At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, we acknowledge and understand that Child Safety is the responsibility of every person within our school and is an integral aspect of student wellbeing. We aim to work collaboratively with parents, students and other community members to ensure our school is a safe environment.
Our commitment to the protection of students is based on our belief that each person is made in the image of God, and our ethos is to provide a safe and supportive environment. All students have the right to expect that our school will always act to protect them from any kind of harm.
A child’s right to be safe is fundamental to our work at St Mary’s. It is crucial that each child is protected against physical and sexual abuse, and neglect. The following school policies outline our commitment to ensure that the emotional, moral, spiritual and physical wellbeing and safety of our students is pivotal.
St Mary’s Sale is committed to implementing and embedding the Child Safe Standards and requirements of Ministerial Order No. 1359:
- Child Safe Standard 1 – Establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued
- Child Safe Standard 2 – Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture
- Child Safe Standard 3 – Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously
- Child Safe Standard 4 – Families and communities are informed, and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing
- Child Safe Standard 5 – Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice
- Child Safe Standard 6 – People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice
- Child Safe Standard 7 – Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused
- Child Safe Standard 8 – Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training
- Child Safe Standard 9 – Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed
- Child Safe Standard 10 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved
- Child Safe Standard 11 – Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people
For more information regarding the standards, please click the link below.
If you require any more information or clarification on the above policies and standards please contact our School Child Safety Officer – Gemma McWhirter (gmwhirter@stmarysale.catholic.edu.au) or our School Principal Brett Morris (principal@stmarysale.catholic.edu.au).