Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
WHAT'S NEW?
Many organisations already inform and involve families and communities as part of complying with the current
Child Safe Standards.
The new Child Safe Standard 4 creates specific obligations on organisations to involve families and communities in promoting child safety.
New obligations mean organisations must ensure they:
- seek the input of families and communities in decisions impacting children and young people
- involve families and communities in the development and review of their child safe policies and practices
- communicate effectively with families and communities about how to raise child safety concerns
and how the organisation operates - take into account the diversity of families and act to reduce barriers to inclusion.
COMPLIANCE INDICATORS
documents
- The organisation’s policies reflect the importance of family and community involvement and describe ways this involvement can occur. (4.3)
- Complaint handling policies include procedures for keeping families informed and provide guidance on how to do this while complying with obligations regarding confidentiality and privacy. (4.2 and links to 7.2)
actions
- The organisation supports families and communities to take an active role in promoting and maintaining child safety and wellbeing by communicating about their role in child safety and wellbeing within the organisation. (4.4 and overall outcome)
- The organisation is open and transparent with families and communities by:
- providing accessible information about the organisation’s child safety and wellbeing policies and practices (4.2 and 4.4)
- providing information about the organisation’s governance and operations, how complaints are handled and how the organisation manages disciplinary actions and child safety risks. (4.4)
- Families have an opportunity to participate in decisions made by the organisation that impact the safety and wellbeing of their child. Communication with families supports the full diversity of families to participate. (4.1)
- Opportunities are created for families and community members to provide feedback on the organisation’s policies, procedures and practices including the organisation’s approach to child safety and wellbeing. (4.3)
- The organisation takes the feedback and involvement of families and communities seriously and takes their views into account. (4.3 and links to 7.3)
In complying with Child Safe Standard 4 an organisation must, at a minimum, ensure:
4.1 Families participate in decisions affecting their child.
4.2 The organisation engages and openly communicates with families and the community about its child safe approach and relevant information is accessible.
4.3 Families and communities have a say in the development and review of the organisation’s policies and practices.
4.4 Families, carers and the community are informed about the organisation’s operations and governance.