. Communication Boundaries

Clear boundaries protect both students and tutors:

• All scheduling and lesson communication should go through the parent or guardian, not the student.

• Tutors must not contact students directly via personal phone, social media or messaging apps.

• Tutors must not photograph or record students or sessions.

• Tutors and students should maintain a professional relationship: no gift giving, no special treatment, and no contact outside of tutoring.

 

5. Our Code of Conduct

Every NextStepAcademy tutor agrees to:

• Act in a safe, respectful and supportive manner at all times

• Support the educational development and wellbeing of every student

• Maintain professional boundaries with students and families

• Avoid any physical contact with students

• Work strictly within their qualifications, training and competence

• Immediately report any risks, concerns or incidents to NextStepAcademy

Breaches of this code result in immediate action, up to and including permanent removal from our platform and reporting to the relevant authorities.

 

6. Raising a Concern

If you have a concern about the safety or wellbeing of a child in connection with our services, we want to hear about it, no matter how small it may seem.

Contact us at support@nextstepacademy.com.au. Every report is treated seriously, handled confidentially, and investigated promptly. Where required, we will report concerns to the relevant authorities in line with our mandatory reporting obligations.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 000.

 

7. Support Contacts

The following services are available if you or your child ever need support:

• Emergency: 000

• NSW Child Protection Helpline: 132 111 (24 hours)

• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

• Lifeline: 13 11 14

• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

• Headspace: 1800 650 890

 

8. NDIS Participants

Participants receiving funded supports are additionally covered by their Service Agreement with NextStepAcademy. Tutors supporting funded participants meet any additional screening requirements, including NDIS Worker Screening where required, and follow any reasonable support guidelines provided by the participant or their representative.