Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
WHAT'S NEW?
The current Child Safe Standards already require organisations to provide information and training to staff and volunteers so that they can create child safe environments and respond to allegations of abuse.
The new Child Safe Standard 8 spells out obligations for organisations to train and support staff and volunteers, and provide ongoing education and training to:
- implement the organisation’s child safety and wellbeing policy
- recognise indicators of harm (including harm caused by other children and young people)
- respond effectively to child safety issues and concerns and support colleagues who disclose harm.
This Standard links to new Standards 1 and 5, with all three Standards placing obligations on organisations to provide training and information for staff and volunteers on building safe environments for children and young people.
compliance indicators
documents
- A training action plan for staff and volunteers includes training on:
- the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy (8.1)
- identifying indicators of child abuse and harm (8.2)
- how to support a person making a disclosure about harm to a child (8.3)
- how to respond to issues of child safety including internal and external reporting requirements, notifying families and carers and managing risks to children (8.3)
- how to support cultural safety. (8.4)
- Guidance materials (such as policies, procedures, guidelines, information sheets and posters) for staff and volunteers provide guidance about:
- identifying indicators of child abuse and harm, including where caused by other children (8.2)
- how to respond to issues of child safety including internal and external reporting requirements, notifying families and carers and managing risks to children (8.3)
- how to support a person disclosing harm to a child (8.3)
- how to create culturally safe environments in the organisation. (8.4)
- A training register records completion of training by staff and volunteers. (8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4)
actions
- Leaders communicate to staff and volunteers that child safety training is mandatory. (8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4)
- Training is provided to staff and volunteers on the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy on induction and at regular intervals. (8.1)
- Training is provided to staff and volunteers that supports their ability to:
- identify signs of child abuse and harm (8.2)
- respond to issues of child safety including internal and external reporting requirements, notifying families and carers and managing risks to children (8.3)
- support a person disclosing child harm (8.2, 8.3)
- create culturally safe environments in the organisation. (8.4)
- Training and guidance on child safety is:
- appropriate to the organisation’s engagement with children and the needs of children in the organisation
- trauma-informed
- offered on a regular basis to enable staff and volunteers to keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date
- regularly reviewed and updated to remain effective. (8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4)
- Supervision and management of staff and volunteers includes identifying child safety training needs. (8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4)
In complying with Child Safe Standard 6 an organisation must, at a minimum, ensure:
8.1 Staff and volunteers are trained and supported to effectively implement the organisation’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy.
8.2 Staff and volunteers receive training and information to recognise indicators of child harm including harm caused by other children and young people.
8.3 Staff and volunteers receive training and information to respond effectively to issues of child safety and wellbeing and support colleagues who disclose harm.
8.4 Staff and volunteers receive training and information on how to build culturally safe environments for children and young people.