CHILD SAFETY STANDARDS
The Commission for Children and Young People has been established to promote continuous improvement and innovation in:
Policies and practices relating to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people generally, and in particular those who are vulnerable the provision of out of home care services for children. The Commission acts with independence and impartiality, demonstrating integrity and respect.
Child Safe Standards – http://www.ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards
Children have the right to feel safe and be protected from sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Victorian law requires organisations that work with children to meet the Child Safe Standards by 1 January 2017.
The Commission can help organisations to meet the Child Safe Standards and create a culture of child safety. To help, we have produced a suite of resources, including a guide and tip sheets.
To help organisations the Commission for Children and Young People has developed the following guide and tip sheets – https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safety/resources/guides-and-information-sheets/:
- A Guide for Creating a Child Safe Organisation – version 4.0 (pdf)
- Checklist: Child Safety Review and Action Plan (76kb, Word)
- Cultural safety for Aboriginal children (435kb, pdf)
- Safety of children with a disability (249kb, pdf)
- Empowerment and participation of children (266kb, pdf)
- Safety of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (229kb, pdf)
THE SEVEN STANDARDS ARE:
Standard 1: Strategies to embed an organisational culture of child safety, including through effective leadership arrangements
Standard 2: A child safe policy or statement of commitment to child safety
Standard 3: A code of conduct that establishes clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children
Standard 4: Screening, supervision, training and other human resources practices that reduce the risk of child abuse by new and existing personnel
Standard 5: Processes for responding to and reporting suspected child abuse
Standard 6: Strategies to identify and reduce or remove risks of child abuse
Standard 7: Strategies to promote the participation and empowerment of children.
Application of each standard must reflect three key 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.
