Child Safety & Wellbeing Policy
Pop Star Parties
Effective date: 9 October 2024
1. Our Commitment to Child Safety
At Pop Star Parties, the safety, wellbeing and dignity of every child are our highest priorities.
We are committed to providing safe, welcoming, inclusive and age-appropriate entertainment experiences for children and families across Melbourne and surrounding regions.
We have zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, grooming, harassment, discrimination or behaviour that places children at risk.
We recognise our responsibilities under Victoria's Child Safe Standards and are committed to maintaining a child-safe environment throughout all our entertainment services.
2. Scope of This Policy
This policy applies to all Pop Star Parties employees, entertainers, contractors, volunteers and other representatives.
It covers all services, including:
Pop Star Parties karaoke and disco entertainment.
Little Groovers toddler and preschool entertainment.
Mini Beats baby and toddler entertainment.
Private birthday parties, community events and other celebrations.
Business-related communications, photography, videography and online activities.
3. Respect, Inclusion and Children's Rights
Every child has the right to feel safe, respected, heard and included.
Our entertainers must:
Treat children with kindness, dignity and respect.
Respect cultural identities, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Support children with disabilities, additional needs and diverse backgrounds.
Encourage participation without pressure or coercion.
Respect children's personal boundaries and preferences.
Listen to children and take their concerns seriously.
Children are never required to participate in activities, accept physical contact or appear in photographs against their wishes.
4. Staff Screening and Recruitment
Pop Star Parties is committed to engaging suitable people to work with children.
Our recruitment and screening processes include appropriate identity verification, reference checks and Working with Children Checks where required by Victorian law.
Staff must comply with all relevant child safety requirements and promptly disclose any circumstances affecting their suitability to work with children.
New entertainers receive information and instruction about child safety expectations before delivering services.
5. Professional Boundaries and Staff Conduct
All entertainers must maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
Staff must not:
Engage in inappropriate physical contact with children.
Use threatening, humiliating, discriminatory or abusive language.
Engage in grooming, sexualised behaviour or inappropriate personal relationships.
Arrange private contact with children outside authorised business activities.
Share personal contact details with children for private communication.
Photograph or record children for personal use.
Publish images of children on personal social media accounts.
Ignore or conceal child safety concerns.
Physical assistance must be appropriate, necessary and respectful of the child's wishes and developmental needs.
6. Supervision During Events
Pop Star Parties provides entertainment services, not childcare or independent child supervision.
A responsible parent, guardian or designated adult must remain present and responsible for the supervision, care and wellbeing of children throughout the event.
Our entertainers supervise the safe delivery of their activities and must take reasonable steps to address hazards arising from their equipment or entertainment.
Staff must avoid being alone with a child in an isolated or private setting.
7. Safe Entertainment Environments
Before and during each event, entertainers are expected to identify and manage foreseeable safety risks associated with their activities.
These include:
Electrical equipment and power cables.
Trip hazards and restricted access areas.
Equipment stability and safe placement.
Suitable activity space.
Age-appropriate props and instruments.
Sound levels and sensory needs.
Weather conditions for outdoor events.
Emergency access and safe movement.
If an activity or environment becomes unsafe, entertainers may pause, modify or discontinue the affected activity until the risk is addressed.
8. Photography, Video and Online Safety
Pop Star Parties may capture photographs or videos during events for legitimate business purposes, subject to appropriate privacy and child safety safeguards.
We provide families with a photography notice that can be shared with party guests, allowing parents or guardians to communicate photography preferences or objections.
Identifiable images of children will only be published for promotional purposes where appropriate parent or guardian consent has been obtained.
Consent provided by the booking customer does not automatically extend to other children's images.
Our entertainers must:
Respect children's objections to photography.
Follow recorded consent and photography restrictions.
Use only authorised business photography arrangements.
Protect photographs and recordings against unauthorised access.
Avoid including children's surnames, addresses, schools or other identifying information in promotional posts.
Never use event images for personal purposes.
Families may contact Pop Star Parties to withdraw consent for future promotional use. We will take reasonable steps to remove relevant content from platforms under our control.
9. Responding to Child Safety Concerns
All concerns, disclosures, allegations and incidents involving child safety must be taken seriously.
Staff must:
Take immediate steps to protect any child at risk.
Contact emergency services on 000 if a child is in immediate danger.
Listen calmly to a child who raises a concern, without conducting their own investigation.
Report concerns promptly to the business owner or designated Child Safety Officer.
Record relevant facts accurately and confidentially.
Cooperate with police, child protection authorities and other relevant regulators.
Comply with applicable external reporting and notification obligations.
No person will be penalised for raising a genuine child safety concern in good faith.
Concerns involving the business owner must be capable of being reported directly to an appropriate external authority.
10. Complaints and Feedback
Parents, guardians, children, staff and community members are encouraged to raise concerns about child safety or staff conduct.
Complaints may be submitted through the contact details published on our website.
We will respond promptly, fairly and confidentially, taking appropriate action to protect children and address identified risks.
Where required, matters will be referred to relevant authorities.
11. Training and Continuous Improvement
Pop Star Parties is committed to reviewing and improving its child safety practices.
We will:
Provide appropriate child safety information and training.
Review risks and incidents.
Seek feedback from families and staff.
Update policies and procedures when required.
Maintain appropriate records of training, screening, incidents and complaints.
12. Policy Responsibilities
The business owner is responsible for overseeing implementation of this policy, ensuring staff understand their responsibilities and maintaining appropriate reporting and review processes.
All staff and representatives are responsible for complying with this policy and raising concerns about unsafe practices.
13. Contact and Reporting
For questions or concerns about child safety, please contact Pop Star Parties through our website:
For immediate danger, call 000.
Concerns about child abuse or criminal conduct may also be reported directly to Victoria Police or relevant child protection authorities.
14. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed at least annually and following significant incidents, legislative changes or identified safety risks.
Pop Star Parties is committed to continuously improving its practices to promote the safety and wellbeing of every child in our care and activities.