Child Safety
The Child Safe Standards
At St Joseph's, the safety and wellbeing of all our students is our highest priority. Safety is at the foundation of every child's ability to learn and thrive. We place it at the heart of everything we do and are unwavering in our commitment.
As educators, we have a moral and legal responsibility to act in the best interests of every child and young person, to actively promote their wellbeing and to ensure the safety of every student entrusted to our care.
The Child Safe Standards set out minimum requirements and outline the actions organisations must take to keep children and young people safe.
There are 11 Child Safe Standards, which include requirements to:
- involve families and communities in organisations’ efforts to keep children and young people safe
- provide greater focus on safety for Aboriginal children and young people
- manage the risk of child abuse in online environments.
Here is a link to more information about the standards: https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/the-11-child-safe-standards/
Child Safe Standard 3
Across the year, our staff dedicate time to working through the Child Safe Standards. This week our staff focused on Child Safe Standard 3. This standard centres on ensuring that children and young people are empowered and actively involved in decisions that affect them. It emphasises the importance of listening to student voice, promoting participation, and creating an environment where all students feel safe, respected, and confident to express their views.
Through this work, staff will strengthen their understanding of how to support students in speaking up, ensure their perspectives are valued, and embed practices that promote inclusion, respect, and student wellbeing across all areas of school life.
Current examples of this at St Joseph include daily morning circle time, student voice through new wellbeing programs - Ripple and UR Strong Wellbeing Program, SRC initiatives, just to name a few.
Please refer to the MACS Care Parent Fact Sheet on Child Safe Standard 3
"At St Joseph's Primary School, we hold the safety, wellbeing and protection of all children and young people in our care as a central and fundamental responsibility of our school."
Annabelle Marinelli
Principal