Our Commitment to Child Safety
At Five Graces Photography, the safety, wellbeing, and dignity of all children are our highest priorities. We specialise in capturing children in early learning settings and understand the great trust placed in us by families, educators, and centres. We have zero tolerance for child abuse and are committed to creating safe, respectful, and inclusive environments during every photography session.
Our Legal Responsibility
We operate in alignment with the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (VIC) and are fully committed to meeting the 11 Child Safe Standards introduced by the Commission for Children and Young People. These obligations are embedded into every part of our work — from planning to delivery of photographs.
Our Approach Includes:
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Providing a physically and emotionally safe environment during every session
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Working collaboratively with educators to support each child’s comfort and routine
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Treating all children with care, patience, and respect
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Supporting children’s rights to choose whether or how they participate
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Actively preventing harm and responding to all safety concerns appropriately
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Continually reviewing our practices to uphold best standards in child safety
Cultural Safety & Inclusion
We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. We also uphold the rights and dignity of children with disabilities and additional needs. Every child deserves to feel seen, heard, and safe in front of our camera.
Staff & Contractors
All team members who enter childcare or kindergarten environments:
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Hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC)
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Are trained in child safety practices and understand early learning environments
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Are subject to child-safe recruitment procedures
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Must adhere to our Child Safe Code of Conduct
Photography Practices in Early Learning Settings
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We only photograph children with informed written parental or guardian consent
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We work with educators to ensure a child is emotionally ready and settled
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We never force a child to participate — sessions are child-led and playful
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Children are never photographed alone — an educator or supervising adult is always present
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All images are stored securely in password-protected systems
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Galleries are private and accessible only via unique, secure links
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Images are not used for marketing or shared publicly without separate, explicit consent from families
Reporting Concerns
We have a clear process for handling complaints, concerns, or safety issues.
All concerns about child safety should be reported to:
Christine Smith (Director)
📧 hello@fivegraces.com.au
Concerns raised by families or centres will be handled respectfully and with urgency.
Review
This policy and our safety procedures are reviewed annually, and updated in line with legal obligations, sector feedback, and continuous improvement practices.