Child Safe Standards

The Child Safe Standards are compulsory minimum standards for all organisations that provide services to children including Victorian schools. The aim of the Standards is to ensure organisations are well prepared to protect children from abuse and neglect.

The Standards provide a framework to identify gaps and improve policy and practices around child safety. On 26 November 2015, the Victorian Parliament passed the Child Wellbeing and Safety Amendment (Child Safe Standards) Bill 2015, which amended the Child Safety and Wellbeing Act 2005 to introduce the Child Safe Standards that would apply to all organisations involved in child related work in Victoria. Lara Primary School implement the Child Safe Standards to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students and promote an organisational culture that manages the risk of child abuse and neglect.

To help create and maintain a child safe organisation and adhere to the Child Safe Standards, we are required to have the following items in place:

1. Strategies to embed an organisational culture of child safety, including through effective leadership arrangements

2. A child safe policy or statement of commitment to child safety

3. A code of conduct that establishes clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children

4. Screening, supervision, training and other human resources practices that reduce the risk of child abuse by new and existing personnel

5. Processes for responding to and reporting suspected child abuse

6. Strategies to identify and reduce or remove risks of child abuse

7. Strategies to promote the participation and empowerment of children

We firmly believe that these standards will further strengthen our existing practices already in place to prevent and respond to child abuse while also maintaining consistency in how we manage any potential concerns in our school. Lara Primary School is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people.