Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
Consultation with College Council: December 2024
Additional Consultation with:
Indigenous Support Advocate
Student Leadership Team
Queer Club
Specialist Wellbeing Team/MHP
Aprroved by: Principal
Date of Review: December 2026
Page Contents
Purpose, Scope, Definitions
Statement of commitment to child safety and child safety principles
Creating and promoting safe environments both physical and online
Purpose
Templestowe College’s Child Safety Policy demonstrates our school’s commitment and approach to creating and maintaining a child safe organisation where children and young people are safe and feel safe.
This policy provides an overview of our school’s approach to Ministerial Order 1359 which sets out how the Victorian Child Safe Standards apply in school environments.
It informs our school community of everyone’s obligations to act safely and appropriately towards children and guides our processes and practices for the safety and wellbeing of students across all areas of our work.
Scope
applies to all school staff, volunteers and contractors whether or not they work in direct contact with students. It also applies to school council members where indicated.
applies in all physical and online school environments used by students during or outside of school hours, including other locations provided by for a student’s use (for example, a school camp) and those provided through third-party providers
should be read together with our other child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, and codes – refer to the related school policies section below.
Definitions
The following terms in this policy have specific definitions:
child
child safety
child abuse
child-connected work
child-related work
school environment
school boarding environment
school staff
school boarding premises staff
school governing authority
school boarding premises governing authority
student
volunteer
Statement of commitment to child safety and child safety principles
Templestowe College is a child safe organisation which welcomes all children, young people and their families.
We are committed to providing environments where our students are safe and feel safe, where their participation is valued, their views respected, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Our child safe policies, strategies and practices are inclusive of the needs of all children and students.
We have no tolerance for child abuse and take proactive steps to identify and manage any risks of harm to students in our school environments.
We promote positive relationships between students and adults and between students and their peers. These relationships are based on trust and respect.
We take proactive steps to identify and manage any risk of harm to students in our school environment. When child safety concerns are raised or identified, we treat these seriously and respond promptly and thoroughly.
Particular attention is given to the child safety needs of Aboriginal students, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, international students, students with disabilities, those unable to live at home, children and young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer, asexual and other sexually or gender diverse people (LGBTIQA+) and other students experiencing risk or vulnerability. Inappropriate or harmful behaviour targeting students based on these or other characteristics, such as racism or homophobia, are not tolerated at our school, and any instances identified will be addressed with appropriate consequences.
Child safety is a shared responsibility. Every person involved in our school has an important role in promoting child safety and wellbeing and promptly raising any issues or concerns about a child’s safety.
We are committed to regularly reviewing our child safe practices, and seeking input from our students, families, staff, and volunteers to inform our ongoing strategies.
Child Safety Standards
Templestowe College will comply with the Commission for Children and Young People’s 11 Child Safety 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.
Roles and responsibilities
School leaders will ensure that each person understands their role, responsibilities and behaviour expected in protecting children and young people from abuse and neglect. Staff will comply with the school’s Child Safety Code of Conduct, which sets out clearly the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.
Child safety is everyone’s responsibility. All school staff are required to:
Act in accordance with the school’s Child Safety Code of Conduct, which clearly sets out the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour
Act in accordance with the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures at all times, including following the Four Critical Actions for Schools where necessary
Complete the Protecting Children – Mandatory reporting and other obligations online module annually
Undertake annual guidance and training on child safety
Act in accordance with their legal obligations, including:
Failure to disclose offence (applies to all adults)
Duty of care (applies to all school staff)
Mandatory reporting obligations (applies to all mandatory reporters, including teachers, principals, registered psychologists, and registered doctors and nurses)
Failure to protect offence (applies to a person in a position of authority within the school)
Reportable conduct obligations (applies to all school staff in reporting conduct to the principal, and applies to the principal in reporting to Employee Conduct Branch)
Organisational duty of care (applies to the school as an organisation)
For more information on these obligations, see Identifying and Responding to All Forms of Abuse in Victorian Schools.
As part of Templestowe College’s child safe culture, school leadership (including the Principal and Assistant Principals) is responsible for ensuring that a strong child safe culture is created and maintained, and that policies and practices are effectively developed and implemented in accordance with Ministerial Order 1359.
School Leadership will:
Consider the diversity of all children, including (but not limited to) the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, students with disabilities, students in out of home care, LGBTQIA+ students, international students, students who have suffered past trauma and students who are vulnerable, when implementing the Child Safe Standards
Ensure that child safety is a regular agenda item at school leadership meetings and staff meetings
Encourage and enable staff professional learning and training to build deeper understandings of child safety and prevention of abuse
Ensure that no one is prohibited or discouraged from reporting an allegation of child abuse to a person external to the school or from making records of any allegation
Ensure effective child safety and wellbeing governance, policies, procedures, codes and practices are in place and followed
Model a child safe culture that facilitates the active participation of students, families and staff in promoting and improving child safety, cultural safety and wellbeing
Enable inclusive practices where the diverse needs of all students are considered
Reinforce high standards of respectful behaviour between students and adults, and between students
Promote regular open discussion on child safety issues within the school community including at leadership team meetings, staff meetings and school council meetings
Facilitate regular professional learning for staff and volunteers (where appropriate) to build deeper understandings of child safety, cultural safety, student wellbeing and prevention of, and responding to abuse
Create an environment where child safety complaints and concerns are readily raised, and no one is discouraged from reporting an allegation of child abuse to relevant authorities.
As part of Templestowe College’s child safe culture, school staff and volunteers are required to:
Read the school’s Child Safety Code of Conduct on induction, and maintain familiarity with that document
Read the school’s Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures on induction, and maintain familiarity with that document
Read the school’s Child Safety Policy (this document) on induction and maintain familiarity with that document
Sign Templestowe College’s Child Safe Code of Conduct annually
Participate in child safety and wellbeing induction and training provided by the school or the Department of Education and Training, and always follow the school’s child safety and wellbeing policies and procedures
Act in accordance with our Child Safety Code of Conduct
Identify and raise concerns about child safety issues in accordance with our Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures, including following the Four Critical Actions for Schools
Ensure students’ views are taken seriously and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives
Implement inclusive practices that respond to the diverse needs of students.
As part of Templestowe College’s child safe culture, in performing the functions and powers given to them under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, school councils and school council members will:
Ensure that child safety is a regular agenda item at school council meetings
Consider the diversity of all children, including (but not limited to) the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities, and children who are vulnerable, when making decisions regarding the Child Safe Standards
Undertake annual guidance and training on child safety, such as the Child Safe Standards School Council Training PowerPoint.
Approve updates to, and act in accordance with the Child Safety Code of Conduct to the extent that it applies to school council employees and members
When hiring employees, ensure that selection, supervision and management practices are child safe (unless delegated to the principal).
School leadership will maintain records of the above processes.
To further embed a culture of child safety, Templestowe College’s dedicated Child Safe officers are the Mental Health Practitioner and the Assistant Principal – Community and Wellbeing. Both can discuss Child Safety information with families and students (via assemblies) and ensure that all staff have opportunities for professional development.
Specific child safety responsibilities:
Templestowe College has nominated our Mental Health Practitioner as our Child Safety Champion to support the principal to implement our Child Safety policies and practices, including staff and volunteer training.
The responsibilities of the Child Safety Champion/s are outlined at Guidance for child safety champions.
Our Principal, Assistant Principal – Community and Wellbeing and Child Safety Champion are the first point of contact for child safety concerns or queries and for coordinating responses to child safety incidents.
Assistant Principal – Community and Wellbeing is responsible for reviewing and updating the Child Safety Policy annually.
Assistant Principal – Community and Wellbeing is responsible for monitoring the school’s compliance with the Child Safety Policy. The school community should approach the Child Safe Officer or Assistant Principal – Community and Wellbeing if they have any concerns about the school’s compliance with the Child Safety Policy.
Our Child Safe Officer (Templestowe College’s Mental Health Practitioner) is responsible for informing the school community about this policy and making it publicly available.
Other specific roles and responsibilities are named in Templestowe College’s other child safety policies and procedures, including the Child Safety Code of Conduct, Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures, and Child Safety risk register.
Our school’s Child Safety Officer, Wellbeing Team, Community Executive Teams and Principal Team works with Student Leaders, students involved in the Queer Club and other students representatives as our Student Reference Group on child safety . The Child Safety Officer, Wellbeing Team, Community Executive Teams and Principal Team identify and respond to any ongoing matters related to child safety and wellbeing. The Student Reference Group provides an opportunity for students to provide input into school strategies. Our Child Safety Office, Assistant Principal – Community and Wellbeing and Principal Team to monitor the Child Safety Risk Register and will liaise with the Risk Management Committee as appropriate.
Child Safety Code of Conduct
Our Child Safety Code of Conduct sets the boundaries and expectations for appropriate behaviours between adults and students. It also clarifies behaviours that are not acceptable in our physical and online environments.
Templestowe College’s culture encourages staff, students, parents and the school community to raise, discuss and scrutinise child safety concerns. This makes it more difficult for abuse to occur and remain hidden. We ensure that students also know what is acceptable and what is not acceptable so that they can be clear and confident about what to expect from adults in the school. Templestowe College’s culture encourages staff, students, parents and the school community to raise, discuss and scrutinise child safety concerns. This makes it more difficult for abuse to occur and remain hidden.
All child safety documents, including this policy, the Child Safety Code of Conduct, the school’s Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures, Identifying and Responding to All Forms of Abuse in Victorian Schools and the Four Critical Actions for Schools are readily available online on our website to read anytime. Our Child Safety Risk Register is used to record any identified risks related to child abuse alongside actions in place to manage those risks. Our school leadership team will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the actions in the Child Safety Risk Register at least annually.
Managing risks to child safety and wellbeing
Templestowe College believes the wellbeing of children and young people is paramount, and is vigilant in ensuring proper risk management processes, found in the school’s risk assessment register. The school recognises there are potential risks to children and young people and will take a risk management approach by undertaking preventative measures.
At our school we identify, assess and manage risks to child safety and wellbeing in our physical and online school environments. These risks are managed through our child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures and practices, and in our activity specific risk registers, such as those we develop for off-site overnight camps, adventure activities and facilities and services we contract through third party providers for student use. Our Child Safety Risk Register is used to record any identified risks related to child abuse alongside actions in place to manage those risks. Our school leadership team will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the actions in the Child Safety Risk Register at least annually.
Establishing a culturally safe environment
At Templestowe College we are committed to establishing an inclusive and culturally safe school where the strengths of Aboriginal culture, values and practices are respected.
We think about how every student can have a positive experience in a safe environment. For Aboriginal students, we recognise the link between Aboriginal culture, identity and safety and actively create opportunities for Aboriginal students and the Aboriginal community to have a voice and presence in our school planning, policies, and activities.
We have developed the following strategies to promote cultural safety in our school community:
Templestowe College is committed to creating a learning environment where First Nations culture is celebrated, and First Nations children, their families and their communities are supported and encouraged to express their culture. Templestowe College’s commitment to First Nations People can be found in our Reconciliation Action Plan. Strategies to embed cultural safety for First Nations children include:
Creating a physical environment that is respectful of First Nations culture. Templestowe College acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation as the traditional custodians of the land on which we operate. We pay our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Elders past, present and emerging, who reside in the area and have been an integral part of the regions history. This will be displayed on our website.
Both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flag will be displayed alongside the Australian flag.
Templestowe College will begin events and meetings with an Acknowledgement of Country as a standing agenda item where appropriate. This could include community assemblies, performances and professional development.
Providing all staff have an opportunity to complete the Community Understanding and Safety Training (CUST) offered by DET.
Include Aboriginal history and culture in professional learning for staff and volunteers and in curriculum planning for students.
Maintaining a positive relationship with the Koori Educational Support Officer (KESO)
Employment of an Indigenous Educational Support Advocate
Consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities when developing strategies, policies, procedures and when solving problems
Engage with First Nations People and organisations for guidance on how an organisation can become culturally safe
Work with the local Aboriginal community to build staff, volunteer and student knowledge and respect for Aboriginal culture and to promote cultural inclusion.
Address the continuing negative impacts of past government policies and practices on Aboriginal peoples. Aboriginal children may be less likely to disclose abuse due to a lack of cultural safety and a fear of authorities intruding into their family and community, based on historic experiences of systemic racism and abuse.
Adopt measures to ensure racism is identified, confronted and not tolerated
Address racism from students, staff, volunteers or visitors directly. Make sure racist speech or actions are always dealt with, and the culture of the school works to prevent incidents from occurring.
Address any instances of racism within the school environment with appropriate consequences
Build schoolwide knowledge of Aboriginal histories, cultures, perspectives, values, skills and attitudes.
Acknowledge and draw on the existing knowledge of Aboriginal students and their families.
Student Empowerment
To support child safety and wellbeing at Templestowe College, we work to create an inclusive and supportive environment that encourages students and families to contribute to our child safety approach and understand their rights and their responsibilities.
We inform students of their rights through our school values of “Yes” is the Default and the One Person Policy and give them the skills and confidence to recognise unsafe situations with adults or other students and to speak up and act on concerns relating to themselves or their peers. We ensure our students know who to talk to if they are worried or feeling unsafe and we encourage them to share concerns with a trusted adult at any time. Students and families can also access information on how to report concerns via our Concerns and Complaints Policy.
Our school is committed to supporting and encouraging students to use their voice to raise and share their concerns with a trusted adult at any time of need. Students can access information on how to report abuse by speaking to a member of their Community Executive Team, Specialist Wellbeing Services Team or a member of the Principal Team.
Respectful relationships between students are reinforced and we encourage strong friendships and peer support in the school to ensure a sense of belonging through our Connect Program (including Connect TV), Transition Program, Community Events, Peer Support Program and Community Integrated Learning Program.
When the school is gathering information in relation to a complaint about alleged misconduct or abuse of a child, we will listen to the complainant’s account and take them seriously, check our understanding of the complaint, support the student and keep them (and their parents and carers, as appropriate) informed about progress.
The school will promote the Child Safe Standards in ways that are readily accessible, easy to understand, and user-friendly to children, including:
All of our child safety policies and procedures will be available for the students and parents at Templestowe College to read at on our website here.
PROTECT Child Safety posters will be displayed across the school
Information to students and families will inform students and the school community about the school’s commitment to child safety, and strategies or initiatives that the school is taking to ensure student safety
Community assemblies will remind students of our commitment to keeping safe, how to access information and who they can talk to
Principal will regularly refer to Child Safe standards when addressing staff
Community Executive Teams will regularly refer to our commitment to Child Safety when addressing staff and student teams
Development of staff, student and community PD presentations
Establishment of an email system specific to Child Safety for staff, students and the community as another avenue to access assistance
The school will use its health and wellbeing programs and its Connect program to deliver appropriate education to its students about:
The rights of children and young people
The standards of behaviour for students attending the school;
The importance and value of friendship and peer relationships;
Relationships and Sexuality Education
Respectful Relationships (incorporating Consent Education)
E-Smart Education
Resilience; and
Child abuse awareness and prevention.
Templestowe College delivers these wellbeing programs through Connect mentors, Health Promotion and Health/PE staff, our Specialist Wellbeing Services Team and external providers.
Family and Community Engagement
Our families and the school community have an important role in monitoring and promoting children’s safety and wellbeing and helping children to raise any concerns.
To support family engagement, at Templestowe College we are committed to providing families and community with accessible information about our school’s child safe policies and practices and involving them in our approach to child safety and wellbeing.
We will create opportunities for families to have input into the development and review of our child safety policies and practices and encourage them to raise any concerns and ideas for improvement.
We do this by:
Ensuring that the Child Safety Policy (this document), Code of Conduct, and the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedure are available on the school website
Ensuring that the Child Safety Policy (this document), Code of Conduct, and the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedure are available in hard copy at the General Office
Regular reminders to staff by our Principal of our school’s commitment to child safety
Ensuring that child safety is a regular agenda item at school leadership meetings and staff meetings for discussion
Specialist Wellbeing Services and Community Executive Teams meet at least fortnightly to discuss vulnerable students and put a plan in place for action if needed
Annual PD presentations are sent via email to the community specifically addressing our school’s commitment to Child Safety and all relevant information
Students participate in wellbeing education and are regularly reminded how they can access information and raise concerns
Diversity and Equity
As a child safe organisation, we celebrate the rich diversity of our students, families and community and promote respectful environments that are free from discrimination. Inclusivity and equity are central to all we do, and we focus on wellbeing and growth for all. We recognise that every child has unique skills, strengths and experiences to draw on.
We pay particular attention to individuals and groups of children and young people in our community with additional and specific needs. This includes tailoring our child safety strategies and supports to the needs of:
Aboriginal children and young people
children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
children and young people with disabilities
children unable to live at home or impacted by family violence
international students
children and young people who identify as LGBTIQA+.
Templestowe College provides ongoing training for all staff and volunteers on the value and importance of celebrating diversity and supporting inclusion and cultural safety. Templestowe College offers student-led electives that reflect the diversity of our students and their areas of interest and passion.
Our Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy and Inclusion and Diversity Policy provides more information about the measures we have in place to support diversity and equity.
Suitable staff and volunteers
At Templestowe College, we apply robust child safe recruitment, induction, training, and supervision practices to ensure that all staff, contractors, and volunteers are suitable to work with children.
Staff Recruitment
When recruiting staff, we follow the Department of Education and Training’s recruitment policies and guidelines, available on the Policy and Advisory Library (PAL) at:
When engaging staff to perform child-related work, we:
sight, verify and record the person’s Working with Children clearance or equivalent background check such as a Victorian teaching registration
collect and record:
proof of the person’s identity and any professional or other qualifications
the person’s history of working with children
references that address suitability for the job and working with children.
references that address suitability for the job and working with children.
Staff Induction
All newly appointed staff will be expected to participate in our child safety and wellbeing induction program. The program will include a focus on:
the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy (this document)
the Child Safety Code of Conduct
the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures and
any other child safety and wellbeing information that school leadership considers appropriate to the nature of the role.
Ongoing supervision and management of staff
All staff engaged in child-connected work will be supervised appropriately to ensure that their behaviour towards children is safe and appropriate.
Staff will be monitored and assessed to ensure their continuing suitability for child-connected work. All employees of our school will be monitored and assessed via regular performance review to ensure their continuing suitability for child-connected work.
Any inappropriate behaviour will be reported by school staff to the Principal and will be managed in accordance with Templestowe College’s Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures where required.
Inappropriate behaviour towards children and young people will be managed swiftly by the Principal and Principal Team, and in accordance with our school and department policies and our legal obligations. Child safety and wellbeing will be paramount.
Any additional information about your school’s people management processes that could/need to be included?
Suitability of volunteers
All volunteers are required to comply with our Volunteers Policy, which describes how we assess the suitability of prospective volunteers and outlines expectations in relation to child safety and wellbeing induction and training, and supervision and management.
Child safety knowledge, skills and awareness
Ongoing training and education are essential to ensuring that staff understand their roles and responsibilities and develop their capacity to effectively address child safety and wellbeing matters.
In addition to the child safety and wellbeing induction, our staff will participate in a range of training and professional learning to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to maintain a child safe environment.
Staff child safety and wellbeing training will be delivered at least annually and will include guidance on:
our school’s child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, codes, and practices
completing the Protecting Children – Mandatory Reporting and Other Legal Obligations[AF1] online module annually
recognising indicators of child harm including harm caused by other children and students
responding effectively to issues of child safety and wellbeing and supporting colleagues who disclose harm
how to build culturally safe environments for children and students
information sharing and recordkeeping obligations
how to identify and mitigate child safety and wellbeing risks in the school environment.
Other professional learning and training on child safety and wellbeing, for example, training for our volunteers, will be tailored to specific roles and responsibilities and any identified or emerging needs or issues.
School council training and education
To ensure our school council is equipped with the knowledge required to make decisions in the best interests of student safety and wellbeing, and to identify and mitigate child safety and wellbeing risks in our school environment, the council is trained at least annually. Training includes guidance on:
individual and collective obligations and responsibilities for implementing the Child Safe Standards and managing the risk of child abuse
child safety and wellbeing risks in our school environment
Templestowe College’s child safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, codes and practices
Creating and promoting safe environments both physical and online
Templestowe College has clear expectations for promoting a culture of online and physical safety for all students, giving particular attention to the safety, diverse needs and vulnerabilities of students.
Students are properly supervised in all settings as per DET ratios of staff and volunteers to students for different types of activities, including onsite buildings and grounds, classrooms, corridors, pick-up and drop off areas, excursions and camps. Students are reminded about spaces that are off limits, including out-of-bounds areas, storerooms and staff rooms. Students are aware of the use of observation aids when appropriate, such as windows, concave mirrors, and CCTV cameras.
Students and their families are regularly reminded about the Digital Learning Policy and appropriate use of technology, IT safety tools and how to seek help and report concerns including cyberbullying and online grooming.
The Digital Learning Policy inform students about online safety risks, including cyberbullying and trolling, invasion of privacy or digital surveillance, inappropriate sharing of images, phishing, harvesting of personal information or data theft, identity theft, malevolent software (malware), offensive images and messages, age-inappropriate online content, impersonation/catfishing and grooming. The IT department keep up to date with current online safety issues and expert information from specialist government and non-government bodies including the Office of the e-Safety Commissioner and eSmart Schools. Recently we haves adopted filtering software on school-based devices which limit access to non-educational web-based content.
This section is not included in the current DET template. Consultation needed regarding it’s necessity, particularly if most of it already exists in the Digital Learning Policy.
Complaints and reporting processes
Templestowe College fosters a culture that encourages staff, volunteers, students, parents, and the school community to raise concerns and complaints. This makes it more difficult for breaches of the code of conduct, misconduct or abuse to occur and remain hidden.
We have clear pathways for raising complaints and concerns and responding and this is documented in our school’s Concerns and Complaints Policy.
If there is an incident, disclosure, allegation or suspicion of child abuse, all staff and volunteers (including school council employees and homestay providers) must follow our Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures. Our policy and procedures address complaints and concerns of child abuse made by or in relation to a child or student, school staff, volunteers, contractors, service providers, visitors or any other person while connected to the school.
As soon as any immediate health and safety concerns are addressed, and relevant school staff have been informed, we will ensure our school follows:
the Four Critical Actions for complaints and concerns relating to adult behaviour towards a child
the Four Critical Actions: Student Sexual Offending for complaints and concerns relating to student sexual offending
Our Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy and Bullying Prevention Policy cover complaints and concerns relating to student physical violence or other harmful behaviours.
Communications
Templestowe College is committed to communicating our child safety strategies to the school community through:
ensuring that key child safety and wellbeing policies are available on our website including the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy (this document), Child Safety Code of Conduct, and the Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedure
displaying PROTECT posters and Diversity and Inclusion posters around the school
updates in our school newsletter, Next Week @ TC, Microsoft Teams and Compass
ensuring that child safety is a regular agenda item at school leadership meetings, staff meetings and school council meetings.
hard copy of this Policy available from school administration upon request
Privacy and information sharing
Templestowe College collects, uses, and discloses information about children and their families in accordance with Victorian privacy laws, and other relevant laws. For information on how our school collects, uses and discloses information refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy.
Record Management
We acknowledge that good records management practices are a critical element of child safety and wellbeing and manage our records in accordance with the Department of Education and Training’s policy: Records Management – School Records
Review of child safety practices
At Templestowe College, we have established processes for the review and ongoing improvement of our child safe policies, procedures, and practices.
We will:
review and improve our policy every 2 years or after any significant child safety incident
analyse any complaints, concerns, and safety incidents to improve policy and practice
act with transparency and share pertinent learnings and review outcomes with school staff and our school community.
Communication of this policy
This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways:
Available publicly on the school website
Included in staff induction processes
Annually referenced in Next Week @TC
Hard copy available from school administration upon request
Information and further resources
This Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy is to be read in conjunction with other related school policies, procedures, and codes. These include our:
Risk assessment register (internal document)
TC Guide What to do when an allegation of child abuse is reported
Related Department of Education and Training policies
Other related documents
Policy status and review
The Assistant Principal – Community and Wellbeing is responsible for reviewing and updating the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy at least every two years. The review will include input from students, parents/carers and the Templestowe College community.