Child Safety Training: A Fundamental Obligation to keep Children and Young People Safe from Harm
Child safety training is a critical component of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children in various environments, from their community, to schools and organisations and any other organisation that has the care, supervision or authority of children and young people.
Child Safety training equips organisations, and staff within organisations, with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognise, prevent and respond to situations that may place children at risk of harm.
Organisations must understand and appreciate the importance of child safety training, as an essential tool to mitigate risk of harm to children and young people, and create safe and supportive environments.
Child Safe Standards and National Principals for Child Safe Organisations
The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (National Principles), have been endorsed by all states and territories across Australia. Some states across Australia including Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania have legislated the National Principals. For example, in Victoria, any organisation that has the care, supervision or authority of children and young people are subject to the 11 Child Safe Standards (Standards), which are based on the National Principles.
National Principal 7 (Standard 8) requires that organisations equip staff and volunteers with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training. Therefore it is a legal requirement for organisations to provide child safety training, in addition to a fundamental risk mitigation strategy.
What is Child Safety Training?
Children and young people are one of the most vulnerable groups in our society and they have the right to feel safe, supported and secure in their homes, the community and within organisations that have care, supervision and authority of them. Child safety is everyone’s responsibility and every person has a role to play to ensure that children and young people are protected from maltreatment and abuse.
Organisations working with children have additional moral and legal obligations to identify and mitigate the risk of children and young people being harmed.
Child safety training is a pivotal tool that organisations must use to prevent children and young people being abused or harmed. Organisations must take proactive and preventative
steps within that organisation to promote the wellbeing, safety and welfare of children and young people and protect them from exposure to harm, trauma and abuse.
Child Safety Training encompasses a range topics designed to inform adults about keeping children safe from harm. Key elements of Child Safety Training should include education on:
- The National Principles and relevant state Standards
- Understanding Child Abuse
- Recognising Indicators of Harm
- Duty of Care to children and young people
- Reporting Obligations including mandatory reporting and the Reportable Conduct Scheme
- Identifying and mitigating risk
- Responding to disclosures, complaints and risks
- The organisation’s Child Safety Policy suite
- How to make a complaint
How to get further support
Who should undertake Child Safety Training?
Training should be provided to new employees and volunteers as part of their induction so that they are aware of the organisation’s culture of child safety and the policies, processes, practices and procedures they are required to comply with.
Ongoing opportunities for professional development and training should be provided to employees and volunteers to support a continued commitment to learning and development and promote a culture of child safety. Training opportunities should be tailored to meet the needs of an organisation and ensure that employees and volunteers understand what is required of them.
Why is Child Safety Training Fundamental?
1. Prevention of Harm
The primary goal of child safety training is to prevent harm to children. By educating adults on the signs of abuse and harm and the appropriate responses, the likelihood of identifying and addressing issues early increases significantly. This proactive approach can help safeguard children before situations escalate.
2. Empowering Adults and Children
Child safety training empowers organisations and their staff with the knowledge they need to protect children effectively. It also encourages children to understand their rights and recognise inappropriate behaviour, fostering an environment where they feel safe to speak up about their experiences.
3. Creating a Culture of Safety
Child Safety Training is instrumental in establishing a culture of safety within organisations. When everyone – staff, volunteers and parents, understands and prioritises child safety it creates an environment where children can thrive without fear of harm.
4. Reducing Risk and Liability
Organisations that prioritise child safety through comprehensive training are taking steps to reduce the risk of incidents occurring. This not only protects children but also minimises potential legal liability for the organisation fostering a safer environment for all.
Conclusion
Child safety training is essential for preventing harm to children and young people and creating environments where they can thrive. By equipping adults and organisations with the necessary knowledge and skills we can foster a culture of safety, empower children and ensure that their rights are respected and protected. Investing in child safety training is not only a moral obligation but a vital step in safeguarding our communities and the most vulnerable among us.
How can Safe Space Legal Help?
The team at Safe Space Legal have extensive safeguarding experience. We have worked with many organisations across Australia to ensure they are meeting their legal obligations and frequently conduct independent safeguarding investigations. Safe Space Legal provides the following services to ensure organisations meet their legal obligations:
- Conducting specialist independent investigations into sexual offences, sexual harassment and other types of misconduct that impact upon students’ safety and wellbeing, which are compliant with sector specific obligations.
- Providing policy audits and developing safeguarding policies, procedures, and complaint handing processes.
- Providing root cause analysis to identify gaps in policy and/or practice which put organisations at risk of non-compliance with their sector-specific obligations.
- Delivering safeguarding training to ensure organisations are aware of their sector-specific requirements and obligations.
- Ensuring that complaints handling and reporting processes are compliant with legal obligations.
- Assistance and support to respond to allegations of abuse and harm.
- Provide expert legal advice on risk mitigation.
Contact office@safespacelegal.com.au or call (03) 9124 7321 to organise a complementary discussion in relation to your organisation’s safeguarding needs.