To protect children and young people, it is important that organisations have clear guidelines to listen to children and young people’s concerns, respond to complaints about behaviour towards a child, and manage the disclosure of abuse.
The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments in February 2019, were developed to provide a consistent approach to creating organisational cultures that foster child safety and wellbeing.
The Department of Communities is working with other government agencies, the community services sector, peak bodies and other jurisdictions to drive the implementation of the National Principles across Western Australia.
Communities’ Assistant Director General Strategy and Partnerships Caron Irwin said this Children’s Week, Communities would be encouraging leaders of organisations in WA to review and enhance their existing child safe strategies to ensure the National Principles are embedded at all levels.
“Children and young people have the right to be safe and feel safe and respected in their community,” Caron said.
“Children and young people are often involved with activities and services delivered by government, non-government, and community organisations, including schools, sport and recreation clubs, religious institutions, and health care.
“This is why it is so important that organisations, including our own, place the wellbeing of children and young people at the forefront of their organisation’s culture, activities and services.”
To support this effort, Communities has published case studies that demonstrate how two WA organisations—Communities and not-for-profit organisation Starick—are working to implement the National Principles.
On behalf of the Supporting Communities Forum Child Safe Organisations Working Group, which includes membership from government and the community sector, Communities is also calling for submissions from other WA organisations to develop further case studies.
This work will support cross-sector learning that helps keep children and young people safe and will contribute towards the development of a WA-specific Child Safe Organisations knowledge hub.
The National Principles reflect ten child safe standards recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, with a broader scope to cover other forms of potential harm to children and young people.
Further details about the National Principles, including links to key information and resources for organisations, parents and carers, and children and young people, is available at www.communities.wa.gov.au/childsafeorgs.
