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Creating Culturally Safe Environments
Northside Christian College is committed to providing a safe environment for all students. This commitment is captured in the College’s Student Code of Conduct, which is documented in the College’s Behaviour Management Policy (Policy No. 36). Northside Christian College aims to strategically and practically build a culture which acknowledges, affirms and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, and traditions. Northside’s commitment is further outlined in the College’s Cultural Safety Policy (Policy No. 74).
The Child Safe Standards provide further guidance on the need for schools to support all students. Child Safe Standard 1 requires organisations to establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued. Child Safe Standard 5 states that school must maintain equity at all times. Furthermore, school communities need to respect the diverse needs of students in policy and practice.
The College acknowledges some students are particularly vulnerable, which was also addressed in Volume 6 of the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (p. 170). The College recognises careful attention should be given to:
•Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and creating cultural safety. • Children with disability and responses to disability. • Children from diverse religious and cultural communities. • Very young children. • Children who have experienced trauma. • Gender differences. • The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children. • Challenges for children living in remote locations. • Students who cannot live at home (including international students). • Refugee students who may have experienced prior trauma. • Students who may have fewer connections to trusted adults and less confidence or ability to speak out, including children whose additional safety needs are not being addressed by adults around them.
Northside Christian College is committed to providing pastoral care to all students. We are reminded in Mark 12:31 to “Love your neighbour as yourself.” At Northside, we aim to support all students to feel safe, connected, and supported within our College community to assist all students to flourish with their learning and wellbeing.
The College’s ongoing commitment to maintaining culturally safe environments is also outlined in the College’s Pastoral Care Policy (Policy No. 12), which notes “we promote and provide a supportive learning environment in which all students can expect to feel safe, supported and respected. We recognise the need for clear, transparent and explicit programs and policies to ensure students’ physical, social, spiritual and emotional wellbeing” (p. 2).
The diversity of our school community has long been a feature and strength of Northside Christian College. Our policies and procedures support our growth and continuous development in this area. Northside Christian College is committed to providing a safe environment for all students. Obviously all of these policies and practices flow from our Biblical understanding of human flourishing and what will provide the best outcomes for young people.
Source: Commonwealth of Australia. (2017). Final Report: Volume 6, Making institutions child safe.https://www. childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/final_report_-_volume_6_making_institutions_child_safe.pdf
