Children & Young People Conditions of Use
Intent
The purpose of the Children and Young people Guideline is to:
- Define Cairns Libraries’ approach to providing for children and young people when in the library.
- Define Cairns Libraries’ expectations of parent, carers and educators.
- Inform parents, carers and educators about matters relevant to the care of children and young people in the library.
Scope
This guideline applies to all Cairns Libraries branches and surrounding areas.
PROVISIONS
Providing for Children and Young people
Cairns Libraries actively encourages children and young people to use and enjoy the library freely, frequently, widely and creatively. Priorities in relation to children and young people are:
- Promoting and providing opportunities for improved access to literacy and literary programs.
- Revealing the scope for exploration, discovery and learning at Cairns Libraries.
- Stimulating interest in ideas, culture, creativity and learning.
- Fostering the skills, critical capacities and multi-literacies necessary to effectively navigate diverse domains of information, knowledge and culture.
- Equally valuing and catering for individual interests, capacities and personalities.
- Bringing children and young people along the path of self-motivated, independent, and creative learning for life.
Programming for children and young people is based on child and young person centred philosophies and values.
Philosophies
All stages in the development, delivery and evaluation of programs and services for, with, by and about children and young people:
- Are grounded in the issues, interest and developmental needs of children and young people.
- Incorporate processes for the meaningful engagement of children and young people.
- Incorporate measures to ensure that partnerships with individuals and organisations align with the Cairns Libraries’ own child and young person centred approach.
Values
Programming and services for children and young people:
- Celebrate the contemporary lives, cultures and identities of children and young people.
- Value the things that children and young people can do and want to know.
- Recognise the important role of parents, carers and educators in the lives of children and young people.
- Acknowledge the right of children and young people to access, contribute to, and comment upon the collections, services and programs of Cairns Libraries.
- Understand the evolving social and community contexts in children and young people’s lives.
Legislative underpinning
Cairns Libraries focus on children and young people is underpinned by the Libraries Act 1988.
The object of the Act is “… to contribute to the cultural, social and intellectual development of all Queenslanders” One of the guiding principles for achieving the object is: “Children and young people should be supported in their understanding and use of library and informational services.”
Expectations of parents, carers and educators
To ensure that children’s and young peoples’ experiences of Cairns Libraries is consistently positive, Cairns Libraries seeks the cooperation of parents, carers and educators. Parents, carers and educators are asked to understand that:
- It is assumed that any person on Cairns Libraries’ premises who requires individual supervision (including all children) is actually receiving it from a parent, carer or educator.
- It is required that children in Cairns Libraries be supervised by a responsible adult. Children using libraries always benefit from the encouragement and support of a caring adult.
- Parents or other adults accompanying children should alert Cairns Libraries staff to:
- Any bullying, intimidation or harassment experienced by the child or young person and/or
- Any suspicion that children or young people are being harmed.
Matters relevant to the care of children and young people in Cairns Libraries in Cairns Libraries
The following information may be relevant to parents, carers and educators in caring for children and young people in Cairns Libraries.
- Libraries are busy public places open to all, and staff cannot judge which members of the public may be dangerous or unpredictable.
- Cairns Libraries does not censor its collections. Internet content and activity on the internet is similarly not censored or screened by use of filtering software or by any other means (Cairns Libraries complies with laws limiting or prohibiting access to specified material, including laws limiting access to specified material on the basis of a person’s age).
- Cairns Libraries does not supervise children’s or young peoples’ use of collections or internet facilities. Professional library staff are available to help children and young people and their parents or carers effectively navigate collections and the internet.
Unattended children
If library staff discover an unattended child on library premises, staff will endeavour to arrange for a parent, carer or educator responsible for the child to collect the child. If such arrangement cannot be made the child will be considered at risk and the Queensland Police Service will be notified.
Working with Children checks
Cairns Libraries requires volunteers, external consultants and contractors to hold a current Blue Card (issued by the Queensland Government) in order to work with children in the library.
Definitions
Term Definition Children People aged 0 to 11 years Young People People aged 12 to 25 years
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Children | People aged 0 to 11 years |
| Young People | People aged 12 to 25 year |
References
The Policy is supported by: