Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
WHAT'S NEW?
Many aspects of the new Child Safe Standard 2 are consistent with what organisations are currently required to do under existing Standards 1, 2 and 3.
The new Child Safe Standard 2 has a greater emphasis on information sharing, record keeping and governance arrangements to create a child safe culture at all levels in an organisation. The management of risks to children is required to be embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture
COMPLIANCE INDICATORS
Organisations will generally comply if they produce these documents and undertake these actions in a way that supports the organisation to achieve this Standard. The nature or characteristics of your organisation may mean you need to do something different to what is proposed below.
DOCUMENTS
- A public commitment to child safety is available and displayed for public access. (2.1)
- The Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy sets out the organisation’s expectations and practices in relation to each of the Standards. (2.3)
- A Code of Conduct sets out expectations regarding behaviour of staff and volunteers with children and in promoting and maintaining child safety and wellbeing. (2.4)
actions
- Leaders, staff, volunteers, members and children in the organisation champion and model a child safe culture. They express support for keeping children safe, take action when they have concerns about children’s safety and prioritise the safety of children as part of everyday practice. (2.2)
- Leaders set clear expectations around child safety and ensure the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy is implemented by staff and volunteers. (2.3)
- Leaders promote a culture of reporting. (2.2, 2.3)
- Governance arrangements mean senior leaders regularly review the organisation’s performance in delivering child safety and wellbeing. (2.3 and links to 10.1)
- Governance arrangements mean senior leaders supervise whether risk assessment and management in the organisation is properly focused on identifying, preventing and reducing risks of child abuse and harm. (2.5 and links to 9.1, 9.3)
- Staff and volunteers understand their information sharing and record keeping obligations. (2.6)
- The Code of Conduct is communicated to all staff and volunteers and leaders hold them to account to comply with it. (2.4)
In complying with Child Safe Standard 2 an organisation must, at a minimum, ensure:
2.1 The organisation makes a public commitment to child safety.
2.2 A child safe culture is championed and modelled at all levels of the organisation from the top down and bottom up.
2.3 Governance arrangements facilitate implementation of the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy at all levels.
2.4 A Code of Conduct provides guidelines for staff and volunteers on expected behavioural standards and responsibilities.
2.5 Risk management strategies focus on preventing, identifying and mitigating risks to children and young people.
2.6 Staff and volunteers understand their obligations on information sharing and record keeping.