NHS & Community Events and News
Child Safe Standards
The Child Safe Standards were introduced in response to the recommendations from the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Non-Government Organisations. The Child Safe Standards began in Victoria in 2016, and all schools and organisations are required to meet the standards to ensure that safe environments are provided for children and young people. Changes were made to the Standards to strengthen them, and schools/organisations have until the 1st of July 2022 to comply with the new standards.
There are eleven new Child Safe Standards:
Child Safe Standard 1 – Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
Child Safe Standard 2 – Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
Child Safe Standard 3 – Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
Child Safe Standard 4 – Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety.
Child Safe Standard 5 – Equity is upheld, and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
Child Safe Standard 6 – People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
Child Safe Standard 7 – Processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused.
Child Safe Standard 8 – Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
Child Safe Standard 9 – Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
Child Safe Standard 10 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
Child Safe Standard 11 – Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.
Ministerial Order 1359 provides the framework for child safety in schools.
The new standards recognise the critical importance of families and the broader school community in maintaining and promoting child safety and wellbeing.
We have reviewed and updated our child safety policies and procedures to ensure they meet the requirements of the new standards. The policies have been presented to the school council and can be found here.
The Wellbeing Team at Nossal which consists of the tutorial teachers, Heads of House, Mental Health Practitioner, Youth Worker, counsellors or the Assistant Principal Wellbeing at Fiona.DeZylva@nossalhs.vic.edu.au These matters can be reported to any trusted adult.
There are a number of ways a student can seek help:
- Talk to their Tutorial teacher or a trusted adult
- Talk to their Head of House
- Use the "Report a Concern" function on the Nossal Staff and Students Team
- Consult a School Counsellor.
External resources that might be useful
We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and wellbeing and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures and practices. Please do not hesitate to email the school nossal.hs@education.vic.gov.au for further information.
Parents of Nossal High School Students - Facebook Community
Join our Facebook Community for parents using this link - https://www.facebook.com/groups/nossalparents.
This is a private group specifically designed for parents to share information and discuss ideas. You will find topics and discussions that are relevant to Parents of NHS students as well as announcements about what is happening within our school community.
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