Victoria's New Child Safety Standards

This week we will look at:

Child Safe Standard 3: 

Child and student empowerment –

Within this standard, children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously

In complying with Child Safe Standard 3 our school ensures that:

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    Our school has strategies in place to develop a culture that facilitates participation and is responsive to the input of children and young people.

3.6    Our school provides opportunities for children and young people to participate and are responsive to their contributions, thereby strengthening confidence and engagement.

So what does this actually look like in a school?

Actions

• Staff and volunteers in the school engage with children to help them to:
  • understand their rights, including to safety, information and participation
  • know how adults in the school should behave
  • understand the school’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)
• Practices in the school that disempower children are identified and action is taken to change them. (3.5, 3.6)
• Staff and volunteers are provided with information to help them understand, recognise and act on signs of child abuse or harm. (3.4)
• Where relevant, the school provides access to sexual abuse prevention programs and other relevant information to children in an age-appropriate and accessible manner. (3.3)
• The school creates opportunities for children to express their views and participate in decisions that impact them. What is heard and learnt from children influences how the school works. (3.5, 3.6)
• Staff and volunteers are supported to develop knowledge and skills to help children participate, express their views and raise their concerns. (3.4)
• The school supports children to develop social connections and friendships with their peers, build skills in children to support their peers and challenge bullying or isolating behaviour between children. (3.2)