VICTORIAN CHILD SAFE STANDARDS
The Victorian Government has introduced child safe standards to improve the way organisations provide services for children to prevent and respond to child abuse.
The standards are compulsory for all organisations providing services to children and aim to promote change in organisations to protect children from child abuse.
To create and maintain a child safe organisation we must comply with the following 11 standards:
- Child Safe Standard 1 – Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the
diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are
respected and valued - Child Safe Standard 2 – Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership,
governance and culture - Child Safe Standard 3 – Children and young people are empowered about their rights,
participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously - Child Safe Standard 4 – Families and communities are informed, and involved in promoting
child safety and wellbeing - Child Safe Standard 5 – Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice
- Child Safe Standard 6 – People working with children and young people are suitable and
supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice - Child Safe Standard 7 – Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused
- Child Safe Standard 8 – Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and
awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training - Child Safe Standard 9 – Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing
while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed - Child Safe Standard 10 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed
and improved - Child Safe Standard 11 – Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for
children and young people
In complying with the standards we also must include the following principles:
- Promoting the cultural safety of aboriginal children
- Promoting the cultural safety of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Promoting the safety of children with a disability
CHILD SAFE STANDARDS AT SOUTH KINGSVILLE PRESCHOOL
“A child safe organisation fosters and demonstrates openess in a variety of ways. This directly and indirectly creates a culture in which everyone – staff, volunteers, parents, carers and children – feel confident, enabled and supported to safely disclose child safety concerns.”
*(Commission for children and young people – A guide for creating a child safe organisation. Victorian State Government)
The Committee of Management have reviewed and updated our Code of Conduct and Child Safe Environment Policy to reflect our ongoing commitment to child safety and the child safe standards.
Our educators have completed Professional Development on Child Safety and Mandatory Reporting.
We have engaged Body Safety Australia to provide body safety and protective behaviour programs for the educators and kindergarten children.
South Kingsville Preschool is committed to ensuring our organisation is respectful and welcoming of families from a range of backgrounds and we recognise the times of importance to different cultures.
As an organisation we have many other strategies that are embedded on our practices to comply with these standards and are committed to continue to review these practices.