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Child Safe Standard 10
Child Safe Standard 10 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
In complying with Child Safe Standard 10, an organisation must, at a minimum, ensure:
10.1 The organisation regularly reviews, evaluates and improves child safe practices.
10.2 Complaints, concerns and safety incidents are analysed to identify causes and systemic failures to inform continuous improvement.
10.3 The organisation reports on the findings of relevant reviews to staff and volunteers, community and families and children and young people.
Source
Commission for Children and Young People. (2021, July 1). New Child Safe Standards start in Victoria on 1 July 2022 to better protect children. https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/news/new-child-safe-standards-start-in-victoria-on-1-july-2022-tobetter-protect-children/
Review of child safety practices
14.1 Schools and school boarding premises must ensure that implementation of this Order is regularly reviewed and improved.
14.2 In complying with clause 14.1, the school governing authority or school boarding premises governing authority must, at a minimum:
a. Review and evaluate the child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures and practices of the school or provider of school boarding services after any significant child safety incident, or at least every two years, and improve where applicable. b. Ensure complaints, concerns and safety incidents are analysed to identify causes and systemic failures and inform continuous improvement. c. Report on the outcomes of relevant reviews to school staff, school boarding premises staff, volunteers, the school community or school boarding premises community, and families and students.
Background
Under section 23 of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, the Commission already promotes continuous improvement by organisations so that the safety of children is promoted, child abuse is prevented and allegations of child abuse are properly responded to.
The new Child Safe Standard 10 emphasises the importance of continuous improvement in child safe practices. It contains new obligations for organisations to:
•Analyse complaints, concerns and safety incidents to identify causes and systemic failures to inform continuous improvement • Report on the findings of relevant reviews of child safe practices to staff and volunteers, community and families and children and young people.
Source
Commission for Children and Young People. (2021b, July 1, p. 11). What’s changing?: Compare current and new Child Safe Standards. https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/assets/resources/New-Standards/Whats-changing-comparison-ofcurrent-and-new-Child-Safe-Standards.pdf
The Northside Christian College policies are documents that are made available to the College community as a means to clarify functions and responsibilities, manage change, promote consistency, meet standards and help ensure that decision-making is transparent. The Committee of Management are responsible for reviewing the College’s policies on a regular cycle with some policies requiring review on an annual basis.
The Committee of Management annually review the Child Safety Policy, Code of Conduct and Procedures and a wide range of supportive policies and documents to ensure that the College maintains a culture of child safety.
Northside Christian College needs to have in place processes for regularly reviewing and refining policies and procedures to ensure that our organisation is compliant with: • All mandatory processes for responding to and reporting suspected child abuse; • Any new child safety standards (as this area is regularly evolving); and • Any other legislative changes surrounding child safety.
Northside Christian College takes all allegations or disclosures of suspected child abuse and reportable conduct seriously, and responds to such allegations and disclosures promptly and thoroughly.
This Child Safety Policy at Northside Christian College will be reviewed as part of the College’s three-year review cycle. Following every reportable incident, a review shall be conducted to assess whether the College’s child protection policies or procedures require modification to better protect the children under the College’s care.
The College’s Child Safety Risk Management Strategy (Policy No. 75) highlights that the Committee of Management is committed to ensuring potential risks and the management of risks are continually monitored and reviewed to ensure a proactive approach to managing risks occurs as new risks emerge and existing risks change. This includes reviewing the effectiveness of risk controls and treatments.
The College’s Child Safety Risk Management Strategy (Policy No. 75) will be reviewed annually as part of the College’s three-year review cycle.
Action Items
Action: Review the College’s procedures for managing complaints, concerns and safety incidents and how they are analysed to identify causes and systemic failures to inform continuous improvement.
Action Plan Key: In Place Partially in Place Not in Place
Northside Christian College is committed to continual improvement that is responsive to emerging thinking, evidence and practice, so as to eliminate (where practicable) the possibility of student safety risks occurring in the first place. Where the College can improve, it will strive to do so. The College will report on the outcomes of any relevant review to the College community.
