Schools - implementation of child safety practices regulations

All references to 'schools' include school boarding premises.

Whole organisation implementation

This requirement states that schools must implement all the preceding requirements in Ministerial Order 1359. It also states that child safety policies and procedures must be informed by best practice models and stakeholder consultation.

The requirement that leaders ‘champion and model’ procedures can be demonstrated in a variety of ways. Particularly if the school child safety culture is prominent in the school’s:

public-facing policies, procedures and practices
approach to complaints and concerns about child safety and wellbeing
communications to families and the school community
visually on display in the school.

Examples of common non-compliance

The school has not implemented the requirements of Ministerial Order 1359.
The child safety culture is established internally but not publicly accessible.
The school does not implement practices for a child safe environment.
The child safety policies, processes and practices are not documented, communicated and modelled at every level.

Clause 15 of Ministerial Order 1359 aligns to Child Safe Standard 11 and states:

15.1 Schools and school boarding premises must have policies and procedures that document how schools and school boarding premises are safe for children, young people and students.

15.2 In complying with clause 15.1, the school governing authority or school boarding premises governing authority must, at a minimum, ensure:
1. that the school or provider of school boarding services implements practices for a child-safe environment in accordance with this Order
2. that the policies and procedures and any other statements and records this Order requires:
  1. address all Child Safe Standards
  2. are understood and implemented by all relevant school staff, school boarding premises staff, the governing body and volunteers
  3. are championed and modelled by leaders
  4. are documented and easy to understand; and
  5. are informed by best practice models and stakeholder consultation.
More guidance on this Standard can be found at:
- Schools — implementation of child safety practices guidance(opens in a new window)

Education

Updated 24 June 2022