Applied Vocational Training (AVT) is committed to providing a safe, supportive, respectful and inclusive learning environment for all students under 18 years of age (minors).

AVT recognises that children and young people have the right to feel safe and be safe while participating in education and training. AVT is committed to promoting the safety, wellbeing and participation of minors and to embedding child safe practices in its leadership, culture, systems and day-to-day operations.

This policy outlines AVT’s duty of care responsibilities and the shared responsibilities of students, parents/guardians or responsible adults, schools where applicable, and workplace hosts across all delivery modes.

1. Scope

This policy applies to all minors enrolled in AVT programs, including school-based students and minors enrolled directly with AVT, across:

• on-campus and on-site training
• online and blended learning
• workplace practical training (work placement)
• excursions and external activities

This policy applies to AVT staff, contractors, trainers, assessors, support staff and any other persons engaged by AVT who interact with minors in connection with AVT training and assessment activities.

2. Policy statement

AVT will take all reasonable steps to protect the safety, wellbeing and welfare of minors while they are participating in AVT training and assessment activities.

Duty of care is exercised within the scope of AVT’s control and supervision and varies depending on the delivery mode.

AVT recognises that duty of care for minors is a shared responsibility and that the level of supervision and support required may differ depending on the age of the student, the training environment, the nature of the activity being undertaken, and whether the student is school-based or enrolled directly with AVT.

AVT is committed to child safe practices that:

• place the safety and wellbeing of minors at the centre of decision-making
• support minors to be informed, respected and heard
• promote inclusion and cultural safety
• encourage concerns to be raised and responded to appropriately
• support continuous review and improvement of child safety practices

3. Child safe principles in practice

AVT will promote child safe practices by:

• Maintaining a culture that supports the safety and wellbeing of minors
• Making child safety a shared responsibility across the organisation
• Supporting minors to speak up, ask questions and raise concerns
• Providing information in ways that are appropriate to the student’s age, maturity and understanding
• Involving parents/guardians or responsible adults, and schools where applicable, in supporting student safety and wellbeing
• Recognising that some minors may have additional vulnerabilities or support needs and responding appropriately
• Taking action to prevent bullying, harassment, discrimination, grooming, abuse, neglect or other inappropriate behaviour
• Responding promptly and appropriately to concerns, disclosures, incidents or allegations involving minors
• Reviewing child safety risks, incidents and practices as part of continuous improvement

4. Roles and responsibilities

4.1 AVT

AVT is responsible for:

• Taking reasonable steps to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for minors during AVT-controlled activities
• Maintaining policies, procedures and practices that support child safety, duty of care and student wellbeing
• Identifying and responding to foreseeable risks to minors in training, assessment and related activities
• Ensuring staff understand their responsibilities in relation to child safety, appropriate conduct, professional boundaries and reporting obligations
• Responding appropriately to concerns, complaints, incidents or allegations involving minors
• Working collaboratively with parents/guardians or responsible adults, schools where applicable, and workplace hosts where relevant

4.2 Staff

AVT staff, contractors and others engaged by AVT who interact with minors are responsible for:

• Acting in a professional and child safe manner at all times
• Complying with AVT policies and procedures
• Maintaining appropriate boundaries with students
• Taking reasonable steps to support the safety and wellbeing of minors
• Reporting concerns, risks, incidents or disclosures in line with AVT procedures

4.3 Parents/guardians or responsible adults

Parents/guardians or responsible adults are responsible for:

• Supporting the student’s participation and wellbeing outside AVT’s direct supervision
• Providing relevant information that may affect the student’s safety, wellbeing or participation
• Supporting communication with AVT where required
• Arranging transport unless otherwise advised

4.4 Schools where applicable

Schools are responsible for:

• Supporting school-based students outside AVT’s direct supervision
• Working collaboratively with AVT in relation to attendance, wellbeing, engagement and relevant student support matters
• Communicating relevant information that may affect a student’s participation or safety

4.5 Workplace hosts where applicable

Workplace hosts are responsible for:

• Providing a safe workplace and appropriate supervision during placement activities
• Meeting applicable workplace health and safety obligations
• Providing site-specific induction, instructions and safety information
• Communicating concerns, incidents or issues relevant to the student’s safety or wellbeing

5. Delivery mode responsibilities

5.1 On-Campus / On-Site Training

AVT will:

• Provide a supervised learning environment during scheduled training and assessment activities
• Ensure trainers, assessors and relevant staff hold valid Working with Children Checks (WWCC) where required
• Deliver age-appropriate instruction, including safe animal handling practices and other training relevant to the student’s age, experience and level of competency
• Provide appropriate facilities, rest breaks, equipment, PPE and first aid access where required
• Maintain emergency response procedures and trained personnel
• Record attendance during scheduled sessions
• Make reasonable efforts to notify the parent/guardian/responsible adult, and the school where applicable, of unexplained absences, serious incidents, or where a minor is seriously injured or unwell

Limitations of supervision:
AVT does not provide continuous supervision outside scheduled training sessions, including breaks, before or after class, or while students are travelling to or from training.

AVT will not permit a minor to leave during scheduled training times without appropriate authorisation from a parent/guardian/responsible adult, unless otherwise agreed with the school where applicable.

Parents/guardians or responsible adults remain responsible for student conduct and safety outside supervised training times.

5.2 Online learning

AVT will:

• Provide structured online learning, trainer support and regular progress monitoring
• Maintain appropriate communication channels with students, parents/guardians or responsible adults where applicable, and schools where applicable
• Identify and respond appropriately to welfare concerns raised during engagement with students
• Provide access to student support services related to training participation where required

Limitations of supervision:
AVT does not have direct physical supervision of students in an online environment.

Parents/guardians, responsible adults and/or schools are responsible for:

• The student’s physical safety and wellbeing while studying
• Oversight of the student’s study environment, internet use, and daily routines
• General supervision outside AVT’s direct training and support interactions

5.3 Workplace practical training (work placement)

Where students are required to complete practical placement:

AVT will:

• Require placements to be undertaken in an approved animal care or veterinary workplace, as relevant to the course
• Provide guidance on suitable placement environments, activities and expectations
• Ensure students receive clear instructions regarding safety, conduct and placement requirements

Workplace hosts are responsible for:

• Providing a safe workplace in accordance with relevant Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation
• Supervising the student during placement activities
• Providing site-specific induction, workplace instructions and safety training

Parents/guardians, responsible adults and schools where applicable share responsibility for supporting placement arrangements, student readiness and communication where needed.

6. Student safety, participation and wellbeing

AVT is committed to:

• Promoting a safe, respectful and inclusive learning environment
• Preventing bullying, harassment, discrimination and other inappropriate behaviour
• Supporting minors to participate in training in a way that is respectful of their age, background, identity, culture and individual needs
• Providing access to appropriate support services where required
• Supporting students to raise concerns and seek assistance when needed
• Responding appropriately to incidents, injuries, or welfare concerns

All incidents involving minors are managed in accordance with AVT’s incident management procedures.

Where a minor is seriously injured, unwell, or involved in a serious incident, AVT will make reasonable efforts to notify the parent/guardian/responsible adult as soon as practicable, and the school where applicable.

7. Inclusion and Cultural Safety

AVT is committed to providing an inclusive environment in which all minors are treated with dignity and respect.

AVT recognises that some children and young people may be more vulnerable to harm, exclusion or disadvantage, including students with disability, students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, LGBTQIA+ students, and students with additional learning, wellbeing or personal support needs.

AVT will take reasonable steps to:

• Promote inclusion, fairness and respect
• Consider the individual needs of minors
• Support cultural safety and respectful participation
• Respond appropriately where additional support or protective measures may be needed

8. Child safety complaints, concerns and reporting

AVT encourages minors, parents/guardians or responsible adults, schools, workplace hosts and staff to raise concerns about safety, wellbeing or inappropriate behaviour.

AVT will:

• Take concerns seriously
• Respond in a timely and appropriate manner
• Provide minors with support to raise concerns in a way that is suitable to their age and understanding
• Manage complaints, incidents, disclosures and allegations in accordance with AVT policies and legal obligations
• Take appropriate action where risks to a minor’s safety or wellbeing are identified

Nothing in this policy prevents a matter from being escalated or reported in accordance with mandatory reporting, child protection, police or other legal requirements where applicable.

9. Child safety and compliance

AVT will:

• Comply with relevant state and national child safety legislation and standards
• Ensure staff interacting with minors hold current Working with Children Checks where required
• Maintain appropriate policies relating to child safety, behaviour, incident management, complaints and reporting obligations
• Provide staff with information, guidance or training relevant to their responsibilities for child safety and student wellbeing

10. Attendance and communication

For all minors:

• Attendance is monitored during scheduled training sessions
• Unexplained absences, serious welfare concerns, significant disengagement, or other relevant matters may be communicated to the parent/guardian/responsible adult, and to the school where applicable

For school-based students:

• AVT works collaboratively with schools to support student engagement and progress
• AVT provides reporting in line with agreed school processes where applicable

11. Excursions and external activities

Where excursions or external activities are conducted:

• Risk assessments will be undertaken
• Parent/guardian/responsible adult consent will be obtained for minors
• Students may be required to arrange their own transport unless otherwise specified
• If consent is not provided, alternative supervised arrangements may not be available

Where relevant, schools will also be informed of excursion arrangements for school-based students.

12. Transport

Parents/guardians or responsible adults are responsible for arranging student travel:

• To and from training locations
• To and from workplace placements
• To and from excursions, unless otherwise advised

For school-based students, transport arrangements may also involve the school where applicable.

13. Insurance

AVT maintains appropriate insurance coverage for students, including minors, participating in approved training activities. This includes public liability insurance for approved training activities and voluntary workers insurance for approved work placement activities where applicable.

14. Review and continuous improvement

AVT will review this policy periodically, and as required, to ensure it remains current, effective and appropriate to the organisation’s operations and obligations.

Reviews may take into account:

• Changes to legislation, standards or guidance
• Incidents, complaints or reported concerns
• Feedback from students, parents/guardians or responsible adults, schools, workplace hosts and staff
• Changes to AVT delivery models or operational activities

15. Shared responsibility

Duty of care for minors is a shared responsibility between:

• AVT
• Parents/guardians or responsible adults
• Schools, where applicable
• Workplace hosts, where applicable

Each party plays an important role in supporting the student’s safety, wellbeing and successful participation.

16. Related documents

This policy should be read in conjunction with other relevant AVT policies and procedures, including where applicable:

• Student code of conduct
• Child safety, complaints, incident management and reporting procedures
• Workplace health and safety procedures
• Emergency response procedures
• Work placement requirements
• Student support and wellbeing procedures