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STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY
Our Service, educators and staff are committed to safety and wellbeing of all children and young people.We understand our responsibilities and statutory duty of care to comply with both the Victorian ChildSafe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme to build our capacity as a Service to prevent andrespond to allegations of child abuse.Our Service is committed to implementing our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and Child SafeEnvironment Policy based on Child Safe Standards in Victoria (2022), which accentuates our zerotolerance for child abuse and raises awareness about the importance of child safety in our Service andthe community.We adhere to our comprehensive Child Protection Policy, standing by our mandatory reportingresponsibilities to protect children from physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse and neglect.Our reporting mechanisms are clear, accessible, and designed to protect the privacy and well-being of allparties involved.We are committed to ongoing professional development for employees to maintain their ability todistinguish and respond to situations of abuse and neglect, ensuring employees are responsive to theirresponsibilities in keeping children safe. We ensure all staff, volunteers and students engaged at ourService are suitable to come into contact with children and young people through rigorous employmentprocedures and Working with Children Checks.We work in collaboration with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and haveconfidence in educating children about their right to be safe. We believe in listening to and empoweringchildren to express their view and thoughts on matters that directly affect them and raise any concernsregarding their safety or safety of others.We are committed to maintaining a physically safe environment for children by conducting regular riskassessments, inspections and conducting evaluations and audits to identify and address potentialhazards. We believe children have the right to develop a strong sense of identity by providing aninclusive, safe and supportive atmosphere where children build confidence, self-worth, and social skillsthrough interactions and play.We value diversity and cultivate empathy, respect, and care in all children, including Aboriginal childrenand those from diverse backgrounds whether cultural, linguistic, disabled, or encompassing genderidentities. We encourage children to recognise stereotypes and diversities, gain a deeper grasp ofcultural identity and learn about their rights and responsibilities as engaged citizens through connectionswith local communities.Our commitment to child safety is embedded in every aspect of our Service and is reflected in ourphilosophy, policies, practices, and interactions. We value feedback, children’s voice and communicationwith families and the community to assist with input towards the reviews of our policies and procedures,ensuring continuous improvement in child safe practices. The Service policies and procedures aredeveloped with the children’s voice to help keep all children safe from harm and abuse.