PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Friends,

In response to the Royal Commission into the Institutional Responses to Child Abuse, the body that regulates school standards in Victoria, the Victoria Registration and Qualifications Authority, introduced the Child Safe Standards in 2016.

I want to reaffirm the school’s strong support or this by re-publishing our Child Safe Standards School Statement of Commitment, below.

I also want to remind you that all our Child Safe documentation can be found on our website under the Community>Policies tab. This includes the complaints pro-forma and this statement of commitment.

I urge everyone in our community to speak up and report any information they might have about any abuse of a child by an adult that they may be aware of.

I am also pleased to report that we have had no instances of child abuse by an adult at our school, and we continue to be an extremely safe environment for your children. But what recent Royal Commission have taught us, is that we should guard against complacency, and remain vigilant. I know you will support the school in this.

Yours faithfully,

Richard Minack

Principal

Brighton Secondary College is committed to safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision-making. Brighton Secondary College has zero tolerance for child abuse.

 

Brighton Secondary College is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.

 

Every person involved in Brighton Secondary College has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

In its planning, decision-making and operations Brighton Secondary College will:

1. Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety;
2. Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives;
3. Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children;
4. Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount;
5. Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children;
6. Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development;
7. Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such issues;
8. Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate   authorities;
9. Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk; and
10. Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers.