ARPANSA Statement of Compliance 2024
The Commonwealth Child Safe Framework (the Framework) aims to protect children and young people from the risk of harm or abuse. The Framework sets minimum standards for Commonwealth entities to create and maintain behaviours and practices that are safe for children.
Under Requirement 4 of the Framework, Commonwealth entities are required to publish an annual statement of compliance with the Framework including an overview of the entity’s child safety risk assessment.
ARPANSA’s Commitment to Child Safety
ARPANSA has a zero-tolerance approach to child exploitation or abuse and we are committed to promoting and maintaining a culture that provides a safe environment for all. We recognise that all adults share the responsibility of preventing the exploitation and abuse of children.
ARPANSA’s Interactions with Children
ARPANSA's purpose is to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation through research, the services we provide and regulation of Commonwealth entities that use radiation. The nature of this work means there is limited interaction with children across the scope of our business activities and functions.
ARPANSA staff will only incidentally interact with children at school presentations, conventions and our Talk to a Scientist program. ARPANSA no longer accepts requests for work experience placements, other than for university students, recognising that such placements had exclusively arisen in recent years in relation to relatives of staff members.
Risk Assessment
ARPANSA has undertaken a risk assessment of our operations and given the nature of the interactions with children, ARPANSA has assessed the risk to child safety as Low.
Risk assessments evaluating the risk of harm to children and young people from our operations are incorporated into our business and risk planning process.
ARPANSA complies with the key requirements of the Framework as it applies to our operations in the context of our risk profile.
Notwithstanding this, ARPANSA has the following measures in place to enhance the protection of children during any interactions with ARPANSA staff:
- all ARPANSA staff must obtain and maintain a minimum baseline security clearance
- all ARPANSA staff are required to adhere to ARPANSA’s policies, procedures and the APS Code of Conduct
- ARPANSA requires all personnel to undergo a pre-employment screening
- ARPANSA staff are required to complete training on the Framework when they commence employment.
CCSF and Improving Compliance
During 2024, ARPANSA further strengthened their compliance with the Framework and minimised key risks including by:
- updating ARPANSA’s Child Safety Policy to reflect the business operations and clearly defined the roles of staff and management
- engaging in the Community of Practice sessions
- created a register of staff with Working with Children Checks
- making information, education and training available for our staff as this creates a child-focused, transparent and safe organisational culture.
ARPANSA will continue to improve compliance with the Framework including with these future initiatives:
- improving staff awareness of the agency’s Child Safety Policy and their obligations under the policy by intranet articles and training
- our senior executive continuing to support the application of the Child Safety Policy across ARPANSA
- ensuring child safe clauses are included in procurement documents where required
- ensuring relevant staff complete required training and get and/or maintain relevant Working with Children Checks where appropriate.
