WEDO 80 PTY LTD

CHILD SAFETY AND WELLBEING POLICY

1.           INTRODUCTION 

WeDo 80 Pty Ltd (ACN 946 491 194) (WeDo 80) is committed to child safety. This policy applies to all staff, contractors and consultants of WeDo 80, whether or not they work in direct contact with children, and to all products WeDo 80 develops or creates which involves, or relates to, contact with children. This policy can be viewed by members of the general public, children and their families.

See the end of this policy for ‘Definitions’.

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

If you have any feedback on this policy please contact us using the details below. 

2.           STATEMENT OF OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY

All children have a right to feel and be safe. The welfare of children will always be our key priority and we have a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse and harm. We aim to create a child-safe and child-friendly social media platform where children’s safety and wellbeing is prioritised.

WeDo 80 is committed to ensuring that safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture, including through our governance strategies, guidelines for staff and ensuring that a child safe culture is championed and modelled at all levels of the organisation from the top down and bottom up. 

WeDo 80 aims to engage in open communication with families and communities, and to keep family and communities involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing. We are committed to regularly reviewing our child safe practices, and seeking feedback from staff, volunteers, families and children to inform our ongoing strategies. This feedback, along with input from our staff and our users, informs our policy updates and helps us refine our safety features and response mechanisms.

WeDo 80 has robust and thorough human resources and recruitment practices for all staff and volunteers. We will ensure that our staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.

WeDo 80 has zero tolerance of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently with our robust policies and procedures. WeDo 80 is committed to preventing child abuse and proactively identifying risks early on, and removing and reducing these risks of harm to children in online environments. WeDo 80 will ensure that processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused.

WeDo 80 will ensure that this policy, and other relevant organisational policies and child safe practices are reviewed, updated and improved, and that the Child Safe Standards are properly implemented. 

WeDo 80 has legal obligations to contact authorities when WeDo 80 (its staff and volunteers) are concerned about a child’s safety, which WeDo 80 complies with rigorously. 

WeDo 80 has specific policies and procedures in place that support our leadership team, staff and volunteers to achieve these commitments to child safety. 

3.           ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

We have provided an overview of who is responsible for particular aspects of child safety and wellbeing in the organisation below. 

WeDo 80 Management Team

The staff will:

•             ensure effective child safety and wellbeing governance, policies, procedures, codes, and practices are in place and followed;

•             model a child-safe culture that facilitates the active participation of children, families, and staff in promoting and improving child safety, cultural safety, and wellbeing;

•             enable inclusive practices where the diverse needs of all children are considered;

•             reinforce high standards of respectful behavior between children and adults, and between children;

•             promote regular open discussion and learning on child safety issues within the organisation, including at management meetings and staff meetings;

•             create an environment where child safety complaints and concerns are readily raised, and no one is discouraged from reporting an allegation of child abuse to relevant authorities; and

•             oversee the development and implementation of robust online safety features and AI moderation tools to protect children using the WeDo80 platform.

WeDo 80 Staff and Contractors 

All contractors and consultants will: 

•             always follow WeDo80’s child safety and wellbeing policies and procedures;

•             act in accordance with our Community Guidelines.

•             understand and comply with their child safety and legal obligations;

•             identify and raise concerns about child safety issues in accordance with this policy;

•             ensure children’s views are taken seriously and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives;

•             implement inclusive practices that respond to the diverse needs of children;

•             contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of our online safety features and moderation tools; and

•             stay informed about digital safety trends and potential risks to children in online environments.

Child Safety Officer

The designated Child Safety Officer will:

•             act as the primary point of contact for all child safety concerns or inquiries;

•             coordinate responses to child safety incidents;

•             ensure all staff are aware of their reporting obligations and support them in making reports when necessary;

•             maintain accurate records of child safety concerns and incidents;

•             liaise with relevant authorities when required;

•             provide regular updates to the Management Team on child safety matters; and

•             lead the review and update of child safety policies and procedures.

4.           DEFINITIONS

Child/Children: A person who is under the age of 18 years.

Child abuse: Includes sexual offenses committed against a child, grooming, physical violence against a child, causing serious emotional or psychological harm to a child, and serious neglect of a child.

Harm: Damage to the health, safety or wellbeing of a child, including as a result of child abuse by adults or the conduct of other children. It includes physical, emotional, sexual and psychological harm. Harm can arise from a single act or event and can also be cumulative, arising as a result of a series of acts or events over a period of time.

Concerns and complaints:

A concern refers to any potential issue that could impact negatively on the safety and wellbeing of children.

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction to WeDo80 Pty Ltd related to one or more of the following:

•             our services or dealings with individuals;

•             allegations of abuse or misconduct by a staff member, contractor, or another individual associated with WeDo80 Pty Ltd;

•             disclosures of abuse or harm made by a child or young person;

•             the conduct of a child or young person on the WeDo80 platform;

•             the inadequate handling of a prior concern; or

•             general concerns about the safety of a group of children or activity.

Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE): CSAE refers to child sexual abuse and exploitation, including content or behaviour that sexually exploits, abuses, or endangers children. This includes, for example, grooming a child for sexual exploitation, sextorting a child, trafficking of a child for sex, or otherwise sexually exploiting a child.

Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM): CSAM consists of any visual depiction, including but not limited to photos, videos, and computer-generated imagery, involving the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

5.           CHILD SAFETY STRATEGIES

WeDo80 Pty Ltd has implemented a comprehensive set of strategies to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children using our platform. These strategies are designed to create a secure environment, facilitate reporting of concerns, and maintain compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards.

a)     In-App User Reporting Mechanism

In compliance with local legal requirements and Google Play’s standards, we have integrated a user reporting system within our app. This mechanism allows users to submit feedback, concerns, or reports on harmful content and behavior directly through the platform. Users are able to report any child abuse situations directly in the WeDo80 app via the feedback section in settings. These reports are promptly reviewed against our company policies and guidelines to ensure swift action on potential child safety issues. To complement this in-app reporting system, we maintain a globally accessible web resource that details our policies and standards regarding CSAE and child safety. This web resource is functional, relevant in scope, and clearly references our app and developer name as it appears on our Google Play store listing. A link to these published standards is provided in the Play Console, ensuring transparency and easy access to our comprehensive child safety policies for all users and stakeholders.

b)     Content Detection and Moderation

To proactively identify and address Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA), including CSAM distribution and online grooming, we are investigating a range of technical solutions.

These potential automated detection tools could be supplemented by human moderation to ensure accurate and context-aware review of flagged content. 

c)     Restricted Content Mode

Our app settings include a restricted content mode and word filtering system. These tools work in tandem with our detection systems to create a safer digital environment for young users by limiting exposure to inappropriate content.

d)     Reporting to the Relevant Authority

In cases where content is confirmed to be CSAM or there are serious child safety concerns, we have established a process to report these to the relevant authorities. This may include reporting to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) or the appropriate regional authority in Australia.

e)     Age Restriction

Our platform is restricted to users aged 13 and above. 

f)      Publicly Accessible Child Safety Standards

In compliance with Google’s policies, we maintain a web resource that is globally accessible, detailing our policies and standards around CSAE. This resource is functional, relevant in scope, and references our app and developer name as it appears on our Google Play store listing.

g)     Ongoing Policy Review

We regularly review and update our child safety policies to ensure they remain effective and compliant with current regulations. This includes preparing alternative versions of our policy documents to accommodate potential changes in age restrictions.

WeDo80 Pty Ltd is committed to continuously improving our child safety measures. While we have plans for future enhancements, including additional reporting options, we focus on maintaining and optimising our current functionalities to ensure the highest standards of child safety within our current operational framework.

h)     Legislative responsibilities

WeDo 80 takes our legal responsibilities seriously, including:

•             Failure to disclose: Reporting child sexual abuse is a community-wide responsibility. All adults in Victoria who have a reasonable belief that an adult has committed a sexual offence against a child under 16 years old have an obligation to report that information to the police.

•             Failure to protect: People of authority within WeDo 80’s organisation will commit an offence if they know of a substantial risk of child sexual abuse and have the power or responsibility to reduce or remove the risk, but negligently fail to do so.

•             Any personnel of WeDo 80 who are mandatory reporters must comply with their duties.

i)      Privacy and information sharing 

All personal information considered or recorded will respect the privacy of the individuals involved, whether they be staff, volunteers, parents or children, unless there is a risk to someone’s safety.

WeDo 80 has safeguards and practices in place to ensure any personal information is protected. Everyone is entitled to know how this information is recorded, what will be done with it, and who will have access to it.

WeDo 80 collects, uses, and discloses information about children and their families in accordance with Victorian privacy laws, and other relevant laws. Our Privacy Policy also sets out our commitment in relation to personal information and is available on our website: Privacy Policy

j)      Records management

We acknowledge that good records management practices are a critical element of child safety and wellbeing. We will record all details given to us about each Child Abuse case, and supply these records to the required authorities as requested. 

6.           POLICY STATUS AND REVIEW 

The Child Safety Officer is responsible for reviewing and updating the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy at least every year. The review will include input from children, parents/carers and the community.

WeDo 80 Pty Ltd (ACN 946 491 194) 

Child Safety Officer: Matty Titheridge

Email: [email protected]

Child Safety Policy last reviewed on: February 2025

Child Safety Policy due for review on: February 2026.