Information Booklet - Country Fire Authority

By understandingwhat Child Abuse isChild abuse is the INTENTIONALharm of or failure to prevent theharm of Children/Young People.For the purpose of this documentthe following definitions of Abuseare defined by the Department ofHuman Services as:Sexual Abuse /MisconductChild abuse can take many forms. Children/youngpeople can be harmed by both verbal and physicalactions. They can also be harmed by people failingto provide them with basic care and supervision.Having a Child Protection Policy does not mean thatJunior Leaders and others involved in working withchildren/ young people in CFA cannot physicallycontact children/ young people in anyway.There are times when instructing and coachinginvolves physical contact with children/young peopleto guide them in their activities. This may includelifting children in and out of trucks or assisting withthe use of Brigade equipment. Or it could be assimple as a Junior Member thanking their coach witha hug or helping apply ice to an injury.It does not also mean that Leaders are unableto administer appropriate levels of discipline forinappropriate behaviour and activities.Sexual abuse is when a child or young person isused by an older or bigger child, adolescent or adultfor his or her own sexual stimulation or gratification.Sexual abuse falls in to 2 categories:Contact:■ Being touched or fondled in sexual areas.■ Being forced to touch another’s sexual areas.■ Being held or kissed in a sexual manner.■ Being forced to perform oral sex.■ Vaginal or anal intercourse.■ Vaginal or anal penetration with an objector finger.Physical AbuseNon-Contact:■ Obscene phone calls/obscene remarks oncomputers or in notes.■ Voyeurism.■ Exposure to pornography.■ Sexually intrusive questions or comments.■ Indecent exposure.■ Being forced to masturbate or watchothers masturbate.Physical abuse occurs when a person purposefullyinjures a child or young person.This may take theform of slapping, punching, shaking, kicking, burningor shoving.12CFA Children/ Young Persons Protection Policy Information BookletEdition 2 – May 2013