Assistant Principal's Report

Child Safe Standards

Welcome to my second newsletter article for 2023 in a series of articles about the new Safe Standards and detailing how Glen Waverley Primary School (GWPS) is implementing them. In my previous article I examined Child Safe Standards 7 and 8, in this article we will look at Standards 9 and 10. If you would like to read about Standards 1 to 8, these are available in previous editions of our school newsletter, which can be found on our school website. 

Current Child Safe Standards

As stated previously, all schools are required to comply with 11 Child Safe Standards that have been created as a result of a Ministerial Order (1359) and came into effect on July 31st 2022. This Order sets the minimum requirements for compliance with the Child Safe Standards for schools. 

If you are interested in finding out more, additional information can be found at https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/assets/resources/Information-for-Parents-and-Carers-about-the-Child-Safe-Standards.pdf. 

Child Safe Standards 9 and 10

Child Safe Standard 9 –Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed. 

This standard has been designed to mitigate risks in the online and physical school environment. It ensures  schools have procurement policies that comply with Child Safe Standards, whilst ensuring a child’s right to privacy, access to information, social connections and learning opportunities. 

To address this standard Glen Waverley Primary School is implementing the following:

• The development and implementation of our e-Smart Program to promote online safety within teaching and learning programs 
• The utilisation of our Digital Learning Policy to ensure correct online conduct 
• Adherence to the Digital Learning Responsible Use Agreements and ensuring all students agree to using technology at school safely and responsibly 
• The use of our Child Safe Code of Conduct and Child Safe policies to promote the safety and wellbeing of all students 
• The implementation of processes to ensure our school complies  with Child Safe Standards at all times 
• Risk management plans are created for all incursions, excursions, camps and sporting activities 
• All visitors, volunteers and third-party providers muct provide a Working With Children Check (WWCC) before engaging in work with the children 
• School staff supervise all incursions, excursions and camps 

Child Safe Standard 10 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved

This standard has been designed to ensure the organisation analyses, regularly reviews, evaluates and improves child safe practices through  systematic review processes .  School Council must be involved in the review process. 

To address this standard Glen Waverley Primary School is implementing the following:

• Each Child Safe Standard is addressed through our policies and implemented to a high standard
• Feedback and feedforward are received from the staff Child Safe representatives 
• All Child Safe related policies are reviewed annually.
• Feedback is provided by staff and members of the school community and all changes are endorsed by School Council 
• Department of Education and Council of International Schools (CIS) reviews are conducted every five years with both analysing how  the Child Safe Standards are implemented. Advice on how to improve is provided throughout these processes.  

I look forward to continuing to inform the community of the new Standards and how Glen Waverley Primary School is ensuring that they are implemented in order to keep all members of the GWPS safe. 

Mr Welsh 

Assistant Principal Wellbeing