Steps to compliance
1. Develop
Schools must have a policy, statement or other document on child safety family engagement. This may be included in the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy.
Schools must involve families and the school community in development and review of child safe policies and processes. Example include:
- consulting families on drafts of the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and the Child Safety Code of Conduct
- presenting an opportunity to provide feedback online or in a face-to-face forum.
2. Endorse
The school governing authority must endorse the policy, statement or document.
3. Implement
Compliant schools:
- ensure families take part in decisions which affect their child
- provide families and the community an opportunity to have their say on policies, such as through school newsletters and virtual or face-to-face meetings
- inform families and the school community about:
- child safety and wellbeing practices
- how the school governing authority, leadership and staff support them.
Examples of common non-compliance
- There is no policy, statement or other documentation that covers family and school community engagement on child safety matters.
- A policy, statement or document exists, but it’s an internal document, with no actions to inform families and the community about school operations and governance in relation to child safety and wellbeing. For example, through website material, newsletters, information sessions.
- Staff develop and finalise core child safe policies and processes, with no opportunity for families and community to contribute and ‘have a say’.
-
Clause 8 of Ministerial Order 1359 aligns to Child Safe Standard 4 and states:
8.1 Schools and school boarding premises must ensure that families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
8.2 In complying with clause 8.1, the school governing authority or school boarding premises governing authority must, at a minimum, ensure:
- families participate in decisions related to child safety and wellbeing which affect their child.
- the school or school boarding premises engages and openly communicates with families and the school community or school boarding premises community about its child safe approach and relevant information is accessible.
- families and the school community or school boarding premises community have a say in the development and review of policies and practices of the school or provider of school boarding services related to child safety and wellbeing.
- families, carers and the school community or school boarding premises community are informed about the operations and governance of the school or school boarding premises related to child safety and wellbeing.
8.3 The school governing authority or school boarding premises governing authority must develop a policy, statement or other documentation that details the strategies and actions the school or school boarding premises will take to implement clauses 8.1 and 8.2.
-
There are templates available to help ensure your Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy includes a statement about family engagement:
Other resources and ideas for demonstrating family engagement are available at:
Reviewed 24 June 2022