Wellbeing

Child Safe Standard 2: School Leadership, Governance and Culture

At our school, child safety starts with leadership. Child Safe Standard 2 focuses on making sure child safety and wellbeing are embedded in everything we do – from decision-making and policies to everyday conversations and school culture.

Why this matters

When child safety is not clearly prioritised, there is a greater risk that concerns may go unnoticed, unreported or not responded to appropriately. Clear leadership, strong systems and shared responsibility help ensure:

• Staff and volunteers understand their roles and expectations
• Concerns are reported and acted on promptly
• Information is managed appropriately and confidentially
• Children are protected from physical and psychological harm

Creating a strong culture of safety means everyone knows what to do, who to speak to and how to respond.

What we already do:

At Pascoe Vale North PS we have strong systems and processes in place to support child safety across our school community:

• Our Code of Conduct and confidentiality policies are publicly available, signed by all staff and volunteers, and promoted within our community.
• All staff complete Child Safety Standards induction at the beginning of each year, including training in Mandatory Reporting.
• The PROTECT posters and the Four Critical Actions are displayed around the school to guide staff responses to concerns.
• All staff and relevant volunteers are trained in information sharing and recordkeeping requirements in line with the Records Management – School Records Policy.
• Visitors must sign in via the COMPASS Kiosk and provide required documentation, including Working With Children Checks (WWC), which are verified and recorded.
• Our Volunteers and Visitors Policy clearly outlines expectations regarding conduct, information sharing and record keeping.
• A risk register is reviewed annually and following any significant child safety concern.
• COMPASS Chronicle is used to document student wellbeing concerns so patterns can be monitored and followed up by the wellbeing leader.
• Clear communication processes are in place for managing custody restrictions and court orders, including secure records, twice-yearly staff updates, and timely communication to relevant classroom staff.
• Important signage about child safety is displayed at all school entrances.

• A professional learning calendar is maintained, with a strong focus on student wellbeing and child safety.

   

What we are continuing to strengthen:

Child safety is an ongoing commitment. We are continuing to improve by:

• Increasing communication to families about our Child Safety Standards work through regular newsletter updates.
• Implementing help-seeking lessons in Term 1 to further empower students to speak up.

• Strengthening our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) data analysis and sharing key wellbeing insights with staff each term.
• Conducting regular attendance check-ins with staff to monitor engagement and identify early concerns.
• Continuing to refine clear action plans to support office staff when managing complex custody or safety matters.

• Ensuring important contact lists and simple action plans are easily accessible should urgent situations arise.

   

Our Commitment

Child safety is everyone’s responsibility, and strong leadership ensures it remains a visible, active priority in our school culture.

If you ever have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child, please contact the school so we can respond promptly and appropriately. Working together, we can ensure every child feels safe, supported and protected at school.

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