Ausdance WA is committed to fostering a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for all children and young people engaged in dance. We actively support initiatives that increase awareness, understanding, and compliance with child safety practices across the dance sector.
Through collaboration, education, and best practice, we strive to empower our community to prioritise the wellbeing and protection of children in all aspects of their involvement in dance.
In 2013, the Australian Government established a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in response to community concern about widespread reports of cases where Australian institutions failed to protect children from sexual abuse.
The Commission’s final recommendations emphasised that members of the public, children and young people, parents, carers, families and communities should feel confident that organisations working with children provide safe environments in which children’s rights, needs and interests are met.
The National Principles draw on the work of the Royal Commission, Australia’s Children’s Commissioners and Guardians and the 2005 National Framework for Creating Safe Environments for Children. They provide a national approach to embedding a child safe culture, practices and procedures across all sectors of Australian society in which children are involved.
Since the development of the National Principles on a federal level, each state and territory has taken steps towards developing statewide frameworks to monitor and oversee their implementation.
Become familiar with the 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
You can also view the Australian Human Rights Commission information and training for the National Principles here.
Child Safe organisations create cultures, adopt strategies and act to prevent harm to children, including sexual abuse. The Australian and New Zealand’s Children’s Commissioners and Guardians (ANZCCG) defines a child safe organisation as one that systematically:
NSW: 10 National Principles have been adopted directly to make the 10 Safety Standards.
VIC: Cultural Safety makes up the first of 11 Principles.
TAS: Child and Youth Safe Standards
QLD: 10 National Principles make up the 10 Safety Standards; all embed Cultural Safety.
The Department of Communities states that ‘The WA Government is committed to supporting the development of safe organisations for children and young people and is working to develop an independent oversight system that includes monitoring and enforcing the National Principles’.
Currently in Western Australia has no legal requirement for organisations working with young people to implement and comply with the National Principles. However, it is important for all organisations that engage with children to proactively work towards implementing child safe practices and procedures to make sure they are keeping children safe.
There are some requirements already in place in WA including compulsory screening strategy – the Working with Check Check (WWCC) and other child safe reforms, such as the Reportable Conduct Scheme. The latter is a scheme to prevent harm to children by holding organisations accountable for the conduct of their staff.
Given other Australian states and territories have legislated requirements for the National Principles, there is a lot of information and resources available that WA organisations can adapt and use.
Alongside current legal requirements such as holding a Working with Children Check, changes to legislation are likely to follow other states and require organisations in WA to implement the National Principles and assign an oversight body to monitor their compliance. This will likely mean stricter ongoing reporting requirements and a commitment to regular reviews, continuous learning and improvements, and future action.
The materials available at present are very broad, as all organisations who work with children are required to monitor and address their approach to safeguarding, not just the dance sector. For the purposes of language, the word ‘organisations’ below can be replaced with ‘dance school’ or ‘dance studio’.
As peak body for dance, Ausdance WA is currently working on developing a suite of dance-specific resources for the WA dance community to support the context we work in and address specific risks around the safety and wellbeing of young people. These resources (currently in development) will help dance studio owners, teachers, parents and young people to better understand and equip themselves ahead of legislation changes.
Ausdance WA are currently working with the Child Safeguarding Implementation Unit (Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries), as well as SportWest and Sport Integrity Australia to analyse the information currently available, and recontextualise and develop resources for the dance sector. In order to understand the specific challenges, risks and environments currently experienced in dance studios and schools in WA, Ausdance WA formed the Child Safe Dance Advisory Group in late 2024.
The group has broad representation across dance genres and levels; practices in studios, events, competitions and performances; and experience in dance teaching, business/studio management, and other related skills such as social and emotional wellbeing, physiotherapy, and access and inclusion.
The group has met regularly in 2024/2025 to discuss and progress this analysis and the development of dance-specific resources which will support studio owners/teachers/managers with upcoming changes in legislation surrounding child safety.
Natasha McCann – Head of Education and Community Engagement, West Australian Ballet
Jacinta Ehlers – Independent Teacher and Dance Competition Manager
Rita Nita –Creative Director, Choreographer, Community Development Consultant, Cultural Events Coordinator, Ex-Studio Owner (Elan Dance Est.)
Sharon Dalla Costa – Managing Director, ATAR Dance Coordinator and Teacher – Youth Ballet WA
Kristal Twight and Kristin Keighery – Co-Owners, K2Dance
Tania Shillington – Committee Member, West Australian Classical Ballet Teachers Association, Physiotherapist and Ex-Studio Owner
Kate Buchan – Owner, Dance Etc., Starz Dance and Co-Owner Creative Dance Method
Amanda Leigh – Independent Teacher, Customer Experience, Ausdance WA Board Member
Yes! You can use the ‘Self-Assessment Tool’ developed by DLGSC. This is a great way to see which areas you are already addressing well, and which areas need some work. You might like to build in an annual review of a tool such as this, so that you can keep a record, particularly of positive changes you are making to the culture of your organisation.
Section 124B of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 requires certain persons in WA to make a mandatory report if the person forms a belief on reasonable grounds in the course of their paid or unpaid work (on or after commencement day) as a ‘specified person’ that a child:
Although dance teachers do not currently have a legal obligation to report, everyone in WA has a moral obligation to report any harm to a child or young person to WA Police or the Department of Communities. New groups of mandatory reporters are being brought into operation in stages, and we may see dance teachers included in future. More information available through the Mandatory Reporting website.
We will be updating our community regularly via our Ausdance WA Enews and Membership, so consider signing up.
You may wish to refer to the following guidelines:
You have a right to feel safe, heard and respected. Some of the National Principles directly address the young people’s rights to be informed, and promote education, participation in decision making, and transparency. You should feel safe to speak up about concerns and know how to seek help if required.
The Commissioner for Children and Young People has more information and some resources and posters that may be useful.
As a first step, get familiar with the 10 National Principles and have a think about which areas in your own context could use attention. You can use the ‘Self-Assessment Tool’ for a more in-depth reflection.
Ausdance WA is working on specific resources that may address some of your concerns, so sign up to our eNews or become a member to stay informed, or let us know if you have a particular need that we have not addressed.
Western Australian Government
Updated mandatory reporting guide (November 2024). See page 21-22 for further support.
Ausdance Victoria
Further training is available for teachers through Ausdance Victoria. As an Ausdance WA member, you can access courses at a discounted rate.
Ausdance Victoria: Child Safe Induction (This is relevant to Victoria’s own Child Safety Standards, which differ state to state, but if you are interested in an overview or some general strategies, this might be helpful):
Ausdance Victoria: Safe Dance Module (~ 4 to 6 hours)
Ausdance Queensland
Ausdance QLD is developing a world-first education program Safedance for Kids. This comprehensive 6 Module program is purposefully designed through a First Nations Culturally safe lens and is for dance studio owners, teachers, children 8-10 years, their families and dance communities.
Sport Integrity Australia
Sport Integrity Australia’s resources are specific to sporting clubs and associations, but there are many similarities to dance.
You might like to view the following resources, plus many others on their website:
Sport Integrity Australia also have a library of webinars that address concerns in sport and may also relate to challenges or issues faced in dance.
Ausdance WA is funded by the State Government of Western Australia through the Department of Local Government Sport and Cultural Industry.
The community of Ausdance WA acknowledges the Traditional Owners of all Lands and Countries on this continent. We pay particular respect to Elders, Cultural and Community Leaders, and emerging leaders. With this understanding of the country’s First Peoples, we are grateful for our place in learning and serving dance, Arts and Culture in Western Australia.
Always Was. Always Will Be.
