education.vic.gov.au

Policy last updated

25 June 2024

Scope

  • Schools
  • School councils

Date:
January 2020

Policy

Policy

This policy supports schools to create and maintain a child safe organisation and protect students from all forms of abuse.

Summary

Details

The Child Safe Standards

The Child Safe Standards (the Standards) are compulsory minimum standards for all Victorian schools to ensure they are well prepared to keep children and young people safe and protect them from abuse. Ministerial Order 1359 – Implementing the Child Safe Standards – Managing the risk of child abuse in schools (PDF)External Link provides the framework for child safety in schools.

Victorian schools can continue to build on their existing child safety strategies, policies and practices to strengthen their culture of child safety and protect children and young people from abuse.

The Child Safe Standards include requirements to keep children, young people and students safe, including:

  • involvement of families and students in child safety
  • schools’ focus on safety for Aboriginal students
  • better management of child abuse risks in online environments
  • governance, systems and processes for keeping students safe.

The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority is responsible for regulating the compliance of schools with the Standards. Schools are required to comply with the Standards as part of the prescribed minimum standards for registration.

There are 11 Child Safe Standards:

What help is available?

Schools can visit:

Relevant legislation


Guidance

Guidance

Guidance, policies and templates

The PROTECT websiteExternal Link includes detailed templates, guidance and checklists to support schools to implement the new standards.

PROTECT includes:

Updated guidance for child safety championsExternal Link is also available.

Other updated policy templates for schools are available through the School Policy Templates PortalExternal Link (staff login required) – including bullying prevention, child safety responding and reporting obligations, complaints, digital learning, student wellbeing and engagement, supervision, visitors and volunteers.

Steps to implementation

Government schools can use this action list to implement the Standards:

Child Safety action list (DOCX)External Link

To meet the Standards, schools should consult with families, students and the local community when developing policies and practices to address the Standards.

Template newsletter and website text to support schools to consult with the school community on their child safety policies is available on the Child Safe Standards pageExternal Link (staff login required) of the School Policy Templates Portal.

For additional guidance on how to consult, refer to Child Safe Standard 4: Family EngagementExternal Link .

Schools must review their child safety and wellbeing policies:

  • after any significant child safety incident
  • at least once every 2 years.

For further support to implement the Child Safe Standards, schools can contact child.safe.schools@education.vic.gov.au or school.compliance@education.vic.gov.au


Resources

Resources

Resources to support schools implement the Child Safe Standards.

Action list

Child Safe Standards action list for government schools (DOCX)External Link – a quick reference check list of requirements for each Standard

Template policies and school documents

Guidance for Child Safety Champions

Guidance for child safety championsExternal Link – schools can nominate a senior staff member as a child safety champion to support child safety

School training resources

Child Safe Standards training resourcesExternal Link – including PowerPoint presentations for school councils, school staff, and volunteers

Useful websites

PROTECTExternal Link – information to help schools fulfil their obligations under Ministerial Order 1359


Reviewed 04 August 2020