Teaching, Learning and Inclusion
Child Protection and Safeguarding
One of my roles at St John's is the Child Safe Advocate. As a Child Safe Advocate, my role is to lead our school's safeguarding approach in alignment with the Child Safe Standards, support our school with any child safety concerns, oversight compliance with any legal requirements and provide leadership and support to school staff in child protection related matters.
Throughout the year, I will write in the newsletter about topics concerning child protection and safeguarding and how we can work together to ensure the protection and safety of all of the children in our community. You will see below Catholic Education's commitment to safeguarding our children.
Safeguarding our students...
The safeguarding of our students is the top priority of our schools and the Catholic Education Office.
Safeguarding is a term used to describe the protection of and human rights of vulnerable people. This may be due to their age, culture or trauma background, or they may be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn is committed to complying with Child Safe Standards.
Child Safeguarding Commitment
Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn is committed to keeping children safe in all schools. We have adopted the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Child Safeguarding Commitment, which states:
Our Safeguarding Approach
Our approach to child safeguarding is outlined in our Child Safety Policy. This policy includes the CECG Commitment Statement, the many aspects of child safety, how we ensure young people are safe, and our compliance with the Child Safe Standards.
Our approach to child safety may be visualised as a ‘web’ or curriculum, with many aspects linking together to contribute to its strength. As a child safe organisation, we strive to understand and follow our legal obligations, use contemporary safeguarding practices and involve all stakeholders – particularly children and families – in safeguarding functions.
Our Legal Obligations
As a child safe organisation we are required to comply with the Child Safe Standards, the Mandatory Reporting requirements for children in the ACT and NSW, the working with children/vulnerable person schemes and, in the ACT, the Senior Practitioner Scheme.
Parents and carers as partners
We see parents and carers as partners in their children’s educational journey, experience and safeguarding. It is important for us to work together collaboratively to respond to safeguarding concerns, subject to the involvement of other agencies, including child protection and police.
Useful Links
Office of the Children’s Guardian NSW
Australian Human Rights Commission
National Office for Child Safety
The Daniel Morcombe Foundation
Rebekah Brown
Assistant Principal and Inclusion Coordinator