Understanding the Child Safe Standards

Understanding the Child Safe Standards

• There are 11 Child Safe Standards that organisations must comply with, and they must implement all aspects of the Standards.
• Each Standard is a statement of an expected outcome that organisations must achieve.

The 11 Child Safe Standards

• Standard 1: Organisations must establish a culturally safe environment that respects and values the diverse identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people.
• Standard 2: Child safety and wellbeing must be embedded in organisational leadership, governance, and culture.
• Standard 3: Children and young people must be empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them, and be taken seriously.
• Standard 4: Families and communities must be informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
• Standard 5: Equity must be upheld, and diverse needs must be respected in policy and practice.
• Standard 6: People working with children and young people must be suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
• Standard 7: Processes for complaints and concerns must be child-focused.
• Standard 8: Staff and volunteers must be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
• Standard 9: Physical and online environments must promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
• Standard 10: Implementation of the Child Safe Standards must be regularly reviewed and improved.
• Standard 11: Policies and procedures must document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.

Minimum Requirements for Child Safe Standard 1

• An organisation must ensure a child's cultural rights are encouraged and actively supported.
• The organisation must equip all members to acknowledge and appreciate the strengths of Aboriginal culture and its importance to the wellbeing and safety of Aboriginal children and young people.
• Measures must be adopted to identify, confront, and not tolerate racism within the organisation, with appropriate consequences for any instances of racism.
• The organisation must actively support and facilitate participation and inclusion of Aboriginal children, young people, and their families.
• The organisation's policies, procedures, systems, and processes must create a culturally safe and inclusive environment that meets the needs of Aboriginal children, young people, and their families.

Compliance with Standard 1

• Establishing a culturally safe environment takes time, dedication, and meaningful engagement.
• Organisations need to commit long-term and take meaningful action each year to progress their compliance with Standard 1.
• The Commission provides foundation steps to help organisations establish a culturally safe environment for Aboriginal children.
• Foundation steps help organisations identify the work they must do to comply with the Standard and build a plan of action.
• Further steps are provided to help organisations build on their work and continue their journey towards becoming a culturally safe organisation.

Assessing Compliance with Standard 1

• The Commission will look for compliance with the foundation steps, which outline the changes required to policies, procedures, and public commitments.
• The plan of action should outline the organisation's path to reaching full compliance with the Standard.
• Organisations will generally comply if they produce the required documents and undertake the necessary actions in a way that supports the organisation to achieve this Standard.

Resources for Compliance

• The Commission provides guidance materials, including a Guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, which has detailed information and advice on how to comply with each Standard.
• The Short Guide to the Child Safe Standards provides an overview of all the Standards and requirements.
• The Commission also offers a range of tools and templates to help organisations develop key policies, practices, and procedures.