QAGTC Risk Management Procedure

Queensland Association for Gifted and Talented Children Inc. (QAGTC)
Risk Management Procedure
Version 1.0 | August 2026

1. Purpose

QAGTC is committed to providing safe, well-managed and inclusive environments for children, young people, families, members, volunteers and event attendees.

The purpose of this procedure is to establish a systematic approach to identifying, assessing, managing and reviewing risks associated with QAGTC operations, activities, events, programs, conferences and online environments.

This procedure supports the Queensland Child Safe Standards, including leadership and governance, safe physical and online environments, continuous improvement, and policies and procedures that promote child safety and wellbeing. [qfcc.qld.gov.au], [families.qld.gov.au]

2. Scope

This procedure applies to:

QAGTC Committee operations
Branch activities
Children's programs
Workshops and enrichment events
Conferences
Meetings
Online activities
Volunteer activities
Fundraising activities
Community engagement initiatives

This procedure applies to all committee members, volunteers, contractors and persons acting on behalf of QAGTC.

3. Objectives

QAGTC seeks to:

Protect children and young people from harm.
Promote safe participation in all activities.
Protect volunteers, members and attendees.
Protect QAGTC's reputation and assets.
Support informed decision-making.
Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory obligations.
Promote continuous improvement in safety and governance. [qfcc.qld.gov.au], [families.qld.gov.au]

4. Risk Management Principles

QAGTC will:

Identify risks before activities are undertaken.
Assess the likelihood and consequences of risks.
Implement reasonable controls to reduce risk.
Monitor and review risk controls.
Maintain documented records of significant risks.
Prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children in all risk-management decisions. [qfcc.qld.gov.au], [families.qld.gov.au]

5. Roles and Responsibilities

QAGTC Committee

The Committee is responsible for:

Overseeing organisational risk management.
Reviewing significant risks.
Approving risk management strategies.
Monitoring child safety risks.
Ensuring risk management processes remain effective.

President

The President will:

Promote a culture of risk awareness.
Ensure significant risks are reported to the Committee.
Support implementation of this procedure.

Branch Committees and Event Organisers

Branch executives and event organisers must:

Conduct risk assessments before activities.
Implement risk control measures.
Monitor risks during events.
Report incidents and emerging risks.

Volunteers

Volunteers must:

Follow risk management procedures.
Report hazards and incidents promptly.
Comply with safety directions.
Participate in training where required.

6. Risk Management Process

QAGTC adopts the following five-step risk management process.

Step 1: Identify Risks

Potential risks may arise from:

Child Safety

Abuse or neglect
Grooming behaviour
Inappropriate adult-child interactions
Inadequate supervision
Bullying or harassment
Unauthorised photography

Event and Activity Risks

Slips, trips and falls
Medical emergencies
Venue hazards
Transport issues
Inadequate supervision

Online Risks

Cyberbullying
Unauthorised contact with children
Privacy breaches
Inappropriate online behaviour
Unauthorised recording of sessions

Governance Risks

Policy non-compliance
Financial mismanagement
Conflicts of interest
Reputational damage

Operational Risks

Volunteer shortages
Technology failures
Event cancellation
Failure of suppliers or venues

Physical and online environments should be proactively assessed to minimise opportunities for harm. [qfcc.qld.gov.au], [families.qld.gov.au]

Step 2: Assess Risks

Each identified risk should be assessed using:

Likelihood

Rating	Description
Rare	Very unlikely to occur
Unlikely	Could occur occasionally
Possible	May occur at some time
Likely	Expected to occur
Almost Certain	Expected frequently

Consequence

Rating	Description
Insignificant	Minimal impact
Minor	Small disruption or injury
Moderate	Significant disruption or injury
Major	Serious injury or substantial organisational impact
Severe	Catastrophic injury, harm or organisational impact

Step 3: Determine Risk Level

Likelihood	Consequence	Risk Level
Low	Minor impact	Low
Moderate	Manageable impact	Medium
High	Significant concern	High
Extreme	Immediate action required	Extreme

Risks involving child safety should generally be treated as High or Extreme until adequately controlled. [qfcc.qld.gov.au], [families.qld.gov.au]

Step 4: Implement Controls

Controls should seek to eliminate risk where possible or reduce risk to an acceptable level.

Examples include:

Child Safety Controls

Blue Card screening
Adult supervision requirements
Codes of Conduct
Child safety training
Complaint procedures
Incident reporting processes

Event Controls

Venue inspections
First aid resources
Emergency evacuation procedures
Participant sign-in processes
Duty of care arrangements

Online Controls

Approved communication platforms
Privacy protections
Online moderation
Use of online safety protocols
Restrictions on private communications with children

Governance Controls

Financial controls
Committee oversight
Conflict of interest declarations
Policy reviews

Appropriate policies, procedures, complaints mechanisms and workforce screening are key controls in maintaining child-safe organisations. [qfcc.qld.gov.au], [families.qld.gov.au]

Step 5: Monitor and Review

QAGTC will:

Review risks regularly.
Evaluate the effectiveness of controls.
Investigate incidents and near misses.
Update risk registers.
Amend procedures as required.

Reviews should occur following:

Major events
Significant incidents
Child safety concerns
Legislative changes
Annual Committee review

7. Event Risk Assessments

A documented risk assessment should be completed for:

Children's activities
Conferences
Workshops
Competitions
Excursions
Events involving external venues
Online programs involving children

The assessment should include:

Hazards identified
Risk ratings
Control measures
Responsible persons
Review arrangements

8. Child Safety Risk Management

Child safety must be specifically considered in all event planning.

Risk assessments should examine:

Supervision arrangements
Volunteer suitability
Venue accessibility
Registration processes
Photography and media practices
Online communication methods
Risks to vulnerable participants
Cultural safety considerations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

The Universal Principle requires organisations to uphold the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. [qfcc.qld.gov.au], [families.qld.gov.au]

9. Incident Reporting

All incidents, hazards and near misses should be reported as soon as practicable.

Examples include:

Injury or illness
Unsafe behaviour
Child safety concerns
Property damage
Security incidents
Online safety concerns

Significant incidents must be escalated immediately to the President or a designated Committee representative.

10. Risk Register

QAGTC will maintain a Risk Register that records:

Identified risks
Risk ratings
Existing controls
Additional actions required
Responsible persons
Review dates

The Risk Register should be reviewed at least annually.

11. Emergency Management

For significant events, organisers should consider:

Emergency contacts
First aid arrangements
Evacuation procedures
Communication plans
Management of lost or missing children
Severe weather contingencies
Venue-specific emergency requirements

12. Continuous Improvement

QAGTC will continuously improve risk management through:

Annual reviews
Incident analysis
Complaint analysis
Child safety reviews
Volunteer feedback
Participant feedback

Continuous review of child safety and organisational practices is an expectation of the Child Safe Standards. [qfcc.qld.gov.au], [families.qld.gov.au]

13. Review

This procedure will be reviewed:

Every two years;
Following a significant incident;
Following legislative changes;
Following a child safety review; or
At the direction of the QAGTC Committee.