Child Safety Commitment

Saint Ignatius College Geelong is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all students at the College.

On 26 November 2015, the Victorian Parliament passed the Child Wellbeing and Safety Amendment (Child Safe Standards) Bill 2015 to introduce child safe standards into law.

The Child Safe Standards are part of the Victorian Government’s response to the Betrayal of Trust Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Non-Government Organisations. The Betrayal of Trust Report found that while the majority of children are safe in organisations and in the community, more work could be done to strengthen existing approaches to child safety.

The child safe standards aim to drive cultural change in organisations that provide services for children so that protecting children from abuse is embedded in everyday thinking and practice. Saint Ignatius College Geelong will implement the Child Safe Standards to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students at the College and promote an organisational culture that manages the risk of child abuse and neglect.

To help create and maintain a child safe organisation and adhere to the Child Safe Standards, we are required to have the following items in place:

1. Strategies to embed an organisational culture of child safety, including through effective leadership arrangements
2. A child safe policy or statement of commitment to child safety
3. A code of conduct that establishes clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children
4. Screening, supervision, training and other human resources practices that reduce the risk of child abuse by new and existing personnel
5. Processes for responding to and reporting suspected child abuse
6. Strategies to identify and reduce or remove risks of child abuse
7. Strategies to promote the participation and empowerment of children.

We firmly believe that these standards will further strengthen our existing practices already in place to prevent and respond to child abuse while also maintaining consistency in how we manage any potential concerns in our school. They will also reflect our commitment to maintaining a culture focused on protecting children from abuse that currently forms an integral part of our everyday thinking and practice.

Click on the links below to read the relevant documents:

Child Safe Code of Conduct

Child Safety Policy

Ministerial Order No.870

Allegation of Child Abuse Reporting Procedure

ChildSafe Standards Schools Guide

Child Abuse: Four Critical Actions

Responding to Suspected Child Abuse: Reporting Template (Download pdf fillable form)