Child Safe Resources
New Child Safe Standards
New Child Safe Standards released to better protect children and young people from abuse
RDA Victoria is committed to ensuring that children and young people who participate in its activities have a safe and happy experience. RDA Victoria supports and respects children, young people, staff, volunteers and participants. RDA Victoria is committed to the expectations of compliance with the Victorian Government Child Safe Standards.
New Child Safe Standards have been released to better protect children and young people from abuse. The Victorian Government announced the new Standards and are effective from 1 July 2022. The eleven new Standards replace Victoria’s previous seven standards and principles.
An overview of the new Standards is provided below:
1. Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued
2. Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture
3. Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously
4. Families and communities are informed, and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing
5. Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice
6. People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice
7. Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused
8. Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training
9. Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed
10. Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved
11. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.
The Principles of Application
The Commission of Children and Young People require that these Standards must be applied in a manner that promotes:
1. The cultural safety of Aboriginal children
2. The cultural safety of children from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse background
3. The safety of children with a disability
Within this section they include children with a disability:
Safety of children with a disability
Children with a disability are particularly vulnerable to abuse and organisations may need to take specific steps to meet their safety and participation needs.
This includes issues relating to:
• communication needs
• their reliance on a caregiver for personal care requirements
• potential social isolation
• potential limited access to developmentally appropriate sexual and relationship information.
Child Safe principles and information can be found here:
https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/news/new-child-safe-standards-start-in-victoria-on-1-july-2022-to-better-protect-children/
Resources for display at your Centre
Posters: these are some templates that you should use, some are for adults to remind them of their Child Safe responsibilities and others that children are more likely to relate to.
We are a Child Safe Club Poster
https://goodcdn.app/memberhq/vicsport/uploads/VS_ChildSafePosterA3_1-Adults.pdf
Child Safe Sport Poster
https://goodcdn.app/memberhq/vicsport/uploads/VS_ChildSafePosterA3_3-PrimarySchool.pdf
Child Safe Sport for Children (Superpowers) Poster
https://goodcdn.app/memberhq/vicsport/uploads/VS_ChildSafePosterA3_3-PrimarySchool.pdf
These are updates of the posters you have previously been provided with by RDAV, these templates enable you to do your own updating. If you want us to send you more, please contact admin@rdav,asn.au with your request and Centre details.
Resources: these resources are provided through other organisations including State and National Sporting governance bodies.
https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/resources/child-safe-standards/
Vicsport Child Safe Resources
https://vicsport.com.au/the-child-safe-standards
Online Training: Play by the Rules is a Child Protection online training course is free and suitable for players, volunteers, coaches, officials and administrators in sport.
We expect all committee members, coached and other volunteers to complete. It is readily accessible online at:
https://www.playbytherules.net.au/online-courses
Completion certificates should be recorded and kept as part of Centre compliance for accreditation/auditing purposes.
Resources to assist you with compliance with embedding each of the Standards into Centre functions.
These buttons link you to information to support translating theory into practice. Each of these information sections has links to further resources to assist you.