Child Safe Policy

1. Background

Maitland Christian School Ltd is an independent Christian educational community, growing faith, character and abilities through teaching and learning excellence, in partnership with families and the Metford Baptist Church. Our School Core Values are Faith, Unity, Excellence, Generosity and Growth. Maitland Christian School Limited operates two schools – Maitland Christian School and Arise Christian College.

A commitment to our students, among others, is that they are safe and ought to feel safe at all times within our school community.

2. Purpose

Our Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy demonstrates the strong commitment of the School to child safety, and provides an outline of the policies and practices that we have developed to keep our students safe, including from abuse or other harm.

It outlines the key elements of our approach to the School as a child safe organisation and sets the tone for the School's entire Child Safety Program.

The Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy provides the framework for:

• the implementation of the NSW Child Safe Standards and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
• the implementation of the MCS Child Safe Framework
• the development of work systems, practices, policies and procedures that promote child protection, safety and wellbeing within the School
• the creation of a safe and supportive School environment and a positive and robust child safe culture
• the promotion and open discussion of child safety issues within the School
• compliance with all laws, regulations and standards relevant to child safety, including child protection, in NSW.

3. Scope

The School's Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy applies to all adults in the School community, including Staff, Volunteers, Contractors and Visitors.

This Policy applies in all School environments, both physical and online, and on-site and off-site School grounds (e.g. camps and excursions).

4. Definitions

Definitions of particular terms used in the School's Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy can be found in the Child Safety Program Definitions.

5. Roles and Responsibilities

Child protection and safety is everyone's responsibility. All adults in the School community have a shared responsibility for contributing to the safety and protection of students.

Specific responsibilities are summarised at the end of this Policy.

6. Statement of Commitment to Child Safety and Wellbeing

All children and young people who come to Maitland Christian School have a right to feel and be safe. We are committed to providing a child safe and child friendly environment, where children and young people are safe and feel safe and are able to actively participate in decisions that affect their lives.

We have zero tolerance for child abuse and other harm and are committed to acting in students' best interests and keeping them safe from harm.

The School regards its child safety responsibilities with the utmost importance and is committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child protection laws and regulations and maintaining a child safe culture.

Each member of the School community has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play individually, and collectively, to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all students is at the forefront of all that they do, and every decision they make.

The School's Statement of Commitment to Child Safety has been designed to reflect the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

7. Child Safety Standards

The School's commitment to child safety is based on the NSW Child Safe Standards, the MCS Child Safe Framework and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, which set out the following overarching standards that guide the development and regular review of our work systems, practices, policies and procedures to protect students from abuse and other harm.

Requiring compliance with these Child Safety Standards is one of the strategies employed by The Board to embed a culture of child safety at the School.

7.1 The NSW Child Safe Standards

The NSW Child Safe Standards are based on the National Principles for Child Safe organisations. The NSW Child Safe Standards have been designed to:

• help drive cultural change in organisations be principle-based and outcome-focused
• be flexible enough that they can be adapted by organisations of varying sizes and characteristics
• avoid placing undue burden on organisations help organisations address multiple risks balance caution and caring
• be a benchmark against which organisations can assess their child safe capability and set performance targets
• be of equal importance and interrelated.

In NSW, all organisations that fall under the Reportable Conduct Scheme (including the School), as well as some additional child-related organisations, must comply with the NSW Child Safe Standards. The NSW Child Safe Standards are:

The Office of the Children's Guardian monitors and enforces compliance with the NSW Child Safe Standards.

7.2 The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations

The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (National Principles) were developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission in response to recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The National Principles are comprised of 10 Principles that were informed by, but go further than, the 10 Child Safe Standards recommended by the Royal Commission. They are:

7.3 Maitland Christian School's Child Safety Principles and Values

1. All children have the right to be safe.
2. The welfare and best interests of the child are paramount.
3. The views of the child and a child's privacy must be respected.
4. Clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children are established in our Visitor Code of Conduct and Staff and Student Professional Boundaries policy.
5. The safety of children is dependent upon the existence of a child safe culture.
6. Child safety awareness is promoted and openly discussed within our School community.
7. Procedures are in place to screen all staff, Direct Contact Volunteers**, Third Party Contractors and External Education Providers who have direct contact with children.
8. Child safety and protection is everyone's responsibility.
9. Child safety training is mandatory for all Board of Directors members, staff and Direct Contact Volunteers.
10. Procedures for responding to alleged or suspected incidents of child abuse are simple and accessible for all members of the School community.
11. Children from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Children and other children who are vulnerable (such as children in out-of-home care or children of diverse sexuality) have the right to special care and support.
12. Children who have any kind of disability have the right to special care and support.

8. Maitland Christian School's Policy

8.1 Child Safety Codes of Conduct

Our Child Safety Codes of Conduct include a Visitor Code of Conduct and a Staff and Student Professional Boundaries Policy. Together, these Codes of Conduct set boundaries and expectations for appropriate behaviours between adults in our School community and students, including in physical and online environments.

We also have a Student Code of Conduct, which includes standards of behaviour for students relevant to child safety.

Our Child Safety Codes of Conduct include clear processes to report inappropriate behaviour.

We publish our Child Safety Codes of Conduct on our public website so that everyone can easily find out what behaviours are acceptable and unacceptable at our School and how to report inappropriate behaviour.

We also provide additional information to students and families about the Child Safety Codes of Conduct, to ensure that they know what behaviours are acceptable and unacceptable and how to report inappropriate behaviour.

8.2 Children and Young People's Rights to Safety, Information and Participation

Maitland Christian School is a child safe and child-centred organisation. We ensure that our environment is friendly and welcoming to all children and young people.

We actively seek to include students in decisions that affect them. This includes decisions about organisational planning, delivery of services, management of facilities, and learning and assessment environments.

We ensure that students know about their rights to safety, information and participation. We recognise the importance of friendships and support from peers. We actively seek to understand what makes students feel safe in our organisation and regularly communicate with students about what they can do if they feel unsafe.

8.3 Parents/Carers, Families and Community Involvement at the School

The School recognises that parents and carers have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of their children. We ensure that they participate in decisions affecting their children.

We ensure that families and relevant communities know about the School's operations and policies, including its Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy and Child Safety Codes of Conduct, record keeping practices, risk management, and complaints and investigation processes.

We actively seek to include families and relevant communities in decisions about organisational planning, delivery of services, management of facilities, and learning and assessment environments.

We build cultural safety at the School through partnerships with relevant communities.

8.4 Valuing Diversity in the School Community

Our School values diversity and does not tolerate any discriminatory practices. To achieve this, we:

• support the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their families
• support the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and their families
• support students with disability and their families and act to promote their participation.
• support students and families of culturally diverse backgrounds and act to promote their participation.
• ensure that all Staff and Direct Contact Volunteers and Direct Contact Contractors have training about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, disability, culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those with particular experiences or needs.
• have a physical environment that acknowledges diverse cultures and recognises cultural difference.
• commit to promoting the inclusion of students of differing abilities.

8.5 Child Safety Human Resources Management

8.5.1 Recruitment and Screening

Maitland Christian School applies best practice standards in the recruitment and screening of Staff, Volunteers and Contractors, to engage the most suitable and appropriate people to work with our students.

Our practices include:

• making our commitment to child safety clear in recruitment advertising and documentation requiring all Staff and relevant Volunteers and Contractors to maintain a valid Working with Children Check clearance
• using additional selection, background checking and screening processes that take into account child safety considerations.

8.5.2 Training On and Information About the Child Safety Program

As a part of Maitland Christian School's induction process, we require all Staff, as well as relevant Volunteers and Contractors to complete our induction program, which includes information about our child safety policies, practices and procedures.

All Staff, as well as relevant Volunteers and Contractors also receive refresher and ongoing child safety training at least annually.

Our child safety induction and ongoing training program includes information about:

• this Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy
• the Child Safety Codes of Conduct
• recognising child abuse and other harm and identifying key indicators, including harm caused by other children and young people
• our policies and procedures for responding to and reporting child safety incidents or concerns (including mandatory reporting, reporting to police and reportable conduct obligations)
• our policies and procedures for information sharing and record keeping about child safety incidents and concerns
• WWCCs and other child safety human resources practices how to build culturally safe environments for students.

The School provides all Visitors to the School, including Casual Volunteers and Contractors, with information about the Child Safety Codes of Conduct and how to report child safety incidents or concerns to the School and to relevant external authorities.

The School provides Staff, Direct Contact and Regular Volunteers, and Direct Contact and Regular Contractors with support and supervision by their Manager, the School's Compliance Officers and/or Executive to ensure that they are compliant with the School's approach to child safety.

8.5.3 Ongoing Supervision, Management and Support

The School's Compliance Officers and Executive provide supervision and support to all Staff, Direct Contact and Regular Volunteers, and Direct Contact and Regular Contractors to ensure that they are compliant with the School's child safety approach. Our child safety supervision and support program includes:

• annual performance reviews for all staff members
• appointing a supervising staff member to relevant Volunteers and Contractors
• professional development programs for Staff that include Child Safety education.

9. The School's Response to Child Safety Incidents or Concerns

Maitland Christian School fosters a culture that encourages everyone in the School community to raise concerns and complaints about child safety. We have clear pathways for raising complaints and concerns set out in the Procedures below, and in our Complaints Handling Policy.

We also have clear procedures that all Staff, Volunteers and Contractors must follow whenever they witness, suspect or receive a complaint about a child safety incident or concern involving a student, a staff member, a Volunteer, a Contractor or the School, set out in the Responding to and Reporting Child Safety Incidents or Concerns section of the Child Safety Program. These are summarised for students, parents/carers and other members of the School community in our public-facing Procedures for Managing Staff Misconduct and public-facing Procedures for Managing Child Safety Incidents or Concerns At or Involving the School or its Staff.

The School will take appropriate, prompt action in response to all child safety incidents or concerns, including all complaints, allegations or disclosures of abuse or other harm, when Staff, Volunteers, Contractors, students, parents/carers or anyone else reports these to the School.

The safety and wellbeing of the student/s involved in the matter will be the paramount consideration when responding to child safety incidents and concerns. The School follows the National Office of Child Safety's Complaint Handling Guide: Upholding the rights of children and young people when investigating and responding to child safety incidents and concerns.

The School's response will include:

• externally reporting all matters that meet the required relevant thresholds to DCJ (Mandatory Reports), the Police (Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Offences), and/or the Office of the Children's Guardian (Reportable Conduct), depending on the issues raised
• fully cooperating with any resulting investigation by an external agency
• protecting any student connected to the child safety incident or concern until it is resolved and providing ongoing support to those affected
• taking particular measures in response to child safety incidents or concerns about an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student, a student from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, a student with disability, and other vulnerable students
• sharing information with, or requesting information from, external people or agencies as permitted or required under the law
• securing and retaining records of the child safety incident or concern and the School's response to it
• taking broader actions to improve child safety at the School (including systemic reviews and resulting improvements).

10. Child Safety Risk Management

The Office of the Children's Guardian and Maitland Christian School Limited recognise the importance of a risk management approach to our child safety obligations and to minimising the risk of harm to children and young people without compromising their rights to privacy, access to information, social connections and learning opportunities.

The School has developed a comprehensive Risk Management Program to assist in the identification, assessment and management of child safety risks in all School environments.

We identify, assess and manage Child Safety risks in all School environments, based on a range of factors including the nature of our School's activities, physical and online environments and the characteristics of the student body, through our risk management policy and procedures. We use this information to inform our policies, procedures and activity planning.

10.1 Child Safety Privacy and Information Sharing

The School collects, uses and discloses information about students and their families in accordance with NSW privacy laws and other relevant laws, including laws that permit the School to disclose child safety information to external people and agencies. For information about how the School collects, uses and discloses this information, refer to our Privacy Policy.

10.2 Child Safety Record Keeping

The School is committed to best practice record keeping about child safety incidents and concerns.

When keeping records of child safety incidents or concerns, the School maintains confidentiality and privacy for students and families in accordance with federal and state privacy legislation.

10.3 Child Safety Program and Practice Review

Maitland Christian School is committed to the continuous improvement of our Child Safety Program and our child safety practices. We review the Program as a whole annually (or earlier if a significant child safety incident occurs at the School or legislation changes) for overall effectiveness and to ensure compliance with all child protection related laws, regulations and standards.

When undertaking these reviews, the School:

• actively seeks, actions and incorporates feedback from students, families, the wider School community, Staff, Volunteers and Contractors
• analyses any complaints, concerns and child safety incidents that may have occurred
• communicates any learnings, adjustments or amendments to policy and practice widely throughout the School community.

11. Child Safety Procedures

11.1 Reporting Child Safety Incidents or Concerns to the School

Whenever there are concerns that a child or young person is in immediate danger, call the Police on 000.

Any person, including all Staff, Volunteers, Contractors, parents/carers and students, can at any time contact the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child or young person (aged under 18), or a class of children or young persons, is at risk of significant harm.

Voluntary reports to DCJ can be made by calling the Child Protection Helpline on 132 111 or 1800 212 936 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

Staff, Volunteers and Contractors

Staff, Volunteers and Contractors must follow our procedures for Responding to and Reporting Child Safety Incidents or Concerns and report all child safety incidents or concerns internally to a Compliance Officer or the Executive Principal.

Where the child safety incident or concern involves the Executive Principal, internal reports should instead be made to the Board Chair by board.chair@maitlandcs.nsw.edu.au.

We recognise that some children and young people face additional vulnerabilities to abuse and other harm, as well as additional barriers to disclosing child safety incidents or concerns. Our Child Safety Program provides guidance on identifying additional vulnerabilities and barriers, and contains strategies for supporting these individuals to participate in the School community and for enabling them to disclose child safety incidents or concerns to the School.

Students, Parents/Carers and Community Members

Students at the School who have child safety concerns about themselves or any other child, young person or student aged 18 or over can:

• disclose the child safety incident or concern to any staff member, Volunteer or Contractor. This might be done:
  • verbally
  • in writing
  • through electronic means (such as email)
  • indirectly (such as in written assignments, in artworks or in any other way)
• use the School's anonymous Insert Description of Anonymous Child Protection Mechanism, which is located Insert Location of Anonymous Feedback Mechanism to disclose anonymously
• contact Bravehearts 1800 272 831.

Parents/carers, family members and other community members who have child safety concerns or who suspect that a child or young person associated with the School may be subject to abuse or other harm can contact:

• the Executive Principal, who is our School's Principal Geoff Peet, by phoning 02 4933 7633 or emailing Principal@maitlandcs.nsw.edu.au; or
• if the concern relates to the Executive Principal, the Board Chair by board.chair@maitlandcs.nsw.edu.au.

Any person can also contact the Executive Principal or the Board Chair if they have concerns.

11.2 The School's Response to and External Reporting of Child Safety Incidents or Concerns

Our Child Safety Program sets out the procedures that the School will follow for any child safety incident or concern involving a student, School staff member, Volunteer, Contractor or Visitor, or other person connected to the School or the School environment.

It also provides guidance for all Staff, Volunteers and Contractors on their obligations to respond to and report, to relevant external authorities, child safety incidents and concerns.

These procedures and guidance are summarised for students, parents/carers and community members in our public-facing Procedures for Managing Staff Misconduct and public-facing Procedures for Managing Child Safety Incidents or Concerns At or Involving the School or its Staff.

11.3 Support for Students, Families and Staff Following Child Safety Incident or Disclosure

Child safety incidents or concerns can cause trauma and significantly impact on the mental health and wellbeing of children, as well as on their families. In addition to reporting and referral to the relevant authorities, the School plays a central role in addressing this trauma and has a duty of care to ensure that students feel safe and supported at School.

The School employs a range of measures to support students affected by a child safety incident or concern, depending on the particular circumstances of the matter and of the student and their family:

• Compliance Officers will work with the student and their family to develop a Student Support Plan
• support strategies that could be considered for students and/or their families might include offering or organising referrals to internal or external support, such as the School Psychologist or Counsellor, bi-cultural workers and/or translators, or an external support agency and/or child advocacy organisation that specialises in supporting children and young people impacted by abuse or other harm.

The School offers former students who may disclose historical child safety incidents or concerns from their time at the School similar support.

Witnessing a child safety incident or receiving a disclosure of abuse or other harm can be a distressing experience for Staff, Volunteers and Contractors involved. The School assists impacted Staff, Volunteers and Contractors to access necessary support.

11.4 Embedding a Culture of Child Safety: Our Child Safety Program

Our Child Safety Program itself is one of the strategies employed by Maitland Christian School to embed a culture of child safety at the School.

Our Child Safety Program relates to all aspects of child safety and protecting students from abuse or other harm, and establishes work systems, practices, policies and procedures to create and maintain a child safe environment and culture at the School. It includes:

• Child Safety Codes of Conduct
• clear information as to what is child abuse and other harm and associated key indicators of abuse or other harm
• clear procedures for reporting child safety incidents or concerns internally to a Compliance Officer, and for responding to incidents or allegations of child abuse or other harm
• strategies to support, encourage and enable Staff, Volunteers, Contractors, parents/carers and students to understand, identify, discuss and report child safety matters
• procedures for recruiting and screening members of the Executive, Staff, Volunteers and Contractors
• procedures for reporting to external agencies, including Mandatory Reporting to DCJ,
• Reportable Conduct, and Reporting to Police
• pastoral care strategies designed to empower students and keep them safe
• strategies to support and encourage the participation and inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and students with disability
• child safety training
• information regarding the steps to take after a disclosure of abuse or other harm to protect, support and assist students
• guidelines with respect to record keeping and confidentiality
• policies to ensure compliance with all relevant laws, regulations and standards (including the NSW Child Safe Standards, the MCS Child Safe Framework, and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations)
• a system for continuous review and improvement.

12. Child Safety Responsibilities at the School

Child safety and child protection is everyone's responsibility. Specific responsibilities include:

13. Implementation

The Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy is published on our School's public website. It is provided to new Staff, and to Direct Contact and Regular Volunteers and Direct Contact and Regular Contractors at induction or prior to them commencing their work at the School.

The School provides all Visitors to the School, including Casual Volunteers and Casual Contractors, with information about the Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy (including in particular the Child Safety Codes of Conduct and how to report child safety incidents or concerns to the School and to relevant external authorities).

14. Breach of the Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy

Maitland Christian School enforces this Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy and our Child Safety Codes of Conduct. In the event of any non-compliance, we will instigate a review that may result in a range of measures including (depending on the severity of the breach):

• remedial education
• counselling
• increased supervision
• the restriction of duties
• suspension
• in the case of serious breaches, termination of employment, contract or engagement.

15. Policy Review

The Board conducts a review of this Maitland Christian School Ltd Child Safe Policy Insert Review Frequency (e.g. annually) or earlier if required, such as due to changes in legislation.

The Board is responsible for ensuring that this Policy is reviewed and updated as needed and for approving this Policy.

16. Source of Obligation

Maitland Christian School's Child Safe Policy implements, and is to be read and understood in conjunction with:

• the NSW Child Safe Standards
• MCS Child Safe Framework
• the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

17. Related Policies and Procedures

• Visitor Code of Conduct
• Staff and Student Professional Boundaries Policy
• Student Code of Conduct

18. Related Forms and Documents

• Procedures for Managing Child Safety Incidents or Concerns At or Involving the School or its Staff
• Complaints Handling Policy