Information for children
Wherever you are, you have the right to feel safe and to be safe. This may be at school, participating in activities, camps, playing sport, part of a religious organisation or anywhere else.
Being safe means you are free from abuse.
Feeling safe means you are comfortable in the places where you spend time and trust the adults around you.
There are laws to keep you safe in organisations
One of these laws is called the Child Safe Standards. This means that certain organisations need to have things in place to keep you safe.
The Child Safe Standards say that organisations must:
- put your safety first
- choose safe adults to be around you
- have ways for you to speak up about any concern
- listen to what you have to say
- act if you feel unsafe.
And lots more. You can read about each of the Child Safe Standards on the Child Safe Standards website.
What should I do if I feel unsafe in a place that I spend time?
If it is an emergency, or you or someone else is in danger call police on triple zero (000) immediately.
If it isn’t an emergency, tell an adult that you trust. This might be someone in your family, a teacher, coach, or any adult you feel comfortable with.
If they don’t help you, or you’re not sure, you can call the Social Services Regulator on 1300 310 778 and we’ll listen to you and give you information.
You can also call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or web chat with them, at any time for any reason.
What to look for in a child safe organisation: Information for parents and carers
All children have a right to be safe and to feel safe all of the time. Everyone has a role to play to keep children safe from harm.
As a parent or carer, you have a right to feel confident that your child is safe when engaging with an organisation.
A child safe organisation takes deliberate steps to protect children from harm and abuse. It puts children’s safety and wellbeing first and is committed to child safety in every aspect of the organisation.
In Victoria there are child safety laws that protect children from harm and abuse in the organisations they engage with. These laws include the Child Safe Standards. Most organisations working with children must have policies and procedures in place to show they are following the Child Safe Standards and keeping children safe.
Our What to look for in a child safe organisation information sheet has more advice on how to decide if an organisation or service is safe for your child and what you can do if you have a concern about child safety in an organisation.
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