Child Safe Code of Conduct

Why this Code exists

This Code of Conduct sets the behaviour expected from every adult involved in a GIofAI program for children. It works alongside the GIofAI Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy.

Compliance with this Code is a condition of working in any GIofAI role involving children, children's sessions or children's personal information.

Who this Code applies to

This Code applies to:

• employees
• teachers and coaches
• contractors and freelancers
• moderators and technical hosts
• volunteers
• mentors
• guest speakers
• judges and facilitators
• anyone who has access to children, children's sessions or children's personal information

Anyone covered by this Code must understand and follow it before working directly with children.

What I will do

When working with children through GIofAI, I will:

• treat every child with dignity, respect and fairness
• support children from different backgrounds, cultures and abilities to participate safely
• maintain appropriate professional boundaries
• use only approved GIofAI systems and communication channels
• keep interactions with children visible and appropriately supervised
• follow GIofAI's online-session, camera, recording and communication rules
• protect children's personal information
• use only AI and technology tools approved by GIofAI
• complete any required screening and child-safety induction before working with children
• promptly report child-safety concerns
• take children seriously when they raise a concern
• cooperate with the Child Safety Officer and any authorised child-safety process

What I will not do

I will not:

• privately contact a child through personal email, telephone, text, social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms or other private channels
• have unnecessary unsupervised one-to-one online contact with a child
• arrange to meet a learner privately outside the GIofAI program
• ask a child to keep communications or interactions secret
• photograph, screenshot, record or capture a child without authorisation
• make unauthorised recordings of a GIofAI session
• store children's personal information in personal accounts or unapproved systems
• use sexual, discriminatory, threatening, humiliating, abusive or intimidating language
• engage in bullying, harassment, grooming or inappropriate personal behaviour
• encourage a relationship with a child that goes beyond appropriate professional boundaries
• show inappropriate favouritism towards a child
• give or accept inappropriate gifts, money or personal favours
• work with children while affected by alcohol, illegal drugs or another condition that materially affects my ability to supervise them safely
• enter children's personal or sensitive information into public AI tools
• upload children's identifiable photographs, videos or voice recordings to AI systems unless specifically approved
• ignore a child-safety concern because I believe somebody else may report it
• investigate a child-safety allegation myself unless formally authorised to do so

Communication with children

A parent or guardian is GIofAI's primary administrative contact for a child. Program communication should take place through approved GIofAI channels.

I will not:

• use personal accounts to communicate privately with children
• accept or send personal social-media friend or follow requests involving learners
• move a conversation with a child to another private platform
• ask a child for personal contact information unless specifically required and authorised by GIofAI

Where group chat is used during a session, communication must remain visible and appropriately moderated.

Conduct during online sessions

When delivering or supporting an online GIofAI session, I will:

• use controlled admission and follow GIofAI's participant-access procedures
• take reasonable steps to ensure only authorised participants enter
• keep breakout rooms appropriately supervised
• monitor behaviour as well as the educational content
• respond appropriately to bullying, harassment or inappropriate material
• respect a child's reasonable decision not to use their camera
• keep my clothing, language, background and conduct suitable for an environment involving children
• escalate child-safety concerns rather than trying to manage serious concerns alone

If an inappropriate one-to-one situation arises unexpectedly, I will take reasonable steps to:

• involve another authorised adult
• return the child to the main group
• end the individual interaction

Images, recordings and children's work

A child's work may be shared within their learning group where this forms part of the educational activity.

Children's work, photographs, video, audio or identifying information must not be used publicly or for marketing without appropriate authorisation and consent. Consent for one purpose does not automatically permit use for another purpose.

I will not publish or disclose unnecessary identifying information such as a child's:

• full name
• school
• home address
• personal contact information
• other information that could unnecessarily identify or locate them

Where GIofAI has approved public recognition of a child's work, only the level of identification authorised by the parent or guardian should be used.

AI and technology

I will only use AI and technology tools approved by GIofAI for children's programs. The current list is published in the Approved Tool Register.

I will not enter into an AI tool:

• a child's full name
• address
• school
• contact information
• family information
• health information
• child-safety information
• identifiable photographs or videos
• other sensitive personal information

unless the specific use has been assessed, approved and is lawful.

I will review AI-generated material before presenting it to children where reasonably practicable. I will not knowingly expose children to AI-generated content that is sexually explicit, violent, discriminatory, exploitative or otherwise inappropriate for the program.

Where an AI system produces inaccurate or inappropriate content, I will correct or explain it rather than presenting the output as automatically reliable.

Learner work and submissions

I will direct learners to submit work only through the GIofAI LMS. I will not request submission through personal email, messaging apps, public file-sharing links or personal cloud-storage accounts.

Where a learner uses locally installed software such as the approved presentation editor, I will not ask them to connect personal cloud storage, third-party integrations or optional AI integrations, and I will not enable those connections on a learner's device.

Reporting child-safety concerns

If I become aware of a child-safety concern, disclosure, allegation or suspicious behaviour, I will report it to the GIofAI Child Safety Officer as soon as practicable, at childsafety@giofai.com.au.

I understand that:

• I do not need proof before raising a concern
• I should listen calmly if a child makes a disclosure
• I should not interrogate the child or ask leading questions
• I should not promise secrecy
• I should make an accurate record of what I saw or was told
• I should protect relevant information or evidence
• I should not conduct my own investigation unless formally authorised

Reporting something internally to GIofAI does not remove any personal legal reporting obligation that may apply to me.

Conflicts of interest

I must not investigate or make decisions about a child-safety matter where:

• I am personally involved
• I am the subject of the allegation
• I have an actual or reasonably perceived conflict of interest

Such matters will be referred to the GIofAI Advisory Board or an appropriately qualified independent professional in accordance with the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy.

Breaches of this Code

GIofAI will take breaches of this Code seriously. Depending on the circumstances, action may include:

• guidance or additional training
• increased supervision
• restriction or suspension of access
• removal from child-facing activities
• suspension or termination of an engagement
• termination of employment where applicable
• referral to police, child protection, a screening authority or another relevant regulator

A temporary restriction or removal from child contact while a concern is assessed is a protective measure and does not, by itself, mean that misconduct has been proven.

Acknowledgement

Everyone required to comply with this Code must acknowledge it before commencing child-related work with GIofAI.

By signing below, I confirm that:

• I have read and understood the GIofAI Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• I have read and understood this Child Safe Code of Conduct
• I understand the professional boundaries expected of me
• I agree to comply with GIofAI's child-safety requirements
• I understand how to report a child-safety concern
• I understand that a serious breach may result in removal from child-related work, termination of my engagement or reporting to an appropriate authority

Child-safety contact