The Child Safe Standards set out requirements for creating and maintaining child safe organisations.
All Victorian schools must:
- comply with the standards
- take active steps to prevent child abuse
- promote child safety and wellbeing.
Ministerial Order 1359 provides the framework for child safety in schools.
This page provides guidance on how to apply each standard in a school setting. Select one to find practical advice, examples and resources.
For regulatory information, see Child Safe Standards for education providers.(opens in a new window)
Child Safe Standards guidance
Culturally safe environments
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 1: Establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
Leadership, governance and culture
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 2: Ensure that child safety and wellbeing are embedded in school leadership, governance and culture.
Child and student empowerment
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 3: Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
Family engagement
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 4: Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
Diversity and equity
Child Safe Standard 5 is about inclusion, fairness and respect for every child. This guidance explains what schools must do to meet the standard. It also gives practical examples of actions you can take.
Suitable staff and volunteers
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 6: People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
Complaints processes
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 7: Ensure that processes for complaints and concerns are child focused.
Child safety knowledge, skills and awareness
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 8: Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
Child safety in physical and online environments
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 9: Keeping children safe in physical and online environments in schools.
Review of child safety practices
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 10: Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
Implementation of child safety practices
Guidance on Child Safe Standard 11: Policies and procedures that document how schools are safe for children, young people and students.
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