5. Processes for responding to and reporting suspected child abuse No formalised processes for responding and/or reporting suspected abuse are in place The process for responding and reporting is incorporated into existing incident reporting arrangements Staff and volunteers provided with a clear statement of their responding and reporting responsibilities during the induction process and understand the process for investigating child abuse, when to report to police, the Commission or other regulators. Staff and volunteers are trained to understand and address the barriers faced by Aboriginal children, children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and children with a disability when reporting child safety concerns Children are aware of who and how they can report abuse. The process for responding and reporting is regularly highlighted to staff through supervision and other guidance Strategies to make people feel safe to report suspected abuse are in place, such as publicising avenues for reporting concerns to service users Staff and volunteers are trained to identify signs of children at risk of abuse A feedback process is in place for staff, volunteers and service users which includes policies and procedures for responding to suspected child abuse Organisational responses to reports of suspected child abuse are reviewed to drive continuous improvement An identified child safety champion provides a single point of contact for child safety concerns for staff, volunteers and service users 6. Strategies to identify and reduce or remove the risk of abuse No formal strategies are in place to address the risk of abuse or Strategies to address the risk of abuse are informal or not consistently applied A clear plan/process is in place for evaluating the risk of child abuse posed by situations and activities appropriate to the organisation, its services and the children who use these services (including identification of higher risk groups such as children with a disability). Processes for removing or reducing these risks are recorded and clearly communicated The risk of child abuse is embedded within broader risk management documentation with responsibility for risk management clearly assigned Staff and volunteers are trained to identify child abuse risks, such as out-of-sight spaces and personal care tasks Continuous improvement processes include how risks of child abuse are managed. Planned reinforcement of organisational strategies to reduce risk of abuse of children. Child safety risks are reviewed and are known to staff and management An identified child safety champion is identified to coordinate or lead the continuous improvement activities
7. Strategies to promote the participation and empowerment of children No strategies are in place to promote participation and empowerment or The views of children are informally gathered on an ad hoc basis Feedback and reporting processes are available to all service (including children) and advertised during service induction and on an on-going basis Children are engaged in the development of policies, procedures and communication efforts. Targeted communication strategies provide information about the feedback and reporting processes to Aboriginal children, children from culturally and/ or linguistically diverse backgrounds and children with a disability Appropriately targeted information is provided to children about their rights to make decisions about their body and their privacy, that no none has the right to injure them and who to tell if they don’t feel safe Staff and volunteers are trained in how to empower children and encourage their participation Children’s views are sought on what makes them feel safe and whether they feel taken seriously if they raise concerns or provide feedback. For example through focus groups or suggestion boxes, and their ideas/suggestions are acted on to drive continuous improvement Children are encouraged to participate in organisational activities such as planning processes Alignment with the national agenda The Standards broadly align with the draft National Statement of Principles for Child Safe Organisations and the Child Safe Standards within the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The compliance assessment descriptors developed will ensure organisations are well positioned should a national approach be implemented. To receive this publication in an accessible format, email <childsafeorgs@dhhs.vic.gov.au>. Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne. © State of Victoria, Department of Health and Human Services, August 2018. ISBN 978-1-76069-564-4 (pdf/online/MS word) Available at <>