Parent Engagement in Child Safety - Case Studies from Catholic Schools
Earlier this year we surveyed parents about what they would like to see addressed in Catholic schools. Under parent engagement in child safety parents responded by sharing they would like to understand how children are being taught about child safety in Catholic learning communities.
Catholic schools have responded positively and proactively to Ministerial Order No 870, by updating and further developing child safety related policies, procedures and strategies. Child safety policies and commitments must also be lived in practice and be responsive to emerging issues, child safety risks and practice.
Every person in Catholic education recognises that it is an ongoing process. Creating cultural change and embedding child-safe practices in all dimensions of school life requires planning, continuous review and commitment from the whole school community.
The school leadership and governing authority are responsible for ensuring there are systems and processes for regular reviews and refinement of school strategies, allocation of appropriate resources so that protecting children from abuse is embedded in the everyday practice of school leaders, teaching and non-teaching staff, clergy and volunteers.
Click on the videos below for examples of schools who explain how they implement the child safe policies across various diocese in Victoria:
Reference: CEVN, August 2021
New Child Safe Standards Announced
The Victorian Government has announced new Child Safe Standards (Standards) that came into effect on 1 July 2022.
The eleven new Standards will replace Victoria’s current seven standards and principles. They set out minimum requirements and outline the actions organisations must take to keep children and young people safe.
Key changes include new requirements:
- to involve families and communities in organisations’ efforts to keep children and young people safe
- for a greater focus on safety for Aboriginal children and young people
- to manage the risk of child abuse in online environments
- for greater clarity on the governance, systems and processes to keep children and young people safe.
Why has this come about?
The Standards are changing to provide more consistency with Standards in the rest of Australia and to strengthen protection from child abuse.
Victoria has had mandatory Child Safe Standards since January 2016.
In 2017, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) recommended that a new version of child safe standards be adopted by each Australian state and territory.
In 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) undertook a review of the Victorian Standards to ensure they were as strong as possible and to consider how they could better align with the recommendations of the Royal Commission.
What are the new Standards?
An overview is provided below:
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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 |
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2. Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture |
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3. Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously |
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4. Families and communities are informed, and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing |
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5. Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice |
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6. People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice |
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7. Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused |
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8. Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training |
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9. Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed |
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10. Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved |
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11. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people. |
What help is available?
The Commission has produced initial guidance to assist organisations to understand the new Standards:
More guidance to help organisations move to the new Standards will be released over the coming months.
To understand more about child safety in organisations, speak with your Child Safe Standards regulator, peak or industry body or contact the Commission for Children and Young People:
Contact the Commission:
Visit the Commission’s website: www.ccyp.vic.gov.au
Telephone the Commission: 1300 782 978 or (03) 8601 5281
Email the Commission: contact@ccyp.vic.gov.au
What is CSPV doing in relation to the new Child Safe Standards?
CSPV has been involved in supporting and informing drafting the new Guide for Creating a Child Safe Organisation by providing feedback from a parent perspective. CSPV meets with CCYP each term as part of a VIT Community Expectations Group alongside other key stakeholders to discuss child safety from various perspectives.