Executive Director’s Update to Principals #2 - 27 January 2023

Child Safety New School Year Requirements

July 1 2022, the Victorian government gazetted Ministerial Order 1359 which introduced a new set of 11 Child Safe Standards. DOBCEL schools have been adjusting and sustaining their child safe policies and practices since this time as their continued commitment to a zero tolerance of child abuse. 

2023 will require all DOBCEL schools to demonstrate implementation of MO 1359 via meeting the expectations of the Victorian Child Safe Standards. A deep understanding of cultural competency, an awareness of the intersection of children's rights in relation to provision, participation and protection and the implementation of processes to ensure complaints, concerns and safety are analysed to identify causes and systemic challenges, will be key this year.

Code of Conduct

A reminder that the Safeguarding Children and Young People Code of Conduct needs to be signed by all staff, volunteers, contactors and visitors each year.

Please ensure all Staff, Volunteers, Contractors and Visitors understand where your school Safeguarding Children and Young People Code of Conduct can be accessed and to whom the signed copy should be returned to, and by when.

Some schools may utilise the ‘passtab’ or similar at the start of each year to ensure staff, volunteers, contactors and visitors sign the Code of Conduct. 

Protecting Children – Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations e-Learning module

Main Points 

• Each year all DOBCEL staff are required to complete the ‘Protecting Children – Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations’ eLearning module to ensure compliance with legislative responsibilities under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic.) and Ministerial Order No. 1359: Child Safe Standards – Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools and School Boarding premises.
• For details on how to create an account: ‘Protecting Children- Mandatory Reporting and other Obligations Online Training Account Creation Guide’
• The training and online module usually take 45 – 60 minutes to complete
• Stable internet access will assist in optimised functionality of the training and module
• Staff must provide evidence that they have completed training (e.g. a copy of their certificate) to their school and keep a copy for their own records

Critical Dates 

• For staff who have never completed the training or completed it more than 12 months ago, it would be expected that this training would be completed by the end of Term 1, 2023
• For staff who are new to their current school and completed the training within the last 12 months, please supply your certificate of completion to the relevant person at your school (e.g. Compliance officer, Child Safety Officer, Principal)
• Staff who have completed the training within the last year will receive a reminder email from DET MARAM approximately 11 months after their previous completion date. This will be sent to the email address provided at the time of training. Staff should complete their training as soon as possible after they receive this recompletion email.

Additional Information 

• The module includes current Victorian legislative requirements associated with the PROTECT protocol Identifying and Responding to All Forms of Abuse in Victorian Schools. 

VRQA Minimum Standards

The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) are Victoria’s education regulator. In Victoria, all schools must meet the minimum standards for school registration which includes providing safe environments for children. 

Child Safety: There must be evidence of the school’s policies and procedures for ensuring all staff understand: 

• mandatory reporting
• the failure to disclose offence
• the failure to protect offence
• the grooming offence under the Crimes Act 1958 which is included in the definition of child abuse in Ministerial order No. 1359
• the need for ongoing maintenance of the Child Safe Risk Register

Child Safe Standards: All registered schools must have developed policies, procedures, measures and practices in accordance with Ministerial Order 1359. 

Meeting the requirements of MO 1359 is the direct responsibility of the school governing body and the school principal.  

The school must have clear policies and procedures in place which are appropriate for its student cohort and consistent with the school’s philosophy.  

It is expected, and understood, that schools now have these policies in place and staff have been informed. Please contact Jacqui Righetti should you need further information. 

The VRQA has a number of additional resources to help schools meet their child safety compliance requirements. These can be viewed here.

2023 Child Safety Officers

Please forward the name/s of your 2023 Child Safety Officer to Manager: Safeguarding and Standards Jacqui Righetti by Friday 24 February, 2023.   

Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat