Statement of commitment to child safety

The Victorian Electoral Commission is committed to the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

• We want children and young people to be safe, happy and empowered.
• We want to excite the curiosity of young people and encourage them to understand and explore their democracy in a safe and respectful manner.
• We encourage the participation and empowerment of all children and young people, but especially in the actual conduct of elections under appropriate supervision.
• We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with disabilities.
• We are committed to recognising and including the identity of LGBTIQ+ children.
• We are cognisant of our requirement to prioritise the safety of children that we engage with during face-to-face and online electoral education sessions and who accompany their parents/guardians to voting centres.
• We have zero tolerance of child abuse. All allegations and safety concerns will be addressed quickly, seriously and consistently, in line with our policy and procedures.
• We have a legal and moral responsibility to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we faithfully observe.
• Our organisation is committed to ensuring staff are appropriately trained and educated on child abuse risks as they relate to the VEC and its operations.
• Our organisation has robust human resources and recruitment practices in place for all core and election staff.
• We have a specific policy, procedures, training and checks in place to support our leadership team and employees to achieve these commitments.

If you believe a child is at immediate risk of abuse phone 000.

Please refer to the VEC child safety policy (2022) for further information.