Schools

The Child Safe Standards are mandatory standards that schools must comply with to ensure they provide safe services to students. The standards are based on the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and require schools to embed child safety into organisational leadership, governance, and culture.

The standards require schools to:

• Establish culturally safe environments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
• Embed child safety in leadership, governance, and culture
• Empower students about their rights and enable participation in decisions
• Involve families and communities in promoting child safety
• Uphold equity and respect diverse needs
• Ensure staff and volunteers are suitable and supported
• Implement child-focused complaints processes
• Provide ongoing child safety training and education
• Create safe physical and online environments
• Regularly review and improve child safety practices
• Document policies and procedures for child safety

All states and territories in Australia have endorsed the National Principles, and many have enacted them into legislation with specific compliance requirements for schools

The Reportable Conduct Scheme requires schools to report and investigate allegations of abuse or misconduct involving employees, contractors, and volunteers who work with children. The scheme operates in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania.

Reportable conduct includes:

• Sexual offences committed against, with, or in the presence of a child
• Sexual misconduct committed against, with, or in the presence of a child
• Physical violence against, with, or in the presence of a child
• Behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child
• Significant neglect of a child

Schools must notify the relevant regulator (such as the Commission for Children and Young People in Victoria) of reportable allegations and conduct investigations. The regulator provides oversight of investigations and can make findings about how the school has handled the matter.

Mandatory reporting requires certain professionals, including teachers and other school staff, to report suspected child abuse to child protection authorities. The specific requirements vary by state and territory, but generally include reporting:

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional or psychological abuse
• Neglect

Teachers and school staff must be trained on recognising signs of abuse and understanding their reporting obligations. Failure to report suspected abuse when required can result in criminal penalties in some jurisdictions.

Mandatory reporting is separate from the Reportable Conduct Scheme – mandatory reporting relates to suspected abuse of students generally, while reportable conduct specifically relates to allegations against school staff and volunteers.

Safeguarding is the active steps schools take to protect students from harm and ensure their wellbeing and safety. Schools must:

• Comply with Child Safe Standards in their state or territory
• Have comprehensive child safety policies, procedures, and codes of conduct
• Train staff and volunteers on recognising and responding to abuse
• Implement child-focused complaints handling processes
• Conduct Working with Children Checks and appropriate employment screening
• Report allegations under mandatory reporting and Reportable Conduct Scheme obligations
• Create physical and online environments that promote safety
• Embed child safety into governance, leadership, and organisational culture
• Respond appropriately to critical incidents and allegations of harm
• Engage with families and the school community on child safety

Schools have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to protect students from foreseeable harm, which includes implementing robust safeguarding practices.