Mark Ramsay, Principal
Every staff member of Kuyper Christian School is committed to providing a safe environment for all students entrusted to our care. Our service to and worship of Jesus demand nothing less. Every square inch belongs to Him – including the way we care for all of your children.
We know that providing this safe environment is something that doesn’t ‘just’ happen; it takes intentional work and focus. As part of this, we seek to maintain the 10 Child Safe Standards that the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian have published. Sadly, there have been many examples of organisations failing to provide a safe environment for children. These Standards are part of the response to the historical failings of some organisations.
At Kuyper, we recognise that all people are inherently sinful, even those who seek to follow Jesus. Therefore, we need to be mindful of avoiding the failings of the past. As such, we regularly review these Standards with all members of staff. It is helpful for parents to be aware of these standards as well, so let me quickly share them with you.
Standard 1 – Child safety is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture
A child safe organisation is committed to child safety. This is demonstrated in its leadership, in the way the organisation is managed and by the day-to-day activities it carries out. A child safe organisational culture drives the way things are done and how issues and risks are managed.
Standard 2 – Children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously
Children are safer when organisations teach them about their rights to be heard, listened to and believed. A child safe organisation actively seeks the opinions of children and when doing so considers their age, development, maturity, understanding, abilities and how they communicate. Children are encouraged and supported to regularly contribute to decisions that affect them.
Standard 3 – Families and communities are informed and involved
Staff in child safe organisations understand that parents, carers and other important people in a child’s life have the primary responsibility for raising their children. A child safe organisation talks to, consults with and invites the participation of families, caregivers and the broader community to promote the rights of children.
Standard 4 – Equity is upheld and diverse needs are taken into account
A child safe organisation provides culturally safe and child-friendly services. It pays attention to equity by taking into account children’s diverse circumstances. It recognises all children are vulnerable but some are more vulnerable to abuse than others, or find it difficult to reveal or be understood when communicating they have been abused. Organisations should try to protect and support all children equitably.
Standard 5 – People working with children are suitable and supported
Human resource management – including screening, recruitment and performance reviews – plays a vital role in protecting children from harm. Child safe organisations make sure child safety is prioritised when they are selecting and managing staff. They recognise that a verified Working with Children Check (WWCC) is important but other screening practices must also be used.
Standard 6 – Processes to respond to complaints of child abuse (or other concerns) are child focused
A child-focused complaint process supports children who are exposed to the risk of harm and encourages them to speak up. Children, families and staff know who to tell if they want to make a complaint of child abuse. Child safe organisations respond by immediately protecting children at risk. Complaints are addressed promptly, thoroughly and fairly. All adults understand their reporting obligations, including to external authorities. Child safe practices create environments where staff can identify and report suspected harm of children.
Standard 7 – Staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe through continual education and training
A child safe organisation promotes continuous learning and provides regular ongoing education and training. Staff continually build their abilities to keep children safe.
Standard 8 – Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse (or other kinds of harm) to occur
A child safe organisation adapts its physical environments to minimise opportunities for abuse to occur. Organisations offer a balance between visibility and children’s privacy. Child safe organisations also address risks in the online environment by educating children and adults about how to avoid harm and detect signs of online grooming.
Standard 9 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed and improved
Child safe organisations learn from complaints and mistakes to continuously improve the safety of children in their care. They analyse complaints to identify the root causes of abuse and improve child safe practices. (This involves examining the underlying factors that have led to a child being harmed.)
Standard 10 – Policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe
Child safe organisations have policies and procedures that describe how they maintain a safe environment for children. They know these documents are only effective if they are implemented. Policies and procedures should be relevant to all aspects of an organisation and reflect the Child Safe Standards. They are championed by leaders, understood by staff, and available to the community in accessible formats and languages.
Please pray for all who are employed at Kuyper as we seek to glorify God by doing all we can to fulfill these 10 Child Safe Standards.
If you would like to find out more about the Child Safe Standards, you can visit https://www.childsafe.org.au/help-for-families/resources-for-parents/ or speak to any member of the Senior Leadership Team. Together, we can honour the responsibility that God has given you as parents to raise your children well by providing the safe environment needed for your children to flourish at school.
