You have been volunteering for a theatre production for the past few months. You have noticed that one of the male directors has been standing close to some of the female actors and making derogatory remarks to the group of youth actors who range from ages 13-25, including some comments that seem like sexual inuendo. 

What to do 

If you feel comfortable, speak up when you observe this behaviour and call it out as inappropriate. This models to children and young people that the behaviour is not acceptable, and may encourage them to be brave enough to call it out too. 

Keep notes about the comments and behaviour when you observe them. Information such as what was said or done, when and where it happened, and who was there will help if you decide to escalate the matter later. 

Check if the theatre company has a designated child safety officer or some other designated person to make reports to. Talk to them about your concerns. 

Because the director’s behaviour and comments could constitute sexual harassment, you can also follow our steps on where to get help with unacceptable workplace behaviour. 

You are volunteering on stage setup for a major music festival. One of the singers at the festival is your best friend’s 16-year-old sister, Ava. 

One day, Ava approaches you crying and tells you that one of the producers ‘did something’. She says she’s very embarrassed and doesn’t want you to tell anyone. 

What to do 

Your first priority is to make sure Ava is safe. This might mean staying with her until she can leave the festival, helping to contact her sister or another trusted adult, or providing any other support she may need in that moment. 

Listen to Ava if she decides to share more with you. However, if she’s feeling embarrassed, it may not be helpful to push her to share further details right away. Reassure her that it’s not her fault and that she’s doing the right thing by telling you but that you can’t promise you won’t tell anyone else because that might be needed to help them. 

If she doesn’t share any more details with you, it might be appropriate to follow up with her after the event. It might be tempting to tell your best friend about her sister’s situation, but may breach Ava’s privacy and you could be overstepping your role as a volunteer. You should get Ava’s permission first before sharing with her sister. 

In consultation with Ava, lodge an incident report with the festival organiser. Include any information you have from Ava, so they can assess next steps. If there is no formal incident reporting process, tell someone senior, such as the volunteer coordinator or another senior person you trust. 

If Ava shares with you that what happened with the producer was sexual conduct, you may have obligations to report to police. Learn more about reporting child safety concerns. You should cooperate with any next steps the police want to take.  

The police can engage with the producer's employer if required. As a general festival volunteer, this next step is very likely to be beyond your role. 

You run writing workshops with aspiring young writers at a local library. One of your students is 15 year old Minh. 

Minh has just shared a story with you about a high school student and a maths teacher. The story describes in realistic detail some special attention the student is getting from her maths teacher. The teacher creates opportunities to speak to the student on her own, tells the student she looks hot in her summer uniform, tells her how mature she is compared with the other students, and would tell her how great it would be to go to the beach together to peel off their clothes and cool down. 

The teacher’s behaviour in the story sounds to you like it may be grooming. Minh doesn’t tell you that this is a personal essay but your instinct is that it reads like one. 

What to do 

Even though Minh has shared her writing with you, she hasn’t actually disclosed anything to you. 

You may be able to prompt a discussion with Minh about the piece and ask more questions about her motivation for writing it. You need to do this sensitively and with an emphasis on ensuring Minh feels heard, believed and supported. 

Given how serious it is, it's critical that you handle the conversation well. Be a good listener, empathise and affirm. Make sure she knows you believe her, and that she has done the right thing by talking to you. Take careful notes of what Minh shares with you. Explain that you may need to tell other people. 

This conduct may be considered grooming. Grooming is a sexual offence and must be reported to police. Learn more about reporting child safety concerns. Your notes will be helpful to share with the police so that Minh doesn’t need to repeat herself.

You can also suggest to Minh that she may like to tell a teacher or another trusted adult at her school as well. Minh’s school has a responsibility to keep Minh safe.

You teach piano to private students in the front room of your home. 

You notice that Eric, one of your students, has some bruising on his hand. Without prompting he shares with you that his dad “shouts and pushes” him sometimes if he doesn’t practice enough. 

What to do 

The first step here is to make sure Eric is okay. Listen to what he has to say and ask open-ended questions. Reassure Eric that he is doing the right thing by telling you, but don’t promise not to tell anyone else. Take some notes of what Eric has told you after the lesson. 

• If you are a registered teacher — You may have a mandatory reporting obligation if you believe Eric is at risk of physical abuse from his dad and his parents are unwilling or unable to protect him.
• If you are not a registered teacher — You can choose to make a voluntary report if you think Eric is in need of protection from harm. 

Learn more about reporting child safety concerns.

Other than your reporting actions, keep what you know confidential and make sure Eric is getting support. For example, from another family member, a trusted adult at school, or from an external organisation if required. Learn more about where to get support for children and young people.

This includes telling the person or people in the circus school who are responsible for responding to unacceptable behaviours. Check if the circus school has a process for reporting these concerns. The school will need to take action to keep Jet and everyone else in the school safe from such behaviours. 

You are instructor at a circus school that runs weekly classes after school. One of your students, Jet, always comes straight from school and arrives early each week. They chat with you and help you set up the crash mats each week before the other students arrive. 

Over time, Jet shares that one of the other instructors makes them feel uncomfortable. The instructor repeatedly uses belittling language and makes negative comments about Jet’s skin tone. 

What to do 

Listen to what Jet has to say. Be empathetic and thank them for sharing his experience with you. It’s not your job to confront the other instructor. Your focus should be on making sure that Jet is ok and has the support they need. 

It sounds to you like Jet may be experiencing some inappropriate behaviours from the other instructor. The repeated belittling language could be bullying, and the negative comments about Jet’s skin could be harassment.

Consider your work health and safety obligations. Follow our steps for what to do if you see or hear about bullying, harassment or discrimination. 

This includes telling the person or people in the circus school who are responsible for responding to unacceptable behaviours. Check if the circus school has a process for reporting these concerns. The school will need to take action to keep Jet and everyone else in the school safe from such behaviours. 

You are a lighting technician working on a musical with several children and young people in the cast. Kyra, who is 11, is a wheelchair user cast in one of the lead roles. During rehearsals, you notice that that one of the choreographers touches Kyra much more than the able-bodied performers, including moving her wheelchair without her consent. From what you’ve observed, Kyra is quite independent and has politely told the choreographer on a couple of occasions that she doesn’t need help.

Regardless of whether the choreographer is well-intentioned, they are not respecting Kyra’s personal space. The choreographer may also be contravening the company’s child safety code of conduct.

What to do 

If you feel comfortable, speak up when you see the behaviour happening. For example, if you see Kyra tell the choreographer she doesn’t need help and the choreographer doesn’t respect her, you could say something like, ‘She just said she didn’t need assistance with that.’ This is one way of showing Kyra she is being heard and affirming the importance of respecting her wishes.

You don’t really know Kyra. You decide it feels like overstepping to talk to her about it. But you keep notes of what you observe in case you need to share this with others. You know this will also help Kyra if she raises it with the organisation and the organisation doesn’t take her concerns seriously.

You can see that the behaviour is making Kyra uncomfortable, so you decide to tell someone in the organisation. You check the company’s child safety policy and procedure to see if there’s a designated contact person. There isn’t, so you decide that telling the producer about your concerns is a good option. (While you’re talking to the producer, you mention that there isn’t a nominated contact person for child safety concerns, and you suggest to her that it might be something the company could consider.) 

You explain to the producer that, even though the choreographer may just be trying to support Kyra, it’s also possible that you are observing behaviour that could escalate — particularly if the choreographer is supporting Kyra in unsupervised environments. 

The producer thanks you. You both agree that you have an important role in helping the organisation reinforce acceptable behaviours with children, including those with diverse needs.

You are a television makeup artist on a reality TV show. Ben is a 14-year-old contestant. While doing his makeup, he mentions in passing that he gets a lot of explicit images shared with him from fans online through his YouTube channel. He says he tries to ignore it. He asks you not to tell anyone, in part because he knows that he shouldn’t have a YouTube account under the social media ban. ‘It’s not a big deal,’ he shrugs, but you can tell he’s uncomfortable. 

What to do 

You listen actively to what Ben has to tell you. You don’t have to get all the information from him, but it’s important that he feels you are taking his concerns seriously and that his discomfort is valid.

You can’t promise Ben that you won’t tell anyone. You say that your responsibility is to keep him safe. But you make sure he knows you will respect his privacy as much as possible. 

You think about who might be the best to speak to about this. Ben doesn’t have a designated chaperone, otherwise that might have been a good starting point. You decide to raise it with the production manager. 

Since Ben has asked you not to tell people, you begin by making general enquiries about what safeguards are in place for underage contestants to prevent them from harm online. The production manager appreciates that young people may be circumventing the social media ban. She hears your description of the images and looks worried. 

You realise that, to address Ben’s safety, you need to identify him to the production manager. Depending on the nature of the material, you may also need to make a report to police. You may also be able to support Ben to make a report to the e-Safety Commissioner. 

You and production manager talk about how best to support Ben. You decide to talk to him to about involving his parents, and also to offer to help him compile screenshots for reporting so that he doesn’t have to look at the material again.