Building a Child Safe Organisation
All children who come to our Preschool have a right to be safe

 

Yongala Preschool

• is committed to the rights of all children to feel safe, and be safe at all times, including:
  • promoting the cultural safety of Aboriginal children
  • promoting the cultural safety of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
  • promoting the safety of children with a disability
  • promoting the (right to) safety of trans and gender diverse children and their families in ECEC settings
  • ensuring that LGBTIQ+ children and families feel included
• values, respects and cares for children
• fosters opportunities for each child to participate, express their views and to learn and develop
• always acts in the best interests of each child and has zero tolerance of child abuse
• takes all reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of children at all times, whilst also promoting their learning and development
• actively manages the risks of abuse or harm to each child, including fulfilling our duty of care and legal obligations to protect children and prevent any reasonable, foreseeable risk of injury or harm
• continuously improves the way our service identifies risks of and responds to child abuse, and encourages reporting and improved responses to allegations of abuse.
• proactively sharing information with relevant authorities to promote the wellbeing and/or safety of a child or a group of children, consistent with their best interests.
• Racism is identified at the service, and any instances of racism addressed.

Implementation across Yongala Preschool

Training and Formation

Professional Standards for Child Safety – Training Program

Initial training is being offered. The purpose of this training is to support each of us in our varying roles and responsibilities and affirm our active contribution to a culture committed to a safe and nurturing environment.

 

Induction Program

An Induction Program offered throughout the year for new staff, committee, parents and volunteers new to their roles.

Ongoing Formation

Ongoing formation opportunities for existing staff

Organisational Arrangements

Child Safety Officers have been nominated with teachers and the president of the Yongala Preschool Committee of management taking on this role.

Compliance and screening practices, including current and valid Working with Children Check.

 

Prevention strategies to prevent child abuse and to identify risks, comprising of policy and procedure reviews, risk analysis and meeting audit requirements.

Processes for responding to and reporting an allegation of child abuse or a safety concern, and a resource to record disclosures.

Compliance Requirements

All staff ,parents and voluntaries and contractors involved in child-connected work require a valid and current Working with Children Check. If this is not done they must be supervised at all times around children by a staff member during operating hours. Compulsory attendance at a Child Safety Induction Program for new staff is also required together with a signed Preschool’ Code of Conduct.  The centre is required to keep up to date records of the status of Working with Children Checks, attendance at the Induction Program and signed Code of Conduct documentation.

 

Reporting and Responding to Child Abuse

You may form a reasonable belief that a child in our preschool environment is in need of protection, or a criminal offence has been committed.  You should always report circumstances that cause you concern. These circumstances may include:

A disclosure made to you by a child.

Being present and witnessing an event or incident.

Observing events that cause you to form an objectively reasonable belief that a child is being harmed or abused, or is at risk of being harmed or abused.

‘Child Abuse’ includes:

Sexual offences, grooming, physical violence, serious emotional or psychological harm, serious neglect, family violence or exposure to family violence.

For matters that cause you concern, please contact one of our Preschool Child Safety Officers as follows:

Preschool Child Safety Officers

Pauline Daly, Director
Telephone: 9817 4939
Email: pauline.yongala.kin@kindergarten.vic.gov.au

Becky Su
Telephone:   9817 4939
Email: becky.yongala@kindergarten.vic.gov.au

Edward Vidot, President

Telephone: 0403 326 158
Email: vidot.indutries@gmail.com

 

The welfare and best interests of the child are of utmost importance.  Whenever there are concerns that a child is in immediate danger, the Police should be called on 000

 

• All children who come to our preschool have a right to feel and be safe

 

There are eleven new Child Safe Standards:

Standard 1 – Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued

Standard 2 – Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture

Standard 3 – Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously

Standard 4 – Families and communities are informed, and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing

Standard 5 – Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice

Standard 6 – People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice

Standard 7 – Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused

Standard 8 – Staff and volunteers are 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 promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed

Standard 10 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved

Standard 11 – Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people