International education providers

Regulatory information to help student exchange organisations and CRICOS providers comply with the new Child Safe Standards.

Minimum standards and guidelines

Providers must comply with the Standards from 1 July 2022 if they are:

  • registered on the Commonwealth Department of Education's Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)
  • approved as student exchange organisations (SEOs). 

This is detailed in the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) guidelines.

VRQA regulates compliance through reviews, reapprovals and complaints investigations.

What do international education providers have to do?

Providers must update their child safe strategies, policies, and practices and tailor them to the international education environment.

SEOs and most CRICOS schools have 24/7 responsibility for the accommodation, support and general welfare of students.

They must create and maintain a child safe culture, and:

  • follow the VRQA guidelines
  • have clear policies and procedures, supported by suitable governance and operational arrangements, that address each Standard
  • ensure agreements with third-party service providers, to deliver all or part of the student's education, accommodation or care, require them to comply with the Standards.

Ready to get started?

CRICOS schools and SEOs that are also registered schools should follow the child safe advice for schools. They must ensure their CRICOS and SEOs operations are incorporated into the school’s compliance with the Standards.

Schools - regulations

The minimum requirements.

Non-school SEOs can use this checklist to help you comply:

Non-school SEOs Child Safe Standards compliance readiness tool
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Guidance and evidence requirements for each Standard is also available.

International - culturally safe environments

Child Safe Standard 1: Respecting and valuing Aboriginal experiences and identities.

International - child safety and wellbeing

Child Safe Standard 2: Building a strong organisational child safe culture.

International - child and student empowerment

Child Safe Standard 3: Giving children and students a voice to speak up when something isn’t right.

International - family engagement

Child Safe Standard 4: Keeping families and communities informed and involved in promoting child safety.

International - diversity and equity

Child Safe Standard 5: Supporting children from different backgrounds, characteristics or beliefs.

International - suitable staff and volunteers

Child Safe Standard 6: People working with children are suitable and supported to understand child safety and wellbeing.

International - complaints processes

Child Safe Standard 7: Ensure that processes for complaints and concerns are child focused.

International - child safety knowledge, skills and awareness

Child Safe Standard 8: Building a child safe culture through training and information.

International - child safety in physical and online environments regulations

Child Safe Standard 9: Helping children have safer and more positive experiences online and in person.

International - implementation of child safety practices

Child Safe Standard 10: Checking regularly that policies and procedures are up to date.

International - documentation of child safety practices

Child Safe Standard 11: Putting all the requirements of the Standards into action.

Education

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