Child Safety

Child Safety Standard 2: Creating a Child‑Safe Culture at St Peter’s College

Child Safety Standard 2 focuses on ensuring that children are informed, supported, and empowered to participate in decisions that affect their safety and wellbeing. The standard recognises that students are more likely to feel and remain safe when they understand their rights, are encouraged to speak up, and are confident that trusted adults will listen and act. A child‑safe culture is one where student voice is respected, diversity is valued, and safety is embedded in everyday school life.

At St Peter’s College, this standard is upheld through a strong commitment to student voice, inclusion, and proactive wellbeing practices, as outlined in our Child Safety Wellbeing Policy. We intentionally create environments where students feel safe to share concerns, ask for help, and contribute to decisions that affect them. Staff actively build positive relationships with students, recognising that trust and connection are foundational to safety and wellbeing.

Students are explicitly taught about personal safety, respectful relationships, and help‑seeking strategies through our curriculum, pastoral programs, and wellbeing initiatives. Clear information is provided to students about who they can talk to if something doesn’t feel right, and we reinforce that concerns will always be taken seriously and responded to with care and confidentiality. Our child‑friendly versions of policies ensure that safety expectations and support pathways are accessible and easily understood by students of all ages.

Staff are trained to listen to and respect student perspectives, particularly for students who may be vulnerable or face additional barriers to being heard. Feedback from students helps inform our practices, ensuring continuous improvement in how we keep children safe. Grounded in our Catholic identity and Gospel values, Child Safety Standard 2 remains central to our mission of nurturing each student’s dignity, voice, and wellbeing every day.

Respectful Relationships at St Peter’s College

At St Peter’s College, Respectful Relationships education is a key part of how we create a safe, caring, and inclusive community for all students. Respectful Relationships is about learning how to build positive, healthy relationships that are based on respect, empathy, equality, consent, and dignity. It helps young people develop the skills and attitudes needed to recognise respectful behaviour, speak up if something feels wrong, and look out for the wellbeing of others.

Our Respectful Relationships curriculum is delivered in several important ways. In Pastoral Care lessons, students explore topics such as empathy, emotions, communication, boundaries, and help‑seeking. These lessons encourage reflection, discussion, and practical strategies for everyday life. Our Student Wellbeing Action Committee (SWAC) also plays a vital role by organising external presenters who bring expert voices and real‑world perspectives to key issues such as consent, online safety, and healthy relationships. In Physical Education classes, Respectful Relationships is embedded through teamwork, fair play, respect for others, and positive peer interactions.

This learning is critically important. Research shows that 28.5% of Australians have experienced child sexual abuse, with more than 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys affected (ACMS, 2023). Around 1 in 4 women and 1 in 14 men have experienced physical violence from an intimate partner (Our Watch. 2023), and 20% of Australians report having a sexual image shared without their consent (Henry, Powell & Flynn, 2017). These statistics highlight that gender‑based violence is a serious concern in our society and a significant child safety issue.