Child Safe Standards

Standard 3

Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

Minimum requirements

In complying with Child Safe Standard 3 an organisation must, at a minimum, ensure:

3.1    Children and young people are informed about all of their rights, including to safety, information and participation.

3.2    The importance of friendships is recognised and support from peers is encouraged, to help children and young people feel safe and be less isolated.

3.3    Where relevant to the setting or context, children and young people are offered access to sexual abuse prevention programs and to relevant related information in an age-appropriate way.

3.4    Staff and volunteers are attuned to signs of harm and facilitate child-friendly ways for children and young people to express their views, participate in decision-making and raise their concerns.

3.5    Organisations have strategies in place to develop a culture that facilitates participation and is responsive to the input of children and young people.

3.6    Organisations provide opportunities for children and young people to participate and are responsive to their contributions, thereby strengthening confidence and engagement.

Compliance indicators

What will the Commission look for when assessing this Standard?

Organisations will generally comply if they produce these documents and undertake these actions in a way that supports the organisation to achieve this Standard. The nature or characteristics of your organisation may mean you need to do something different to what is proposed below. Read our guidance materials for more information.

Documents

• Age-appropriate and easy to understand documents, in print or online, are easily accessible and support children to:
  • understand their rights, including to safety, information and participation
  • know how adults in the organisation should behave
  • understand the organisation’s complaints process and how to raise safety concerns for themselves, their friends or peers
  • know about support services aimed at children. (3.1)
• The organisation’s policies and procedures:
  • promote children’s empowerment and participation
  • embed support for the rights of children. (3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6)

Actions

• Staff and volunteers in the organisation engage with children to help them to:
  • understand their rights, including to safety, information and participation
  • know how adults in the organisation should behave
  • understand the organisation’s complaints process and how to raise safety concerns for themselves, their friends or peers
  • know about support services aimed at children. (3.1, 3.4)