Assistant Principal's Report

New Child Safe Standards Article 2

Welcome to my 7th AP Newsletter item and the 2nd article in a series of articles about the new Child Safe Standards and detailing how Glen Waverley Primary School (GWPS) is implementing them. In my last article I summarised the renewed approach to the Child Safe Standards and included an overview of the standards. In this article I will examine a little close Standards 1 and 2 and how they are being addressed at Glen Waverley Primary School. 

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

This standard has been designed to address inclusiveness and diversity in schools through ensuring students of aboriginal heritage feel safe and respected. This is achieved through developing an understanding of aboriginal culture and it’s 65,000-year inhabitancy of the Australian continent as well as the impact of intergenerational trauma since European settlement. This new standard states that organisations like GWPS must meet this requirement regardless of whether or not Aboriginal students are currently enrolled at our school. 

At Glen Waverley Primary School we are working towards meeting this standard from both a curriculum and policy and procedure perspective. To address this standard, we currently doing the following:

• Our Inquiry curriculum units and You Can Do It Wellbeing Approach include teaching and learning based around aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and cultural diversity. This encourages understanding and inclusion along with our Guiding Statements including the promotion of Intercultural and Transcultural understanding. 
• A range of policies are being reviewed and edited to reflect Child Safe Standard 1 including the Child Safe, Child Safe Code of Conduct and Duty of Care Policies to ensure a commitment to stablishing a culturally safe environment. 

Child Safe Standard 2 – Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture

This standard has been designed to ensure and understanding and compliance of child Safe measures is embedded within school leadership, the School Council and ultimately school culture. To address this standard, we are currently doing the following:

• Currently we have informed the School Council of the new standards and the way in which these standards will be embedded within the culture of the school. 
• Child Safe representatives have been allocated in every year level including our Specialist, TSL and Innovations teams. 
• Multiple Child Safe staff discussions have been conducted giving staff the opportunity to build their capacity.
• Our Senior leadership team including Learning Specialists have collaborated together to ensure Child Safe measures are being embedded
•  In addition, school policies and procedures such as the Child Safe Risk Register have been edited to include the new changes. 

I look forward to continuing to inform the community of the new standards and how Glen Waverley Primary School is ensuring that these standards are met. My next Newsletter item will look at Child Safe Standards 3, 4 and 5.

Mr Welsh 

Assistant Principal Wellbeing