Understanding the Child Safe Standards

Study Notes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.