Schools can nominate a senior staff member as a child safety champion to support child safety. In large or multi-campus schools, more than one child safety champion can be nominated.
Child safety champions must have the status and authority to work with and influence others.
The role:
- requires knowledge and professional judgement on child safety and wellbeing
- needs support through ongoing training and mentoring
- maybe a suitable development opportunity for aspiring school leaders.
Key responsibilities
Child safety champions work with the school leadership team, teachers, students, volunteers and the school community to create a child safe environment in the school.
Promote child safety culture
- Promote child safety and wellbeing. For example, at staff and parent meetings, through newsletters and staff bulletins.
- Ensure the school’s child safety policies and procedures:
- are current and fit for purpose
- are publicly accessible
- are known and implemented.
- Promote a culture of listening to students and families and acting on their child safety concerns.
- Support staff and volunteers to focus on the child safety needs of vulnerable students.
Provide support and guidance
- Be a point of contact for child safety concerns for staff, volunteers and students.
- Provide guidance to students, staff and volunteers on child safety policies and procedures.
- Work with school leadership to respond to child safety incidents.
- Maintain current skills and knowledge to support child safety and wellbeing, including:
- child-focused complaint processes, reporting obligations and the Four Critical Actions (PDF-215KB)
- student rights, participation and empowerment
- Aboriginal cultural safety and inclusive practices to meet students diverse needs
- child safety risk management including online safety
- child safety information sharing and record-keeping obligations
- working with relevant agencies to refer students and families to appropriate support
- keeping across emerging research and best practice guidance in child safety and wellbeing.
Train and educate
- Provide child safety induction programs for new school staff, volunteers and school council members.
- Provide child safety training for school staff, volunteers and school council members.
- Ensure mandatory reporters complete the annual mandatory reporting training.
- Provide child safety updates and information to staff and volunteers, as needed.
Monitor, review and report
- Record child safety complaints and concerns, and analyse trends as needed.
- Coordinate reviews following significant safety incidents and recommend improvements.
- Maintain the school's child safety risk register with the school leadership team.
- Coordinate child safety policy and practice reviews in consultation with the school community.
- Maintain detailed, accurate, secure written records of concerns and referrals.
Resources
Updated