Child Safe Policies
This page contains information about the Child Safe Policies and standards as they relate to Kosciuszko St Primary School.
Kosciuszko St Primary School is committed to safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision-making.
Kosciuszko St Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse.
We are committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.
Every person at Kosciuszko St Primary School has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.
In planning, decision-making and operations we will:
- Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety.
- Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives.
- Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children.
- Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount.
- Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children.
- Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development.
- Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such issues.
- Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities.
- Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk.
- Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers.
Legislation
On 26 November 2015, the Victorian Parliament passed the Child Wellbeing and Safety Amendment (Child Safe Standards) Bill 2015 to introduce seven child safe standards (the Standards) into law. The Standards apply to all organisations involved in child-related work in Victoria.
Ministerial Order No. 870 provides the framework for how schools will be required to comply with the Standards. Overall responsibility for ensuring compliance rests with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA).
The Child Safe Standards
To create and maintain a child safe school, we will comply with the following standards which are also available to download:
Policy: Child Safety
Strategies to embed an organisational culture of child safety.
Developing a Child Safety Code of Conduct.
Screening, supervision, training and other human resource practices that reduce the risk of child abuse.
Procedures for responding to and reporting suspected child abuse.
Strategies to identify and reduce or remove risks of child abuse.
