What are the 11 Child Safe Standards? 

Child Safe Standard 1 – Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued

This is a new standard that requires schools to make sure Aboriginal children and young people feel safe.

This guidance applies to all schools, even if there are no students who have identified themselves as Aboriginal.

The term ‘Aboriginal’ includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is important to be respectful of how individual children, students, their families and community refer to themselves and use appropriate language.

Cultural safety includes being provided with a safe, nurturing and positive environment where Aboriginal children:

• feel comfortable being themselves
• feel comfortable expressing their culture, including their spiritual and belief systems
• are supported by carers who respect their Aboriginality and encourage their sense of self and identity.

Child Safe Standard 2 – Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture

This standard emphasises the vital role that school leaders and governing authorities have in establishing:

• a culture where child abuse and harm are not tolerated
• effective systems and processes to implement child safe policies and practices and manage child abuse risks.

Child Safe Standard 3 – Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously

This standard supports schools to create a culture that values and promotes student participation.

Child Safe Standard 4 – Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

This standard highlights the importance of an open and transparent child safe culture for families and communities.

Child Safe Standard 5 – Equity is upheld, and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.

This standard focuses on creating environments where all children and young people feel welcome.

Equity is a state of fairness in which all children and young people can participate freely and equally in areas of life, regardless of their background, characteristics or beliefs. This means their safety is not dependent on their socio-economic, family or personal circumstances.

Child Safe Standard 6 – People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice

This standard focuses on ensuring that people who work with children and young people are suitable and supported to act in a child safe way.

Child Safe Standard 7 – Processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused

This standard focuses on ensuring that schools have complaints processes that are child-focused, culturally safe and accessible to everyone.

Child Safe Standard 8 – Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.

This standard focuses on building child safety knowledge, skills and awareness in staff, volunteers and school governing authorities.

Child Safe Standard 9 – Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.

This standard focuses on child safety and wellbeing in physical and online environments and ensuring that procurement also reflects child safety.

Child Safe Standard 10 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.

This standard focuses on continuous improvement in child-safe policies, procedures and practices.

Child Safe Standard 11 – Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people

This standard focuses on incorporating the 11 Child Safe Standards into school policies, procedures and practices, which work together to create a child-safe culture.