NON-SCHOOL SENIOR SECONDARY CHILD SAFE STANDARDS COMPLIANCE SELF-ASSESSMENT AND DECLARATIONS
www.vrqa.vic.gov.auIntroduction
Non-school senior secondary providers have an important responsibility for keeping children and young people safe.
Non-school senior secondary providers have to meet a minimum standard for student welfare which, from 1 January 2016, includes Managing the risk of child abuse whereby:
A provider must have polices procedures, measures and practices in accordance the Department of Health and Human Services’ child safe standards.
The standards apply to non-school senior secondary providers under Schedule 7, item 4 of the Education and Training Reform Regulations.
Child Safe Standards Compliance Self-Assessment and Action Plan
This child safe standards compliance self-assessment and action plan allows non-school senior secondary providers to assess how well they meet the child safe standards, and what gaps may need to be addressed.
Before you begin
Non-school senior secondary providers already take action to protect children. Prior to completing the self-assessment, it is a good idea to review existing policies and procedures, for example policies that relate to the care, and welfare of students. Existing arrangements may meet aspects of the child safe standards or could be amended to do so.
Reviewing the child safe standards resources available at www.vrqa.vic.gov.au/childsafe is also a good idea before completing the self-assessment.
Process
The following self-assessment can be used to prepare your organisation for the compliance self-assessment and declaration process which will be sent to the Executive Officer / Principal in October 2016.
Resources
The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) has developed a number of resources for education and training providers.
Watch the Compliance requirements to learn about completing the compliance self-assessment and declaration process using DocuSign.
Further resources are available at www.vrqa.vic.gov.au/childsafe.
Non-school senior secondary child safe standards compliance self-assessment and declarations – September 2016 / 1Non-school senior secondary child safe standards compliance self-assessment and declarations
Name of Provider:
Provider number:
Chief Executive Officer / Principal name:
Address:
Standard 1 / Compliant (Y/N) / Action proposed / Completion date / Responsibility /
Strategies to embed an organisational culture of child safety, including through effective leadership arrangements
Example activities demonstrating compliance
• The organisation's philosophy and other arrangements in place support embedding a culture of child safety including all environments and those used when operating outside of normal hours.
• The organisation has governance arrangements which outline responsibilities and steps for staff to respond to the care, safety and welfare of students, including all environments and those used when operating outside of normal hours.
• Child safety is a core part of public and internal messaging.
• Policies and practices exist that prioritise child safety and promote shared responsibility – not just at a leadership level – by outlining all staff responsibilities.
• The strategies developed and implemented by the organisation to promote a culture of zero tolerance of child abuse recognise the diversity of students and cater for the cultural safety of Indigenous children, children from diverse cultural and/or linguistic backgrounds, and children with disabilities.
• Policies include the steps staff, volunteers, children or their families should take if they have concerns about the organisation’s leadership in regard to child safety.
• A culture exists in which staff, volunteers, children and families feel comfortable and supported when talking about any child safety concerns.
• The organisation’s strategies for embedding a culture of child safety are communicated to the students, staff, parents, guardians and the local community.
Non-school senior secondary child safe standards compliance self-assessment and declarations – September 2016 / 1
Standard 2 / Compliant (Y/N) / Action proposed / Completion date / Responsibility /
A child safe policy or statement of commitment to child safety
Example activities demonstrating compliance
• The organisation has a policy which provides a clear statement of commitment to a culture of child safety in the organisation, including a statement of zero tolerance of child abuse in all environments.
• The organisation has clear procedures to implement the statement of commitment to a culture of child safety, including all environments and those used when operating outside of normal hours.
• The organisation has a child safe policy or statement of commitment, which is accessible to the public.
• The policy or statement of commitment includes the organisation’s commitment to the safety of Indigenous children, culturally and/or linguistically diverse children and children with a disability.
• All staff and volunteers are aware of the organisation’s commitment to child safety and their duty of care requirements.
• The organisation’s statement of commitment to child safety is communicated to the students, staff, parents, guardians and the local community.
Standard 3 / Compliant (Y/N) / Action proposed / Completion date / Responsibility
A code of conduct that establishes clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children
Example activities demonstrating compliance
• The organisation has a code of conduct for all staff, including non-teaching staff and all adults contracted, employed or directly engaged by the organisation, including all staff involved in child-connected work.
• The staff code of conduct sets standards about the ways they are expected to behave with children.
• Appropriate safe behaviour with children is clearly defined in a code of conduct which is accessible and understood by staff, volunteers, families and children.
• The code of conduct acknowledges the varying and sensitive settings of child safety for Indigenous, culturally and/or linguistically diverse children, and children with a disability.
• Procedures for dealing with identified child safety risks or breaches of the code of conduct are clearly communicated and understood.
Standard 4 / Compliant (Y/N) / Action proposed / Completion date / Responsibility
Screening, supervision, training and other human resources practices that reduce the risk of child abuse by new and existing personnel
Example activities demonstrating compliance
• Interviews, reference checks and Working With Children Checks (where necessary) are undertaken for staff and volunteers.
• Recruitment processes select appropriate staff and volunteers, and discourage inappropriate staff entering the organisation.
• Staff and volunteers are trained in child safety, and understand and practice appropriate behaviour, including with Indigenous children, culturally and/or linguistically diverse children and children with a disability.
Standard 5 / Compliant (Y/N) / Action proposed / Completion date / Responsibility /
Processes for responding to and reporting suspected child abuse
Example activities demonstrating compliance
• Staff and volunteers are aware of actions they should take in the event of an incident or allegation, including the type of contact that should be reported, who is responsible for reporting and to whom the report should be made.
• If child abuse alleged/suspected, all legal requirements for reporting to authorities complied with (eg police and/or child protection).
• Disciplinary processes, that are clearly defined and understood by all staff and volunteers, are adhered to when necessary.
• The organisation understands that if an allegation of abuse concerns an Indigenous child, a child from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse background or child with a disability, particular measures should be taken to support the child. Staff and volunteers are aware of the need to consider cultural and linguistic diversity when meeting reporting obligations
• All breaches of child safe policies and procedures are appropriately managed, including adhering to all mandatory requirements (e.g. professional codes of conduct) and other matters of law, and suspending (where necessary to ensure alleged victims’ safety) staff or volunteers while allegations are investigated.
Standard 6 / Compliant (Y/N) / Action proposed / Completion date / Responsibility
Strategies to identify and reduce or remove the risk of abuse
Example activities demonstrating compliance
• Governing authority develops and implements risk management strategies regarding child safety in its environments.
• Situational risks are considered and understood by all personnel.
• Risk management approaches are regularly reflected on and improved.
• Risk management strategies include the needs of all children in your environments and the activities to be undertaken.
Standard 7 / Compliant (Y/N) / Action proposed / Completion date / Responsibility
Strategies to promote the participation and empowerment of children
Example activities demonstrating compliance
• Child safe practices that promote children’s awareness of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.
• Processes in place to support students understand their rights and enable students to raise child safety concerns in all environments and those used when operating outside of normal hours.
• Reporting procedures are accessible for all children.
• Children understand how to report an allegation of abuse or concern for their safety to the organisation and external bodies (for example, the police and/or child protection).
• Children feel safe, empowered and taken seriously if they raise concerns.
• Strategies and programs to empower students are accessible to all children including Indigenous children, culturally and/or linguistically diverse children, and children with a disability.
Non School Senior Secondary Child Safe Standards Compliance Self-Assessment and Declaration – version Tuesday, 13 September 2016 / 5
Declaration of Compliance with the Prescribed Minimum Standards for Non-school senior secondary providers (NSSSP): Guideline for Child Safe Standards
This declaration must be completed by the Chief Executive Officer / Principal of the registered provider. The declaration is made as a formal undertaking to the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.
The declaration must be signed, scanned and returned to the VRQA via email () with the subject line Child safe standards declaration – [NSSSP name] by close of business TBC.
NSSSP contact details
Name of provider:
Registration number:
Address:
Telephone:
Email:
Declaration
I, ______(name of Chief Executive Officer / Principal)
of ____________
(name of the provider)
Signature______
declare to the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority that our organisation will operate in accordance with the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2007 and the VRQA’s Guidelines for non-school senior secondary education providers - Minimum standards for registration to provide an accredited senior secondary course in relation to prescribed minimum standards for child safety;
declare that the provider (and any campus of the provider if applicable)
m complies (only if you have selected YES to all requirements in the self-assessment)
m partially complies (if you have selected NO to any of the requirements in the self-assessment)
with the prescribed minimum standards and has completed the compliance self-assessment and, where required, the action plan.
I understand that the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority may share information about our organisation with other prescribed persons or bodies including, Departments of the Commonwealth Government in accordance with section 4.9.4 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006.
I also understand that it is the responsibility of the provider to ensure and maintain compliance with the prescribed standards for registration. I understand that a person must not knowingly provide any false or misleading information to the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.
Statutory Declaration
Made under the State of Victoria – Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1958[1]
This statutory declaration must be completed by the Chief Executive Officer / Principal of the registered provider.The statutory declaration is a written statement that declares that the information provided in the Compliance Self-Assessment and the Declaration (above) is true and correct.
I[2], ______
of[3] ______
______
do solemnly and sincerely declare that the information I have provided is true and correct and is made in the belief that a person making a false declaration is liable to the penalties of perjury.
Signed ______[4]
Declared at ______, the _____ day of ______(month) ______(year)
Before me,______[5]
(signature of witness)
______[6]
(name and title, as per attached list, of witness)
______[7]
(address of witness)
The authorised witness must print or stamp his or her name, address and title under section 107A of the Evidence (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 1958 (as of 1 January 2010), previously Evidence Act 1958.
Authorised persons
Under the Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1958, this statutory declaration can be witnessed by any one of:
(a) a justice of the peace or a bail justice;
(b) a public notary;
(c) an Australian lawyer;
(d) a clerk to an Australian lawyer;
(e) the prothonotary or a deputy prothonotary of the Supreme Court, the registrar or a deputy registrar of the County Court, the principal registrar of the Magistrates’ Court or a registrar or deputy registrar of the Magistrates’ Court;
(f) the registrar of probates or an assistant registrar of probates;
(g) the associate to a judge of the Supreme Court or of the County Court;
(h) the associate of an Associate Judge of the Supreme Court or an associate judge of the County Court;
(i) a person registered as a patent attorney under Chapter 20 of the Patents Act 1990 of the Commonwealth;
(j) a police officer;
(k) the sheriff or a deputy sheriff;
(l) a member or former member of either House of the Parliament of Victoria;
(m) a member or former member of either House of the Parliament of the Commonwealth;
(n) a councillor of a municipality;
(o) a senior officer of a Council as defined in the Local Government Act 1989;
(p) a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practice in the medical profession (other than as a student);
(q) a person registered under the Health Practitioner National Law - (i) to practice in the dental profession as a dentist (other than a student) and in the dentists’ division of that profession;
(r) a registered veterinary practitioner within the meaning of the Veterinary Practice Act 1997;
(s) a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practice in the pharmacy profession (other than as a student);