• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Application
• Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities
• Section 4 - Children on Campus
• Section 5 - Permission and Approval
• Section 7 - Delegations
• Section 8 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy outlines expectations when staff, students or other members of the QUT community have an occasional need to bring a child or children onto campus to balance work or study with their family responsibilities.

Section 2 - Application

(2) This Policy applies to any member of the QUT community bringing children to a QUT campus while engaging in work or study-related activities. The University also reserves the right to apply this policy to any person utilising a QUT campus.

(3) This Policy does not apply to:

1. situations where a child is brought to a QUT campus for the purpose of attending a registered childcare facility, health clinic or other support and outreach service offered to children by the University, other approved program, performance, or community engagement activity
2. staff conducting University business working from home.

Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities

Section 4 - Children on Campus

(4) QUT recognises that, when balancing work, study and family responsibilities, a member of the University community as the carer of a child may occasionally need to bring the child onto campus. The University acknowledges that, due to the nature of the activities undertaken on campus, there are potential health and safety risks for anyone on campus, including children, and children may be brought onto campus on the following conditions:

1. Children must always be actively and directly supervised by a responsible adult while on campus and must not be allowed to interfere with the work or study responsibilities of other staff or students.
2. carers must ensure that a child is not exposed to any inappropriate materials (including lecture/tutorial content or other learning materials) that are inappropriate for children.
3. The University does not permit carers to bring children routinely onto a QUT campus as an alternative to regular, organised childcare arrangements. All reasonable attempts should be made to arrange alternative childcare before bringing a child onto a QUT campus.
4. In the interests of public health, sick or infectious children must not be brought onto a QUT campus.
5. Children must not be taken into high-risk working environments (e.g. laboratories and workshops) where potentially dangerous equipment or hazardous substances are present, or areas that are subject to particular statutory or local regulations (e.g. areas licensed to sell alcohol or rooms where formal examinations are being held).
6. Children should not be on campus in the care of a person who has high-vigilance tasks (e.g. working in a laboratory with hazardous chemicals or in a workshop with machinery or power tools) which may potentially lead to error, or health, safety and environmental risks if distracted by child supervision responsibilities.

(5) The University reserves the right to deem any part of a QUT campus as unsuitable for children.

Section 5 - Permission and Approval

(6) Permission to bring children onto a QUT campus is at the discretion of the relevant Supervisor, Manager or person in authority.

(7) Wherever possible such permission should be sought prior to bringing a child into the work/study environment or if this is not possible, as soon as practicable after arriving.

Section 6 - Authority to Direct Carers to Remove a Child from the Area or Unattended Children

(8) The University, through QUT Security, a manager or supervisor, can direct a carer to remove their child from a QUT campus if:

1. the child’s health or safety is at risk;
2. the child is presenting a health or safety risk to others, for example they are unwell or have an infectious or communicable disease;
3. the child's behaviour is causing disruption to others; or
4. the presence of a child is inappropriate.

(9) In public areas such as libraries, any member of QUT staff on duty has the authority to direct the child be removed from the area.

(10) In teaching and learning environments such as lectures, practicals and tutorials, the lecturer or person in charge of the area/activity has the authority to direct the child be removed from the area.

(11) If a child is deemed to be unsupervised/unattended and the carer is not present, University staff may engage with the child so that they remain in a safe environment and then:

1. take all reasonable attempts to find the carer; and
2. if the carer cannot be found, notify QUT Security and Emergency Management.

Section 7 - Delegations

(12) There are no delegations made under this policy.

Section 8 - Definitions