From the
Assistant Principal
CHILD SAFETY
Victorian schools are required under the Child Safety and Wellbeing Act to ensure that they implement compulsory child safe standards to protect children from harm.
Murrumbeena Primary School is committed to child safety. Regular articles will appear in the newsletter and on our website to promote our commitment to the Child Safety Standards.
The Child Safety Standards set out to create safe places for children to fully and actively participate in the life of the community benefiting everyone. Murrumbeena Primary School will ensure that the children in its care are protected to the best of its ability and in line with their duty of care and the compulsory child safe standards. Parents and carers also play a vital role in keeping our children safe in the school community. (See below)
Murrumbeena Primary is committed to preventing child abuse and identifying risks early, and removing and reducing these risks.
At Murrumbeena Primary School:
- Everyone connected to our school can help children be safe.
- We have zero tolerance for any abuse of children.
- We already have policies and processes in place to protect the care, safety and welfare of children. These are being strengthened to ensure a zero tolerance approach to child abuse. As policies are ratified at school council, they are made available to you through the newsletter and on our web page.
- There will be clear boundaries about how adults in our school community may interact with the children here set out in our school’s Child Safe Code of Conduct and the new ‘Parent Code of Conduct’ which will be developed this year. .
PARENTS ALSO HAVE A ROLE IN CHILD SAFETY
ALL adults who enter the school during school hours are required to report to the school office. The only exception is the beginning or end of the school day when parents/carers are picking up or dropping off children.
There has been a significant increase in parents wandering around the school grounds, inside the buildings and engaging with students during the school day. This poses a ‘child safety risk.’ So therefore we ask your cooperation in abiding by the expectations set out in the table below. Please do not feel offended when staff question adults inside the grounds during the school day: instead, recognise they are carrying out their duty of care.
Please do this | Do not do this |
| If your child has forgotten something or you need to pass on a message, please report to the office. Our staff will pass this on to the student. | Do NOT go to the classroom to deliver belongings and messages. |
| Speak to the teacher outside, at the beginning or the end of the day. If it is a personal matter, or requires time, please make an appointment. | Do NOT go to the classroom, especially when the bell has gone or is about to go.
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| Allow children to eat and play with their friends at recess and lunch breaks. They build social skills and peer connectedness this way. | Do NOT come into the school to eat and play with your child during recess or lunch breaks. |
| Reinforce your child’s adherence to the ICT agreement. | Do NOT message or phone your child during school hours or expect them to message you in return. |
| Use the staff toilets during school hours. | Do NOT use the student toilets. This includes taking pre-school siblings to student toilets. |
Chellee Plumb