Child Safety Policy 2022

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If you need help to understand this policy, please contact Frankston Special Developmental School

Purpose

The Frankston Special Developmental Child Safety Policy demonstrates our school’s commitment to creating and maintaining a child safe and child-friendly organisation, where children and young people are safe and feel safe.

This policy provides an overview of our school’s approach to implementing Ministerial Order 1359 (PDF, 363KB) which sets out how the Victorian Child Safe Standards apply in school environments.

It informs our school community of everyone’s obligations to act safely and appropriately towards children and guides our processes and practices for the safety and wellbeing of students across all areas of our work.

Scope

This policy:

• applies to all school staff, volunteers and contractors whether or not they work in direct contact with students. It also applies to school council members where indicated.
• applies in all physical and online school environments used by students during or outside of school hours, including other locations provided by for a student’s use (for example, a school camp) and those provided through third-party providers
• should be read together with our other child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, and codes – refer to the related school policies section below.

Statement of commitment to child safety

Frankston Special Developmental School is a child safe organisation which welcomes all children, young people, and their families.

We are committed to providing environments where our students are safe and feel safe, where their participation is valued, their views respected, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Our child safe policies, strategies and practices are inclusive of the needs of all children and students.

We have no tolerance for child abuse and take proactive steps to identify and manage any risks of harm to students in our school environments.

We promote positive relationships between students and adults and between students and their peers. These relationships are based on trust and respect.

We take proactive steps to identify and manage any risk of harm to students in our school environment. When child safety concerns are raised or identified, we treat these seriously and respond promptly and thoroughly.

Particular attention is given to the child safety needs of Aboriginal students, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, international students, students with disabilities, those unable to live at home, children and young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) and other students experiencing risk or vulnerability. Inappropriate or harmful behaviour targeting students based on these or other characteristics, such as racism or homophobia, are not tolerated at our school, and any instances identified will be addressed with appropriate consequences.

Child safety is a shared responsibility. Every person involved in our school has an important role in promoting child safety and wellbeing and promptly raising any issues or concerns about a child’s safety.

We are committed to regularly reviewing our child safe practices, and seeking input from our students, families, staff, and volunteers to inform our ongoing strategies.

Roles and responsibilities

School leadership team

Our school leadership team (comprising the principal, two assistant principals and leading teacher and therapy coordinator) is responsible for ensuring that a strong child safe culture is created and maintained, and that policies and practices are effectively developed and implemented in accordance with Ministerial Order 1359.

Principals and assistant principals will:

• ensure effective child safety and wellbeing governance, policies, procedures, codes and practices are in place and followed
• model a child safe culture that facilitates the active participation of students, families, and staff in promoting and improving child safety, cultural safety and wellbeing
• enable inclusive practices where the diverse needs of all students are considered
• reinforce high standards of respectful behaviour between students and adults, and between students
• promote regular open discussion on child safety issues within the school community including at leadership team meetings, staff meetings and school council meetings
• facilitate regular professional learning for staff and volunteers (where appropriate) to build deeper understandings of child safety, cultural safety, student wellbeing and prevention of responding to abuse
• create an environment where child safety complaints and concerns are readily raised, and no one is discouraged from reporting an allegation of child abuse to relevant authorities.

School staff and volunteers

All staff and volunteers will:

• participate in child safety and wellbeing induction and training provided by the school or the Department of Education and Training, and always follow the school’s child safety and wellbeing policies and procedures
• act in accordance with our Child Safety Code of Conduct
• identify and raise concerns about child safety issues in accordance with our Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures, including following the Four Critical Actions for Schools
• ensure students’ views are taken seriously and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives
• implement inclusive practices that respond to the diverse needs of students.

School council

In performing the functions and powers given to them under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, school council members will:

• champion and promote a child safe culture with the broader school community
• ensure that child safety is a regular agenda item at school council meetings. Please note, it is not necessary to discuss child safety at every school council meeting, but child safety should be discussed at some meetings to ensure that a child safe culture is being embedded and school council members are informed and understand the issues]
• undertake annual training on child safety. Note:  Child Safe Standards School Council Trainings slide presentation is available on PROTECT
• approve updates to, and act in accordance with the Child Safety Code of Conduct to the extent that it applies to school council employees and members
• when hiring school council employees, ensure that selection, supervision and management practices are child safe. At our school, school council employment duties are delegated to the principal who is bound by this policy

Specific staff child safety responsibilities

• Frankston SDS has established a Child Safety and welfare team: Principal, assistant principal, welfare officer and mental health practitioner. The Child Safety team has specific skills and training in managing the welfare and wellbeing of students. They have extensive experience working with external agencies and advocate for our students to ensure that those most at risk are kept safe.
• Our principal is the first point of contact for all matters related to child safety.
• Our assistant principal is responsible for monitoring the school’s compliance with the Child Safety Policy. Anyone in our school community should approach our welfare officer if they have any concerns about the school’s compliance with the Child Safety Policy.
• Our assistant principal is responsible for informing the school community about this policy and making it publicly available.
• Other specific roles and responsibilities are named in other child safety policies and procedures, including the Child Safety Code of Conduct, Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures, and Child Safety Risk Register.

Our school has a Child Safety and Welfare Team. The Child Safety and Welfare Team meet fortnightly to identify and respond to any ongoing matters related to child safety and wellbeing.

Our Risk Management Committee monitors the Child Safety Risk Register.

Child Safety Code of Conduct

Our Child Safety Code of Conduct (Appendix 2) sets the boundaries and expectations for appropriate behaviours between adults and students. It also clarifies behaviours that are not acceptable in our physical and online environments.

We ensure that students also know what is acceptable and what is not acceptable so that they can be clear and confident about what to expect from adults in the school.

The Child Safety Code of Conduct also includes processes to report inappropriate behaviour.

Managing risks to child safety and wellbeing

At our school we identify, assess and manage risks to child safety and wellbeing in our physical and online school environments. These risks are managed through our child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures and practices, and in our activity specific risk registers, such as those we develop for off-site overnight camps, adventure activities and facilities and services we contract through third party providers for student use.

Our Child Safety Risk Register is used to record any identified risks related to child abuse alongside actions in place to manage those risks. Our school leadership team will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the actions in the Child Safety Risk Register at least annually.

Establishing a culturally safe environment

At Frankston SDS, we are committed to establishing an inclusive and culturally safe school where the strengths of Aboriginal culture, values and practices are respected.

We think about how every student can have a positive experience in a safe environment. For Aboriginal students, we recognise the link between Aboriginal culture, identity and safety and actively create opportunities for Aboriginal students and the Aboriginal community to have a voice and presence in our school planning, policies, and activities.

We have developed the following strategies to promote cultural safety in our school community:

• Begin events and meetings with a Welcome to Country or an Acknowledgement of Country as a standing agenda item. Use this as an opportunity to pause and reflect or open a discussion
• Ensure safety and inclusion for all Aboriginal students and their families. Learn more about Aboriginal histories and cultures, both locally and across Australia. Speak with respect and confidence about Aboriginal culture, knowledge systems and people.
• Build schoolwide knowledge of Aboriginal histories, cultures, perspectives, values, skills and attitudes
• Express zero tolerance of racism in your statement of commitment to child safety included in your Child Safety Policy and other documents.
• Address racism from students, staff, volunteers or visitors directly. Make sure racist speech or actions are always dealt with, and the culture of the school works to prevent incidents from occurring
• Arrange Community Understanding Safety Training (CUST) or equivalent for staff

Student empowerment

To support child safety and wellbeing at Frankston SDS, we work to create an inclusive and supportive environment that encourages students and families to contribute to our child safety approach and understand their rights and their responsibilities.

Respectful relationships between students are explicitly taught and reinforced. We encourage strong friendships and peer support in the school to ensure a sense of belonging.

At Frankston SDS, we have a whole school social competencies program.  The program is designed to develop self-awareness:  how to manage emotions, behavioural expectations, managing challenges.  This then springboards into the development of meaningful relationships with others by explicitly creating learning opportunities that teach our students how to have positive social interactions with their peers.

We explicitly teach students their rights through our I Can Be Independent, whole school teaching and learning program and give them the skills and confidence to recognise unsafe situations with adults or other students and to speak up and act on concerns relating to themselves or their peers. We ensure our students know who to communicate with if they are worried or feeling unsafe and we encourage them to share concerns with a trusted adult at any time.

When the school is gathering information in relation to a complaint about alleged misconduct or abuse of a child, we will listen to the complainant’s account and take them seriously, check our understanding of the complaint, support the student and keep them (and their parents and carers, as appropriate) informed about progress.

Family engagement

Our families and the school community have an important role in monitoring and promoting children’s safety and wellbeing and helping children to raise any concerns.

To support family engagement, at Frankston SDS we are committed to providing families and community with accessible information about our school’s child safe policies and practices and involving them in our approach to child safety and wellbeing.

We will create opportunities for families to have input into the development and review of our child safety policies and practices and encourage them to raise any concerns and ideas for improvement.

We do this by:

• Ensuring our child safety policies and procedures are available for students and parents on the school’s website https://www.frankston-sds.vic.edu.au/
• Newsletters and our family communication system, SEESAW
• PROTECT Child Safety posters will be displayed across the school

Diversity and equity

As a child safe organisation, we celebrate the rich diversity of our students, families and community and promote respectful environments that are free from discrimination. Our focus is on wellbeing and growth for all.

We recognise that every child has unique skills, strengths and experiences to draw on.

We pay particular attention to individuals and groups of children and young people in our community with additional and specific needs. This includes tailoring our child safety strategies and supports to the needs of:

• Aboriginal children and young people
• children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• children and young people with disabilities
• children unable to live at home or impacted by family violence
• international students
• children and young people who identify as LGBTIQ+.

Our Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy provides more information about the measures we have in place to support diversity and equity.

Suitable staff and volunteers

At Frankston SDS we apply robust child safe recruitment, induction, training, and supervision practices to ensure that all staff, contractors, and volunteers are suitable to work with children.

Staff recruitment

When recruiting staff, we follow the Department of Education and Training’s recruitment policies and guidelines, available on the Policy and Advisory Library (PAL) at:

• Recruitment in Schools
• Suitability for Employment Checks
• School Council Employment
• Contractor OHS Management.

When engaging staff to perform child-related work, we:

• sight, verify and record the person’s Working with Children clearance or equivalent background check such as a Victorian teaching registration
• collect and record:
  • proof of the person’s identity and any professional or other qualifications
  • the person’s history of working with children
  • references that address suitability for the job and working with children.
  • references that address suitability for the job and working with children.

Staff induction

All newly appointed staff will be expected to participate in our child safety and wellbeing induction program. The program will include a focus on:

• the Child Safety Polciy (this document)
• the Child Safety Code of Conduct
• the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures and
• any other child safety and wellbeing information that school leadership considers appropriate to the nature of the role.

Ongoing supervision and management of staff

All staff engaged in child-connected work will be supervised to ensure that their behaviour towards children is safe and appropriate.

Staff will be monitored and assessed to ensure their continuing suitability for child-connected work.

Inappropriate behaviour towards children and young people will be managed swiftly and in accordance with our school and department policies and our legal obligations. Child safety and wellbeing will be paramount.

Suitability of volunteers

All volunteers are required to comply with our Volunteer Policy which describes how we assess the suitability of prospective volunteers and outlines expectations in relation to child safety and wellbeing induction and training, and supervision and management.

Child safety knowledge, skills and awareness

Ongoing training and education is essential to ensuring that staff understand their roles and responsibilities and develop their capacity to effectively address child safety and wellbeing matters.

In addition to the child safety and wellbeing induction, our staff will participate in a range of training and professional learning to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to maintain a child safe environment.

Staff child safety and wellbeing training will be delivered at least annually and will include guidance on:

• our school’s child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, codes, and practices
• completing the Protecting Children – Mandatory Reporting and Other Legal Obligations online module annually
• recognising indicators of child harm including harm caused by other children and students
• responding effectively to issues of child safety and wellbeing and supporting colleagues who disclose harm
• how to build culturally safe environments for children and students
• information sharing and recordkeeping obligations
• how to identify and mitigate child safety and wellbeing risks in the school environment.

Other professional learning and training on child safety and wellbeing, for example, training for our volunteers, will be tailored to specific roles and responsibilities and any identified or emerging needs or issues.

School council training and education

To ensure our school council is equipped with the knowledge required to make decisions in the best interests of student safety and wellbeing, and to identify and mitigate child safety and wellbeing risks in our school environment, the council is trained at least annually. Training includes guidance on:

• individual and collective obligations and responsibilities for implementing the Child Safe Standards and managing the risk of child abuse
• child safety and wellbeing risks in our school environment
• Frankston SDS child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, codes and practices

Complaints and reporting processes

Frankston SDS fosters a culture that encourages staff, volunteers, students, parents, and the school community to raise concerns and complaints. This makes it more difficult for breaches of the code of conduct, misconduct or abuse to occur and remain hidden.

We have clear pathways for raising complaints and concerns and responding and this is documented in our school’s Complaint Policy.

If there is an incident, disclosure, allegation or suspicion of child abuse, all staff and volunteers (including school council employees) must follow our Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures.  Our policy and procedures address complaints and concerns of child abuse made by or in relation to a child or student, school staff, volunteers, contractors, service providers, visitors or any other person while connected to the school.

As soon as any immediate health and safety concerns are addressed, and relevant school staff have been informed, we will ensure our school follows:

• the Four Critical Actions for complaints and concerns relating to adult behaviour towards a child
• the Four Critical Actions: Student Sexual Offending for complaints and concerns relating to student sexual offending

Our Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy and Bullying Prevention Policy cover complaints and concerns relating to student physical violence or other harmful behaviours.

Communications

Frankston SDS is committed to communicating our child safety strategies to the school community through:

• ensuring that key child safety and wellbeing policies are available on our website including the Child Safety Policy (this document), Child Safety Code of Conduct, and the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedure
• displaying PROTECT around the school
• updates in our school newsletter and or the school’s SEESAW communication system
• ensuring that child safety is a regular agenda item at school leadership meetings, staff meetings and school council meetings.

Privacy and information sharing

Frankston SDS collects, uses, and discloses information about children and their families in accordance with Victorian privacy laws, and other relevant laws. For information on how our school collects, uses and discloses information refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy.

Records management

We acknowledge that good records management practices are a critical element of child safety and wellbeing and manage our records in accordance with the Department of Education and Training’s policy: Records Management – School Records

Review of child safety practices

At Frankston SDS, we have established processes for the review and ongoing improvement of our child safe policies, procedures, and practices.

We will:

• review and improve our policy every 2 years or after any significant child safety incident
• analyse any complaints, concerns, and safety incidents to improve policy and practice
• act with transparency and share pertinent learnings and review outcomes with school staff and our school community.

Related policies and procedures

This Child Safety Policy is to be read in conjunction with other related school policies, procedures, and codes. These include our:

• Bullying Prevention Policy
• Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures
• Child Safety Code of Conduct
• Complaints Policy
• Digital Learning Policy
• Inclusion and Diversity Policy
• Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy
• Visitors Policy
• Volunteers Policy

These policies are located on the school’s website.  Please contact the school if you require a hard copy.

Related Department of Education and Training policies

• Bullying Prevention and Response Policy
• Child and Family Violence Information Sharing Schemes
• Complaints Policy
• Contractor OHS Management Policy
• Digital Learning in Schools Policy
• Family Violence Support
• Protecting Children: Reporting Obligations Policy
• Policy and Guidelines for Recruitment in Schools
• Reportable Conduct Policy
• Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy
• Supervision of Students Policy
• Visitors in Schools Policy
• Volunteers in Schools Policy
• Working with Children and other Suitability Checks for School Volunteers and Visitors

Other related documents

• Identifying and Responding to All Forms of Abuse in Victorian Schools
• Four Critical Actions for Schools
• Identifying and Responding to Student Sexual Offending
• Four Critical Actions for Schools: Responding to Student Sexual Offending
• Recording your actions: Responding to suspected child abuse – A template for Victorian schools

Policy status and review

The assistant principal is responsible for reviewing and updating the Child Safety Polciy at least every two years. The review will include input from students, families and the school community.

Approval

Appendix 1: Implementing the Standards

Standard 1: Culturally Safe Environments

Frankston SDS will establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued

• Begin events and meetings with a Welcome to Country or an Acknowledgement of Country as a standing agenda item. Use this as an opportunity to pause and reflect.
• Fly the Aboriginal flag alongside the Australian flag
• Make Aboriginal voice part of decision making in matters that affect Aboriginal students. Be open to different ways of doing and expressing things. 
• Celebrate the local Aboriginal community in communications with students, staff, volunteers and families. Share information through school newsletters, SEESAW, school assemblies, parent information nights.
• Lead on safety and inclusion for all Aboriginal students and their families. Learn more about Aboriginal histories and cultures, both locally and across Australia. Speak with respect and confidence about Aboriginal culture, knowledge systems and people.
• Build schoolwide knowledge of Aboriginal histories, cultures, perspectives, values, skills and attitudes through assemblies and MeTV
• Acknowledge and draw on the existing knowledge of Aboriginal students and their families.
• Ask for feedback from Aboriginal students and their families about what the school does well, and what can be improved
• Express zero tolerance of racism in your statement of commitment to child safety included in your Child Safety Policy and other documents
• Provide training such as Community Understanding Safety Training (CUST) for all staff

Standard 2: Child safety & wellbeing is embedded in leadership, governance & culture

At Frankston SDS we:

• We are committed to ensuring our students are safe, happy and empowered.  We support and respect all children.
• Promote the school's Child Safety and related polices at assemblies, meetings, welcome packs, newsletters and other regular communications such as our SEESAW whole-school communication system.
• Explicitly teach students to understand that there are policies and practices in place that protect them.
• Use the Child Safety Polciy to promote the school's commitment to child safety.
• Display our commitment to child safety prominently at reception and around the school grounds and in enrolment packs.
• Communicate and demonstrate that mistreatment of students and racism is not tolerated in any way and that students who speak out are listened to and taken seriously.

Standard 3: Child & Student Empowerment

At Frankston SDS we:

• explicitly teach students about all their rights, including their rights to safety, information and participation
• recognise the importance of friendships and encourage the development of social competencies across the school
• make sure staff and volunteers:
• are attuned to signs of harm
• facilitate effective ways for students to express their views, participate in decision-making and raise their concerns (augmentative alternative communication, visuals)
• develop a culture that encourages participation and responds to what students say
• teach students how to participate in their learning program and build confidence
• explicitly teaching the I Can Be Independent program, building student capacity to:
• complete personal hygiene tasks independently
• follow rules around public and private
• understand appropriate/inappropriate touch
• know who to access for help when needed
• develop curriculum planning documents or other documentation that details how the school will address these requirements (I Can Be Independent whole school program)

Standard 4: Family Engagement

Frankston SDS will ensure robust connections with families.  We will:

• ensure families participate in child safety and wellbeing decisions which affect their child
• engage and communicate with families and the school community about our child safe approach
• make child safety information available on our website
• involve families and the school community in developing and reviewing child safety and wellbeing policies and practices
• inform families about the school’s governance and approach to child safety and wellbeing, including roles and responsibilities of school staff.

Standard 5: Delivery & Equity

At Frankston SDS, we acknowledge and maintain a respect for the diverse needs of our student cohort, their families and the wider community.  This is demonstrated in the following ways:

• ensure school staff and volunteers understand the diverse circumstances of students, provides support, and responds to vulnerable students
• provide the school community with access to information, support and complaints processes in ways that are culturally safe, accessible and easy to understand
• pay particular attention to the needs of:

• students with disability
• students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• students who are unable to live at home
• international students
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) students
• Aboriginal students and provides and promotes a culturally safe environment for them.

Standard 6: Suitable staff and volunteers

All staff undertaking work at Frankston SDS, be it as an employee, a member of the casual relief teaching agency (ANZUK) or a volunteer (family of students included) or students on placement must demonstrate an ability to work with students with a disability.  As part of the recruitment process we:

• make sure job advertisements have clear statements about:
• the job’s requirements, duties and responsibilities regarding child safety and wellbeing
• the job occupant’s essential or relevant qualifications, experience and attributes in relation to child safety and wellbeing.
• advise job applicants about the child safety practices of the school, including the Code of Conduct
• make volunteers aware of the school’s Child Safety Policy and Child Safety Code of Conduct
• screen school staff applicants:
• sight, verify and record a Working With Children clearance if they person is required to have one or any equivalent background checks such as Victorian Institute of Teaching registration
• collect and record proof of identify, qualifications, history of working with children and references
• screen volunteers:
• sight, verify and record a Working With Children clearance if they person is required to have one of any equivalent background check
• consider the child safety risks relevant to the volunteer’s role and, if reasonable and appropriate collect and record proof of identify, qualifications, history of working with children and references
• provide an induction to staff, volunteers and contractors engaged in child-related work, regarding child safety and wellbeing that is appropriate to the nature of the role
• ensure that induction addresses the school’s:
• the Child Safety Code of Conduct
• the Child Safety Policy
• procedures for managing complaints and concerns related to child abuse
• make sure staff, governing body members, and volunteers engaged in child-connected work, are aware of their responsibilities for:
• children and students
• information sharing and reporting obligations
• recordkeeping obligations
• provide supervision and people management of staff and volunteers that focuses on child safety and wellbeing

Standard 7: Child-focused complaints processes

At Frankston SDS we acknowledge that complaints handling processes need to focus on students and their safety needs. Frankston SDS ensures that our students are explicitly taught that there are people that they can talk to keep themselves safe.  We acknowledge the complex communication needs of our student cohort and must be attuned to interpreting the communication we see in our students.

We provide a multi-disciplinary team to assist us to manage complaints and ensure that mandated processes are followed to ensure the safety of our young people.

Our complaints policy:

• is publicly available and accessible on our website
• is child-focused
• is culturally safe and easily understood by the school community
• has information about the process for making a complaint about the school or any person within the school
• requires that complaints are taken seriously and responded to promptly and thoroughly.

Standard 8: Child safety knowledge, skills, and awareness

To ensure the safety of our students, Frankston SDS provides child safety training to staff engaged in child-connected work every year. This training includes:

• presentation of the Child Safe Policy and the Child Safety Code of Conduct
• the procedures for responding to complaints and concerns about child abuse
• guidance on recognising indicators of child harm, including harm caused by other children and students
• guidance on responding effectively to issues of child safety and wellbeing and supporting colleagues who disclose harm
• guidance on how to build culturally safe environments for children and students
• guidance on their information sharing and recordkeeping obligations
• guidance on how to identify and mitigate child safety and wellbeing risks in the school environment without compromising a child or student’s right to privacy, access to information, social connections and learning opportunities.
• planning and implementation of units of work to empower students (I Can Be Independent)
• Provide training and information to volunteers engaged in child-connected work that is appropriate to their role that will equip them with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe.
• Support staff and volunteers to implement the Child Safety Policy and the Child Safety Code of Conduct where these policies apply to their role and responsibilities.
• Provide appropriate training and guidance to the members of the governing body every year. This training should include:
• individual and collective obligations and responsibilities for implementing the Child Safe Standards and managing the risk of child abuse
• child safety and wellbeing risks in the school
• the child safety policies, procedures and practices of the school.

Standard 9: Child safety knowledge, skills, and awareness

Frankston SDS must prioritise the safety of all students in both physical and online environments.  This entails a thorough risk assessment to examine and eliminate potential risks.  This is achieved when we:

• make sure child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures and practices enable school staff and volunteers to identify and mitigate risks without compromising a student’s right to privacy, access to information, social connections and learning opportunities.
• develop and endorse a policy or statement on online conduct and online safety.
• develop procurement policies for facilities and services from third parties that ensure the safety of students.

Standard 10: Review of child safety practices

Being a child-safe organisation requires ongoing effort.

Child safe organisations have an open and transparent culture, learn from their mistakes, and put the interests of children first. Taking time to review policies, procedures and practices puts child safety and wellbeing at the centre of the school’s activities

To ensure compliance, Frankston SDS will:

• review and evaluate our Child Safe procedures and practices after any significant child safety incident, or at least every 2 years and improve where applicable
• analyse complaints, concerns and safety incidents to identify causes and systemic failures and to inform continuous improvement
• report on the outcomes of relevant reviews to staff, volunteers, the community, families and students.

Standard 11: Implementation of child safe practices

Schools are safer for children and students when child safety policies and procedures are championed by leaders and understood by all members of the school community.

To comply with this standard, at minimum, Frankston SDS will:

• implement practices for a child-safe environment
• establish policies and procedures that meet all the Child Safe Standards
• make sure all relevant school staff, governing body and volunteers understand and implement the policies and procedures
• champion and model the policies and procedures for a child-safe environment
• document policies and procedures and make them easy to understand
• make sure policies and procedures are informed by best practice models and stakeholder consultation.