Child Safety Policy
Flow State Swim Co.- Effective May 2026
Our commitment
“The safety and well-being of children in our programs is not a compliance requirement. It is a non-negotiable foundation of everything we do. Every child who swims with us, learns with us, or experiences our methodology through a partner organisation deserves to feel safe, respected, and in control of their own experience.”
01 — Our Commitment to Child Safety
Flow State Community Aquatics Pty Ltd, trading as Flow State Swim Co., is committed to the safety, well-being, and dignity of every child in our programs. This commitment applies to all staff, educators, volunteers, and partner organisations who deliver or support the Flow State Aquatic Method™.
We believe every child has the right to be safe, to be heard, and to have their boundaries respected. We actively work to create environments where children feel secure, valued, and in control of their own experience — in the water and in every learning context.
Child safety is the primary consideration in all program design, delivery, and review decisions. No program outcome, commercial consideration, or operational convenience takes precedence over a child's safety.
02 — The Principles We Work By
These principles are embedded in the design of every session, every curriculum document, and every practitioner training program we deliver.
1. Children are always in control of their own participation
All activities are invitation-based. No child is required to participate in any activity against their will. Opting out is always acknowledged warmly and without comment or pressure. This is both a pedagogical principle and a non-negotiable child safety standard.
2. Physical contact is minimal and always purposeful
Flow State educators do not initiate unnecessary physical contact with children. There is no guiding, lifting, or restraining of any child without explicit consent and clear safety necessity. Physical interactions are always transparent and proportionate.
3. No child is ever unsupervised with a Flow State educator
Flow State educators do not have unsupervised one-on-one access to children. In all program contexts, a second responsible adult — a room educator, school teacher, or parent — is present and co-responsible for child supervision throughout the session.
4. Every child’s voice is taken seriously
We listen to children. When a child expresses discomfort, fear, or distress — verbally or non-verbally — we respond immediately and with care. We do not dismiss, minimise, or override a child’s expressed experience.
5. Cultural safety is part of child safety
We recognise that cultural identity is central to a child’s sense of self and safety. Our programs — particularly those involving First Nations cultural content developed in partnership with the Arakwal Corporation — are designed to affirm and respect each child’s cultural background.
03 — Staff Qualifications & Screening
All Flow State Swim Co. educators, staff, and volunteers who have direct contact with children hold a current Working With Children Check (NSW) before any program delivery commences. This requirement is non-negotiable and applies to all persons regardless of their role.
All lead educators hold current Senior First Aid and CPR certification. Certifications are reviewed annually and renewed as required.
Where our programs are delivered in partnership with schools, early childhood centres, or other organisations, we require those organisations to confirm that their own staff also hold valid Working With Children Checks under their applicable obligations.
Flow State practitioner credential-holders who deliver the Flow State Aquatic Method™ independently must hold a current Working With Children Check as a condition of their annual credential renewal.
04 — Responding to Concerns & Disclosures
Flow State Swim Co. takes all child safety concerns seriously. If a child discloses harm, abuse, or neglect during or after a program, or if a Flow State educator has reasonable grounds to suspect a child is at risk, we act immediately.
When a disclosure occurs, the Flow State staff member listens without questioning, avoids making promises of confidentiality, does not investigate independently, and immediately notifies the responsible party at the host organisation (school principal, centre director, or parent/guardian as appropriate). All incidents are documented.
Mandatory reporting: Where Flow State delivers programs within a registered school or early childhood service, mandatory reporting obligations under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW) rest primarily with that service. Flow State staff are familiar with their obligations under this Act and will fully cooperate with any mandatory reporting process.
Where Flow State operates independently (private swim school, direct family bookings), Simon Jones and Anna Jones are the designated responsible persons for child safety concerns. All concerns are handled promptly, documented, and reported to the appropriate authority.
If you have a concern about a child’s safety in one of our programs — as a parent, educator, or community member — please contact us immediately at hello@flowstateswim.co or speak directly with Simon or Anna Jones. We take every concern seriously and will respond promptly.
05 — Photography & Media
Flow State Swim Co. does not photograph or film any child without prior written consent from that child’s parent or guardian. This applies to all program contexts — private lessons, school programs, ECEC programs, and any partner-delivered programs.
Where we seek photography or filming for program documentation, marketing, or research purposes, we use our Media and Case Study Consent Form, which clearly describes how images will be used, stored, and published. Consent is specific — parents are told exactly how images will be used before they agree.
No photograph or video of an identifiable child will be published on our website, social media, or in any other public context without separate, specific written consent for that use.
Certified Flow State practitioners who deliver the methodology independently are required to follow equivalent standards as a condition of their credential.
06 — Privacy & Data
Flow State Swim Co. collects only the personal information necessary to deliver our programs safely and effectively. We comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles in all data collection, storage, and use.
In program contexts involving research data collection, all observations are at the group level only. No child is individually identified in session notes or research data. Parent surveys are voluntary and anonymous. Research data will not be used in published research without separate HREC-approved consent processes.
Our full Privacy Policy is available at flowstateswim.co/privacy-policy.
07 — Online Safety & Communication
Flow State Swim Co. staff do not communicate directly with children via personal social media, messaging apps, or email. All communication with children occurs through their parent or guardian, or through the official channels of the host school or service.
The Flow State practitioner credential program requires all credential-holders to follow equivalent standards when communicating with children enrolled in their programs.
08 — Policy Review
This policy is reviewed annually by Anna Jones and Simon Jones, or sooner if there is a child safety incident, a change in legislation, or a significant change to our programs or delivery model.
Last reviewed: May 2026 | Next review: May 2027
Questions or concerns?
Anna Jones — Co-founder
Simon Jones — Co-founder & Lead Educator
Flow State Community Aquatics Pty Ltd · ABN 55 694 937 132 · Suffolk Park, Byron Bay NSW 2481