Safeguarding Experts
Schools and Educational Institutes
Schools and educational institutions have a fundamental legal and moral obligation to ensure that students are safe, protected from harm, and supported in environments that promote their wellbeing and development. From primary schools to secondary colleges, educational settings must create cultures of safety where students can learn and thrive without fear of abuse or harm.
Expert legal services to schools and educational institutions
Step by Step implementation
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Child Safety in Schools
Schools are places where students spend significant time and develop academically, socially, and emotionally. Educational institutions have a critical responsibility to safeguard students from all forms of abuse and harm. The school environment must be one where child safety is embedded in culture, policies, and everyday practice.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse made numerous recommendations specifically for schools to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students. Since the Royal Commission, all states and territories have endorsed the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, with many jurisdictions enacting these principles into legislation through Child Safe Standards.
Schools across Australia are required to comply with Child Safe Standards in their respective state or territory. These standards require schools to embed child safety into leadership, governance, culture, policies, procedures, and day-to-day practice. Schools must ensure that student safety is the paramount consideration in all decision-making and that zero tolerance approaches to child abuse are maintained.
Schools are also subject to Reportable Conduct Schemes in various Australian jurisdictions including Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania. These schemes require schools to report and investigate allegations of abuse or misconduct involving staff members, ensuring transparency and accountability in how schools respond to child safety concerns.
In addition to Child Safe Standards and Reportable Conduct Schemes, schools must comply with mandatory reporting obligations, which require teachers and other school staff to report suspected child abuse to child protection authorities. Schools must also ensure compliance with Working with Children Check requirements and other employment screening obligations.
Our Services
Child Safety Policies
Developing child safety policies, procedures, codes of conduct, and complaints handling processes for schools
Child Safety Investigations
Independent child safety investigations compliant with Reportable Conduct Schemes and education requirements
Audits
Comprehensive audits and gap analysis against Child Safe Standards with practical safeguarding recommendations
Child Safety Training
Tailored child safety training, including training compliant with the child safe standards and Ministerial Order 1359
Legal Advice
Expert safeguarding legal advice and representation for schools, including regulatory and critical incidents
Incident Management
Root cause analyses of critical child safety incidents with crisis management and regulatory compliance support