Protecting Children – Reporting and Other Legal Obligations

Resources

Training materials

• Child Safe Standards training presentations for staff, volunteers and school councils
• Protecting children – Mandatory reporting and other obligations e-learning module – for school staff to learn how to protect the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. This module is available on LearnED which is accessed through eduPay (staff login required – type ‘child protection’ into the search function on LearnED)
• Resources to support staff to identify inappropriate staff conduct including grooming. These case studies can be used in all-staff or sub-school team meetings, for example, to help staff understand how to identify potential grooming behaviours and the steps they need to take to report concerning behaviours:
  • Child safety case study – staff conduct (secondary school context) (DOCX) (staff login required)
  • Child safety case study – staff conduct (primary school context) (DOCX) (staff login required)
  • Child safety case study – potential grooming (DOCX) (staff login required)

Templates

Child safety responding and reporting obligation policy and procedures template (School Policy Templates Portal — staff login required)

Report abuse if you’re a current or former student

For information for members of the public about how to report abuse to the department, and options and supports available to victim-survivors, refer to: Report abuse if you’re a current or former student.

Useful department websites

PROTECT – Guidance to assist schools to fulfil their obligations under Ministerial Order 1359. This includes links to the following pages and resources referenced in the Protecting Children – Reporting and Other Legal Obligations policy:

• Four Critical Actions for responding to incidents, disclosures and suspicions of child abuse
• Four Critical Actions – A3 printable poster (PDF) – we recommend that this resource be displayed in a prominent position for all staff members to access
• Identify child abuse
• Identify and respond to student sexual offending
• Responding to other concerns about the wellbeing of a child
• Recording your actions: responding to suspected child abuse (template) (PDF)

External websites

• Commission for Children and Young People – an independent statutory body that promotes improvement in policies and practices affecting the safety and wellbeing of Victorian children and young people. The Commission provides advice on the Child Safe Standards and Reportable Conduct Scheme.
• Department of Families, Fairness and Housing – contains essential information about making a report to child protection.
• Department of Justice and Community Safety – provides information on protecting children and families, including details of the failure to disclose offence.
• The Orange Door – a free service for adults, children and young people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence and families who need extra support with the care of children.