As a Commonwealth entity, we must publish a statement of our compliance with the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework(Opens in a new tab/window) (CCSF).
Annual Child Safety Statement 2024
Our commitment
The National Blood Authority (NBA) is committed to upholding the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework (the Framework).
Interaction with children
NBA staff and contractors do not engage in child-related work as part of their standard duties and Working with Children and/or Vulnerable People Checks have not been required for engagement.
Regardless, the NBA takes our obligations to ensure the safety of children seriously and are committed to a safe workplace for all.
The NBA manages and coordinates arrangements for the supply of blood, blood products and blood services on behalf of all Australian governments in accordance with the National Blood Agreement. The primary policy objectives of the National Blood Agreement are to:
- provide an adequate, safe, secure and affordable supply of blood products, blood related products and blood related services in Australia and
- promote the safe, high-quality management and use of blood products, blood related products and blood related services in Australia.
NBA staff and contractors may have some direct contact with children in the following circumstances:
- Parents occasionally bring children and young people on agency premises for short periods while working.
- Agency endorsed events, stalls, exhibitions and stakeholder engagements where children may visit agency stands, displays and booths or be present.
- Presentations to stakeholder groups may occasionally include children.
- External team building and social events where children may visit.
Risk Assessment
Due to the scope of NBA operations, the risk to child safety is low. The NBA has little interaction with children. Through induction and annual mandatory training, all staff and contractors within the NBA are provided with a general understanding of:
- The purpose and key requirements of the Framework
- the importance of keeping children and young people safe
- their role in keeping children safe and
- the application of child safety clauses to Commonwealth funded third parties.
Compliance with the Framework and future improvements
To ensure full compliance with the Framework the NBA must adhere to four requirements:
- Requirement 1: Undertake risk assessments annually in relation to activities of the entity, to identify the level of responsibility for, and contact with, children, evaluate risks to childe safety, and put in place appropriate strategies to manage identified risks.
- Requirement 2: establish and maintain a system of training and compliance, to make staff aware of, and compliant with, the Framework and relevant legislation, including Working with Children Checks/Working with Vulnerable People Checks and mandatory requirements
- Requirement 3: Adopt and implement the National Principles for Childe Safe Organisations
- Requirement 4: Publish an annual statement of compliance with the Framework including an overview of the entity’s child safety risk assessment (conducted under Requirement 1).
The NBA is committed to exercising continuous efforts to be a child safe organisation through compliance with the Framework. The NBA was fully compliant with all but Requirement 3 of the Framework in 2023-24. In 2024-25, NBA intends to develop a new child safety and wellbeing policy that embeds the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations including a code of conduct, complaint handling, and charter of commitment to children and young people. In addition to this, the NBA is committed to continuing ongoing child safe training and risk management activities.
John Cahill
Chief Executive
Last updated: 31 Oct 2024