Child safety and wellbeing
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is a Child Safe Organisation. We ensure our operations are aligned to the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations including creating a culture, adopting strategies and taking action to promote child wellbeing and to prevent harm to children and young people.
The National Principles draw on the work of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australia's Children's Commissioners and Guardians and the 2005 National Framework for Creating Safe Environments for Children - and provide a national approach to embedding a child safe culture within Australia.
Supporting child victims and affected child witnesses
A victim under the age of 16 is considered a child victim. Likewise, a witness under the age of 16 is considered an affected child witness. When giving evidence in court, a child victim or affected child witness is automatically treated as a special witness.
The ODPP ensures child victims and affected child witnesses:
- are informed about all of their rights in line with the Charter of Victim's Rights
- are kept informed and have access to the appropriate support services throughout the process
- have access to safety measures when required to give evidence, including arranging pre-recorded evidence, remotely, often from a separate, child-friendly space
- have their individual needs and circumstances acknowledged and supported by our staff
- have access to a safe, physical environment when meeting our staff.
Child safe operations
The ODPP also ensures it applies the National Principles to our state-wide operations and undertakes robust recruitment and screening processes, effectively manages complaints, provides continuous training to staff relating to child victims and affected child witnesses, and trauma-informed practices, and we respond to any concerns, disclosures, allegations or suspicions appropriately. The ODPP is committed to the continuous review and improvement of our practices in line with the National Principles.
A victim under the age of 16 is considered a child victim. Likewise a witness under the age of 16 is considered an affected child witness (ACW). When giving evidence in court a child victim or ACW is automatically treated as a 'special witness'.