CHILD SAFETY IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY 

CHILD SAFE STANDARD 3

To comply with Child Safe Standard 3, schools must:

• create a culture that values and promotes student participation
• inform students about all their rights.

Child and Student Empowerment at Ripponlea Primary School

At Ripponlea Primary School, we are committed to creating a child safe environment where all students are informed, empowered, heard and respected. We recognise that when children and young people feel connected, valued and confident to express themselves, they are more likely to speak up about concerns, seek support and actively contribute to a positive school culture.

The school fulfils the requirements of Child Safe Standard 3 through the following whole-school practices, programs and approaches:

Informing Students About Their Rights

Ripponlea Primary School explicitly teaches students about their rights to:

• feel safe
• be heard
• access support
• participate in decision-making
• learn in an inclusive and respectful environment.

These understandings are embedded through:

• the Victorian Curriculum capabilities
• Respectful Relationships learning
• classroom discussions and circle times
• wellbeing programs and explicit teaching
• Student Engagement and Wellbeing processes
• Child Safety lessons and age-appropriate conversations.

Students are regularly reminded of trusted adults they can speak with both within and outside the school environment. Child Safety posters, visual prompts and classroom discussions support students to identify safe behaviours, personal boundaries and help-seeking pathways.

Building Safe Relationships and Peer Connections

The school recognises the importance of friendships, belonging and peer support in helping children feel safe and connected.

Ripponlea Primary School promotes positive peer relationships through:

• buddy programs and cross peer mentoring 
• cooperative learning structures
• House activities and whole-school events
• lunchtime clubs and student leadership opportunities
• restorative conversations and conflict resolution approaches
• School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)
• explicit teaching of respectful interactions and inclusion.

The school actively supports students who may be vulnerable to social isolation through wellbeing check-ins, classroom support strategies, targeted interventions and collaboration with families.

Staff and Volunteer Awareness of Harm Indicators

All staff, volunteers and visitors are expected to uphold the school’s Child Safety Code of Conduct and complete required child safety processes.

Staff are trained to:

• recognise indicators of abuse, harm, neglect or grooming
• respond to student disclosures appropriately
• maintain professional boundaries
• escalate concerns in line with mandatory reporting obligations and Department of Education policies.

Child safety is regularly discussed through:

• staff briefings
• professional learning
• induction processes
• policy review cycles
• leadership meetings and wellbeing team discussions.

The school’s leadership team, wellbeing staff and Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHIPS) personnel work collaboratively to ensure student wellbeing concerns are identified early and responded to appropriately.

Student Voice, Participation and Decision-Making

Ripponlea Primary School values student voice and agency as essential components of a child safe culture.

Students are provided with opportunities to:

• contribute ideas about school improvement
• participate in leadership roles
• provide feedback on learning and wellbeing
• help shape school initiatives and community events
• raise concerns in child-friendly and supportive ways.

Examples include:

• School Captains and House Captains
• Junior School Council and leadership opportunities
• classroom meetings and feedback circles
• student surveys and wellbeing check-ins
• participation in playground and environmental planning projects
• consultation on wellbeing initiatives and school expectations.

Staff facilitate developmentally appropriate opportunities for students to express opinions, ask questions and seek support safely.

Responding to Student Contributions

The school actively responds to student feedback and contributions to strengthen engagement, confidence and trust.

Examples include:

• reviewing playground spaces and student facilities based on student input
• adjusting wellbeing supports in response to student voice
• refining learning environments and routines
• implementing positive behaviour strategies informed by student experiences
• supporting student-led fundraising, awareness and community initiatives.

Students are encouraged to see themselves as active contributors to the school community whose voices are respected and valued.

Sexual Abuse Prevention and Age-Appropriate Safety Education

Ripponlea Primary School provides age-appropriate education to support students to understand:

• personal safety
• body autonomy
• consent
• respectful relationships
• trusted adults and help-seeking behaviours
• online safety and cyber safety.

This learning is delivered through:

• Respectful Relationships curriculum
• Health and Physical Education
• protective behaviours education
• cyber safety programs
• Sexuality, Health and Consent education across all years years
• external expert presenters where appropriate.

Programs are designed to be developmentally appropriate and aligned with Department of Education guidance and the Victorian Curriculum.

Curriculum Planning and Documentation

The school maintains curriculum planning and documentation that demonstrates how Child Safe Standard 3 is addressed across the school.

This includes:

• Respectful Relationships curriculum documentation
• Eellbeing scope and sequence documents
• Health curriculum planning
• SWPBS and wellbeing frameworks
• Student Engagement and Wellbeing policies
• Child safety policies and procedures
• Classroom teaching and learning programs
• Staff professional learning documentation.

These documents support consistent implementation of child safety, student empowerment and wellbeing practices across all year levels.

Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Ripponlea Primary School is committed to ongoing reflection and improvement in relation to child safety and student empowerment. The school regularly reviews practices, policies and student feedback to ensure children and young people remain at the centre of decision-making and feel safe, respected and empowered within our school community.