ALAMANDA COLLEGE

CHILD SAFETY

POLICY AND REPORTING PROCEDURES

2022-2024

Child Safe Standard 2: Child Safety Policy

This policy is required and informed by clause 8 of Ministerial Order No. 870 – Child Safe Standards – Managing the risk of child abuse in schools, which sets out what the Child Safe Standards mean in a school environment.

All Victorian schools must have a Child Safety Policy or statement of commitment to child safety under Child Safe Standard 2. This template policy, once completed, contextualised to the school, approved, made publicly available, and communicated to the school community, will fulfil that requirement.

Purpose

Alamanda College’s Child Safety Policy sets out the school’s commitment and approach to creating and maintaining a child safe organisation where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and provides the policy framework for the school’s approach to the Child Safe Standards.

Scope

This policy applies to all staff, volunteers, and contractors in the school environment, whether or not they work in direct contact with children or young people. This policy also applies to school council members where indicated.

The policy will apply to the school environment (see Definitions section). The policy covers both school hours and outside of school hours.

Definitions

Child abuse

Child abuse includes:

any act committed against a child involving:
- a sexual offence; or
- grooming; and
the infliction, on a child, of:
- physical violence; or
- serious emotional or psychological harm; and
serious neglect of a child.

Child-connected work

Child-connected work means work authorised by the school, school council, or Secretary of the Department of Education and Training and performed by an adult in a school environment while children are present or reasonably expected to be present.

Child safety

Child safety encompasses matters related to protecting all children from child abuse, managing the risk of child abuse, providing support to a child at risk of child abuse, and responding to incidents or allegations of child abuse.

School environment

School environment means any physical or virtual place made available or authorised by the school for use by a child during or outside school hours, including:

a campus of the school;
online school environments (including email and intranet systems); and
other locations provided by the school for a child’s use (including, without limitation, locations used for school camps, sporting events, excursions, competitions, homestays, and other school activities or events)

School staff

School staff means an individual working in a school environment who is:

employed by the Department of Education and Training;
directly engaged or employed by a school council; or
a volunteer or a contracted service provider (whether or not a body corporate or any other person is an intermediary).

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY AND CHILD SAFETY PRINCIPLES

Alamanda College’s is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision-making.

Our Vision

Alamanda College aspires to create a challenging learning environment that develops young people with active minds and ethical spirits who will be able to contribute wisdom, compassion, empathy, integrity, and leadership in the global society of which they will all be members.

Our Mission

Alamanda College has high expectations of all students, and we encourage them to strive to achieve their greatest potential to make a positive contribution to a diverse and ever changing local and global society. We will aspire to be a school renowned as a vibrant community that lives the school’s motto of ‘Dare to be wise’, in all our thoughts and actions.

In embracing the College motto, we will develop creativity and innovation and encourage students to test the limits of their intellectual and physical capabilities whilst displaying their moral convictions through their actions.

We seek to provide a challenging education in a safe, supportive environment. We will strive to build positive relationships within a learning, caring and inclusive school community to achieve the best possible educational experience for each student.

Students and staff are expected to engage in the total life of the College and to actively pursue a range of learning opportunities. The ultimate aim is to develop personal qualities and attitudes that will enable students to face the challenges of the future with confidence.

At Alamanda College our values guide the decisions and behaviours of all members of our school community, including in relation to child safety:

Respect – for ourselves and others – Caring for, understanding, accepting and appreciating ourselves and others.
Responsibility – Demonstrating ownership of our actions and words. Being accountable for our actions.
Integrity – being honest, sincere and trustworthy
Resilience – Bouncing back from difficulties and disappointments. Accepting challenges, trying hard and not giving up easily.”] [1]

Alamanda College has zero tolerance for child abuse.

We are committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Our child safe policies, procedures, strategies and practices will be inclusive of the needs of all children, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities, students in out of home care, LGBTI students, international students and children who are vulnerable.

Every person involved in Alamanda College has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

Child safety principles

In its planning, decision-making and operations, Alamanda College will:

Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety;
Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives;
Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children;
Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount;
Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children;
Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development;
Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such concerns;
Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities;
Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk; and
Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers

POLICY

Strategies to embed a child safe culture

Alamanda College’s culture encourages staff, students, parents and the school community to raise, discuss and scrutinise child safety concerns. This makes it more difficult for abuse to occur and remain hidden.

All child safety documents, including this policy, the Child Safety Code of Conduct, the school’s Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures, Identifying and Responding to All Forms of Abuse in Victorian Schools and the Four Critical Actions for Schools are readily available online and in hard copy at the front office for all staff and students to read at any time.

Child safety is everyone’s responsibility. All school staff are required to:

Act in accordance with the school’s Child Safety Code of Conduct, which clearly sets out the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour
Act in accordance with the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures at all times, including following the Four Critical Actions for Schools where necessary
Undertake annual guidance and training on child safety
Act in accordance with their legal obligations, including:
- Failure to disclose offence (applies to all adults)
- Duty of care (applies to all school staff)
- Mandatory reporting obligations (applies to all mandatory reporters, including teachers, principals, registered psychologists, and registered doctors and nurses)
- Failure to protect offence (applies to a person in a position of authority within the school)
- Reportable conduct obligations (applies to all school staff in reporting conduct to the principal, and applies to the principal in reporting to Employee Conduct Branch)
- Organisational duty of care (applies to the school as an organisation)
- For more information on these obligations, see Identifying and Responding to All Forms of Abuse in Victorian Schools.

As part of Alamanda College’s child safe culture, school leadership (including the principal and assistant principal will:

Consider the diversity of all children, including (but not limited to) the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities, and children who are vulnerable, when implementing the Child Safe Standards
Ensure that child safety is a regular agenda item at school leadership meetings and staff meetings
Encourage and enable staff professional learning and training to build deeper understandings of child safety and prevention of abuse
Ensure that no one is prohibited or discouraged from reporting an allegation of child abuse to a person external to the school or from making records of any allegation.

As part of Alamanda College’s child safe culture, school mandatory reporting staff are required to:

Complete the Protecting Children – Mandatory reporting and other obligations online module every year

*DET requirement that mandatory reporters complete this training annually. It also helps with demonstrating compliance with the Child Safe Standards

Read the school’s Child Safety Code of Conduct on induction, and maintain familiarity with that document
Read the school’s Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures on induction, and maintain familiarity with that document
Read the school’s Child Safety Policy (this document) on induction, and maintain familiarity with that document.

As part of Alamanda College’s child safe culture, in performing the functions and powers given to them under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, school councils and school council members will:

We ensure that child safety is a regular agenda item at school council meetings
Consider the diversity of all children, including (but not limited to) the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities, and children who are vulnerable, when making decisions regarding the Child Safe Standards
Undertake annual guidance and training on child safety, such as the Child Safe Standards School Council Training PowerPoint.
Approve the Child Safety Code of Conduct to the extent that it applies to school council employees and members, and if updated, note the new document in its school council meeting minutes
When hiring employees, ensure that selection, supervision and management practices are child safe
School leadership will maintain records of the above processes.

Roles and responsibilities

School leaders will ensure that each person understands their role, responsibilities and behaviour expected in protecting children and young people from abuse and neglect. Staff will comply with the school’s Child Safety Code of Conduct, which sets out clearly the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.

Specific child safety responsibilities:

Shahn Jones Leading Teacher is responsible for reviewing and updating the Child Safety Policy every three years.
Lynette Jobson College Principal is responsible for monitoring the school’s compliance with the Child Safety Policy. The school community should approach College Principal if they have any concerns about the school’s compliance with the Child Safety Policy.
Lynette Jobson College Principal is responsible for informing the school community about this policy, and making it publicly available.
All staff are responsible for obtaining roles and responsibilities are named in Alamanda College’s child safety policies and procedures, including the Child Safety Code of Conduct, Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures, and risk assessment register.

Recruitment

Alamanda College follows the Department’s Recruitment in Schools guide to ensure child safe recruitment practices, available on the Department’s website.

All prospective volunteers are required to comply with our school’s Volunteers Policy, including in relation to assessing the suitability of prospective volunteers and obtaining checks required under this policy and all prospective volunteers are required to maintain a valid Working with Children Check.

Training and supervision

Training and education is important to ensure that everyone in the school understands that child safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Our school culture aims for all staff and volunteers (in addition to parents/carers and children) to feel confident and comfortable in coming forward with any allegations or suspicions of child abuse or child safety concerns. We train our staff and volunteers to identify, assess, and minimise risks of child abuse and to detect potential signs of child abuse. This training occurs annually or more often as required.

We also support our staff and volunteers through ongoing supervision to develop their skills to protect children from abuse, to promote the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children from linguistically and/or diverse backgrounds, and the safety of children with a disability and vulnerable children.

New employees and volunteers will be inducted into the school, including by being referred to the Child Safety Policy (this document), the Child Safety Code of Conduct, and the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures on the school website. They will also be supervised regularly to ensure they understand our school’s commitment to child safety, and that their behaviour towards children is safe and appropriate. All employees of our school will be monitored and assessed via regular performance review to ensure their continuing suitability for child-connected work. Any inappropriate behaviour will be reported by school staff to the Principal or Assistant Principal and will be managed in accordance with Alamanda College’s Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures Child Protection – Reporting Obligations. where required.

Reporting a child safety concern or complaint

The school has clear expectations for all staff and volunteers in making a report about a child or young person who may be in need of protection. All staff (including school council employees) must follow the school’s Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures, including following the Four Critical Actions for Schools if there is an incident, disclosure or suspicion of child abuse. Immediate actions should include reporting their concerns to DHHS Child Protection, Victoria Police and/or another appropriate agency and notifying the principal or a member of the school leadership team of their concerns and the reasons for those concerns.

Alamanda College will never prohibit or discourage school staff from reporting an allegation of child abuse. The school will always take action to respond to a complaint in accordance with the school’s Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures. In accordance with Action 4 of the Four Critical Actions for Schools, Alamanda College will provide ongoing support for students affected by child abuse.

The Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures can be found at Child Protection – Reporting Obligations..

Risk reduction and management

Alamanda College believes the wellbeing of children and young people is paramount, and is vigilant in ensuring proper risk management processes, found in the school’s risk assessment register. The school recognises there are potential risks to children and young people and will take a risk management approach by undertaking preventative measures.

We will identify and mitigate the risks of child abuse in school environments by taking into account the nature of each school environment, the activities expected to be conducted in that environment and the characteristics and needs of all children expected to be present in that environment.

Alamanda College monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of the actions it takes to reduce or remove risks to child safety, more information can be found in the school’s risk assessment register.

Listening to, communicating with and empowering children

Alamanda College has developed a safe, inclusive and supportive environment that involves and communicates with children, young people and their parents/carers. We encourage child and parent/carer involvement and engagement that informs safe school operations and builds the capability of children and parents/carers to understand their rights and their responsibilities. Our school is committed to supporting and encouraging students to use their voice to raise and share their concerns with a trusted adult at any time of need. Students can access information on how to report abuse from their classroom teacher or mini school leaders.

When the school is gathering information in relation to a complaint about alleged misconduct with or abuse of a child, the school will listen to the complainant’s account and take them seriously, check understanding and keep the child (and/or their parents/carers, as appropriate) informed about progress.

The school will promote the Child Safe Standards in ways that are readily accessible, easy to understand, and user-friendly to children, including:

All of our child safety policies and procedures will be available for the students and parents at Alamanda College to read at the front office.
PROTECT Child Safety posters will be displayed across the school in every classroom in a core display area
School newsletters will inform students and the school community about the school’s commitment to child safety, and strategies or initiatives that the school is taking to ensure student safety
Included in our daily briefing to keep up to date with the standards.
Meeting agendas throughout the school to discuss any possible issues, events or policy updates.

The school will use its health and wellbeing programs to deliver appropriate education to its students about:

standards of behaviour for students attending the school;
healthy and respectful relationships (including sexuality);
resilience; and
child abuse awareness and prevention.

Communications

This school is committed to communicating our child safety strategies to the school community through:

Ensuring that the Child Safety Policy (this document), Code of Conduct, and the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedure are available on the school website and School Box.
We aim to provide reminders in the school newsletter of our school’s commitment to child safety
Ensuring that child safety is a regular agenda item at school leadership meetings and staff meetings for discussion

We include the standards in our daily briefing for all staff to ensure they are up to date with the current standards.

We communicate child safety strategies by discussing them at school tours with prospective parents, at parent information sessions or in class, volunteer induction processes, and by placing posters throughout the school in each classroom.

Confidentiality and privacy

Alamanda College collects, uses and discloses information about particular children and their families in accordance with Victorian privacy law and other relevant laws. The principles regulating the collection, use and storage of information is included in the Department of Education and Training’s Schools’ Privacy Policy.

Policy evaluation and review

To ensure ongoing relevance and continuous improvement, this policy will be reviewed every three years. The review will include input from students, parents/carers and the school community.

Approval

School Principal: Lynette Jobson

Date review: March 2024 or annually as required.

[1] This example school vision and values taken from Canterbury Primary School, https://www.canterburyps.vic.edu.au/about-canterbury/purpose-values (Accessed 16 August 2019)