National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
Annesley is committed to ensuring we do all that we can to honour the children in our organisation by implementing, with rigour, the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. The filter of our decision making processes as a School is driven by the question ‘what is best for children?’ Child Safe is a weekly agenda item on our formal and informal meetings, is an agenda item at our monthly Council meeting, is front of mind in our Risk Assessment processes, paramount in our partnerships with external organisations and central in our planning for learning and teaching. As Principal, I am proud to be Annesley’s Senior Child Protection Officer. Children have a genuine voice at all levels of our organisation at Annesley. This is intentional and central to a Child Safe culture.
‘The National Principles collectively show that a child safe organisation is one that creates a culture, adopts strategies and takes action to promote child wellbeing and prevent harm to children and young people. A child safe organisation consciously and systematically:
- Creates an environment where children’s safety and wellbeing is the centre of thought, values and actions
- Places emphasis on genuine engagement with and valuing of children
- Creates conditions that reduce the likelihood of harm to children and young people
- Creates conditions that increase the likelihood of identifying any harm
- Responds to any concerns, disclosures, allegations or suspicions of harm
The National Principles for Child Safe Organisation infographic below clearly showcases the 10 Principles. This important information is displayed in prominent locations around Annesley Junior School, including the Front Reception, Principal’s Office and Meeting Space. On the Australian Human Rights Commission website, the Principles are written in ‘child friendly’ language.
- All people in the organisation care about children and young people’s safety and wellbeing, and make sure they act that way.
- Children and young people are told about their human rights, have a say in decisions and are taken seriously.
- Families and communities know about and are involved in the organisation’s child and safety and wellbeing activities.
- Everyone is treated with dignity, respect and fairness.
- People working with children and young people are suitable and are taught how to keep children safe and well.
- Children, young people, families, staff and volunteers are listened to and can share problems and concerns.
- Staff and volunteers keep learning all the time so they know how to keep children and young people safe and well.
- Children and young people are safe in online and physical spaces.
- The organisation keeps reviewing and improving its child safety and wellbeing practices.
- The organisation writes down how it keeps children and young people safe and well, and makes sure that everyone can see it
