Child and Youth Safe Standards
The Child and Youth Safe Standards are 10 principles that outline how an organisation can develop a culture with child safety and wellbeing at its centre.
What are the Child and Youth Safe Standards?
“I think this is kind of like, the bare minimum. This should have been happening all along, not just now. It’s the basics of treating everyone with respect.”
- Hannah, who wants to make her mark in the hospitality industry.
The Child and Youth Safe Standards are 10 principles that:
- promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people
- prevent abuse and harm to children and young people
- create a benchmark that organisations that engage with children and young people need to meet
- ensure organisations that engage with children and young people embed strategies in their day-to-day practice to realise these things.
The Child and Youth Safe Standards are complemented by the Reportable Conduct Scheme as the other element of the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework.
In putting all 10 Standards into practice, organisations must also give effect to something called the Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety.
The 10 Standards are:
Standard 1: Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
This means all people in the organisation care about children and young people’s safety and wellbeing above everything else, and make sure they act that way and lead others to act that way.
Standard 2: Children and young people are informed about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
This means children and young people are told about their human rights, have a say in decisions and are taken seriously.
Standard 3: Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
This means families and communities know about and are involved in the organisation's child and safety and wellbeing activities.
Standard 4: Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
This means the rights of every child and young person are being met, and children and young people are treated with dignity, respect and fairness.
Standard 5: People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
This means people working with children and young people are safe to work with children and young people and respectful of them. They are taught how to keep children safe and well.
Standard 6: Processes to respond to complaints and concerns are child focused.
This means children, young people, families, staff and volunteers are listened to and can share problems and concerns.
Standard 7: Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
This means staff and volunteers keep learning all the time so they know how to keep children and young people safe and well.
Standard 8: Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
This means children and young people are safe in online and physical spaces.
Standard 9: Implementation of the Child and Youth Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
This means the organisation keeps reviewing and improving its child safety and wellbeing practices.
Standard 10: Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.
This means organisation writes down how it keeps children and young people safe and well, and makes sure that everyone can see these documents.
How do the Child and Youth Safe Standards uphold Aboriginal Cultural Safety?
"I didn’t really feel represented or supported in terms of my cultural identity. I wasn’t even asked if this was something that I wanted, or if this was something that I valued about myself."
- Young person quoted in the "Take notice, believe us, and act!" report.
In putting the Standards into practice, organisations must also give effect to something called the Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety.
The Universal Principle says organisations must provide an environment that ensures that the right to Cultural Safety of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander children and young people is respected.
The Universal Principle applies to all 10 Standards.
When you think about the Standards, try to imagine the Universal Principle sitting over them all like an umbrella.
How do I know if my organisation is required to comply with the Child and Youth Safe Standards?
"Sometimes when adults do listen, they can misinterpret. But I've also had some really good specialists who have listened and actually have helped me and taught me things about myself.”
- Aly, who wants to study law one day.
More organisations will have to comply with the Child and Youth Safe Standards than the Reportable Conduct Scheme.
The Independent Regulator will support organisations to comply with the Child and Youth Safe Standards, and monitor their compliance.
What are the key things I need to know about the Child and Youth Safe Standards?
"People in charge of an organisation should listen to me when I speak up because I know me best."
- George, who is 16.
- The Child and Youth Safe Standards play a vital role in harm prevention.
The Standards contribute to preventing abuse and harm by requiring organisations to meet a benchmark that means the right of children and young people to safety is respected and upheld. - Organisations will get guidance material to help them put the Standards into practice.
The Independent Regulator will provide clear advice for organisations of all sizes and shapes — known as compliance guidance — that makes it clear how to put them the Standards and Universal Principle into practice.
At the same time, it’s important to know that this guidance is designed to be a starting point for compliance.
Organisations are encouraged to think strategically and creatively about how they can bring each Standard to life within their organisation.
To help them do this, Tasmanian organisations might like to check out resources from other states that already have their versions of the Framework in place, as well as national tools and templates.
This includes:
- Organisations won’t get pre-written policies and procedures from the Independent Regulator.
The Independent Regulator will guide the organisation to do the work instead of doing it for them. Every organisation required to comply with the Standards will develop their own policies and procedures, with a view to ensuring they make sense for that particular organisation and its way of working. - The Child and Youth Safe Standards are principle-based.
By ‘principle-based’, we mean the Standards are written so that it is possible to put them into practice in a range of ways. This flexibility means that smaller organisations can comply in ways that don’t require a large amount of additional resources.
What can my organisation do now to prepare for the Child and Youth Safe Standards?
Check out useful resources from other states:
Tasmanian organisations might like to check out resources from other states that already have their versions of the Framework in place, as well as national tools and templates.
This includes:
- National resources on how to be a child safe organisation
- Victorian resources for their Child Safe Standards
- NSW resources for their Child Safe Standards
These resources should be reviewed with the knowledge that the Independent Regulator of Tasmania's Reportable Conduct Scheme will release its own guidance in due course.
Sign up for the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework newsletter:
The best way to stay informed about new resources as they become available is to sign up for our newsletter.
To subscribe:
- Go to the subscription webpage
- Fill in your details
- Check the box that says ‘Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework’.
Test your understanding of the Child and Youth Safe Standards
Learn more about the Child and Youth Safe Standards by taking this true or false quiz:
1. The Child and Youth Safe Standards will automatically mean a substantial resourcing commitment from organisations that have to comply.
True
In fact, the statement is false.
The Child and Youth Safe Standards are designed to be principle-based. This means organisations can put them into practice in a variety of ways.
False
Well done, you chose the correct answer.
The Child and Youth Safe Standards are designed to be principle-based. This means organisations can comply with them in a variety of ways.
2. The Independent Regulator that oversees the Child and Youth Safe Standards will develop the policies and procedures for organisations to follow in order to meet the Standards.
True
In fact, the statement is false.
While the Independent Regulator may provide tools and guidance, every organisation required to comply with the Child and Youth Safe Standards will develop their own policies and procedures, with a view to ensuring they make sense for that particular organisation and its way of working.
False
Well done, you chose the correct answer.
Every organisation required to comply with the Child and Youth Safe Standards will develop their own policies and procedures, with a view to ensuring they make sense for that particular organisation and its way of working.
The Independent Regulator may provide tools and guidance to support this.
3. The Child and Youth Safe Standards will come with minimum requirements, compliance indicators and clear actions organisations can take to be compliant.
True
Well done, you chose the correct answer.
Organisations will be able to access compliance guidance that specifies what they need to do to comply with the Child and Youth Safe Standards.
The best way to get notified when this guidance is available is to sign up for our newsletter.
To subscribe:
- Go to the subscription webpage
- Fill in your details
- Check the box that says ‘Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework’.
False
In fact, the statement is true.
Organisations will be able to access compliance guidance that specifies what they need to do to comply with the Child and Youth Safe Standards.
The best way to get notified when this guidance is available is to sign up for our newsletter.
To subscribe:
- Go to the subscription webpage
- Fill in your details
- Check the box that says ‘Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework’.
4. To be a child safe organisation, an organisation only needs to review their policies and procedures once a year.
True
In fact, the statement is false.
A child safe organisation is one that creates a culture, adopts strategies and regularly reviews their policies and procedures to prevent harm to children and young people.
False
Well done, you chose the correct answer.
A child safe organisation is one that creates a culture, adopts strategies and regularly reviews their policies and procedures to prevent harm to children and young people.
5. The Universal Principle is a separate Standard and has separate compliance indicators that do not relate to the other 10.
True
In fact, the statement is false.
The Universal Principle is embedded in each of the Child and Youth Safe Standards.
This means that each Standard will have indicators of compliance reflecting the Universal Principle.
The best way to get notified when this guidance is available is to sign up for our newsletter.
To subscribe:
- Go to the subscription webpage
- Fill in your details
- Check the box that says ‘Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework’.
False
Well done, you chose the correct answer.
The Universal Principle is embedded in each of the Child and Youth Safe Standards.
This means that each Standard will have indicators of compliance reflecting the Universal Principle.
The best way to get notified when this guidance is available is to sign up for our newsletter.
To subscribe:
- Go to the subscription webpage
- Fill in your details
- Check the box that says ‘Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework’.
Seeking help?
We encourage anyone affected by, or with concerns about, child sexual abuse or other types of child abuse to access advice and support.
National:
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For domestic, family, and sexual violence counselling and support, contact
1800RESPECT:- Phone: 1800 737 732
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For short-term support if you are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping or staying safe, contact Lifeline:
- Phone: 13 11 14
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For free professional phone and online counselling for anyone affected by suicide living in Australia, contact Suicide Call Back Service:
- Phone: 1300 659 467
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For information and support for anxiety, depression and suicide prevention for everyone in Australia, contact Beyond Blue:
- Phone: 1300 224 636
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For information and support for anyone who is affected by complex trauma, contact
Blue Knot Foundation:- Phone: 1300 657 380
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For counselling and support for Australian men, contact MensLine Australia:
- Phone: 1300 789 978
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For advice for men about family violence, contact Men's Referral Service:
- Phone: 1300 766 491
- Phone: 1800 55 1800
Tasmania:
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For information about child wellbeing and safety, contact
Strong Families, Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line:- Phone: 1800 000 123
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For free and confidential support for people who have been affected by sexual violence, contact the Tasmanian Sexual Assault Support Line (24 hour response state-wide):
- Phone: 1800 697 877
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For information and support for children, young people and adults affected by family violence, contact
Family Violence Counselling and Support Service:- Phone: 1800 608 122
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For free and confidential support for people impacted by crime, contact
Victims of Crime Service:- Phone: 1300 300 238
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For support for relationships and to live positive lives, contact
Relationships Australia Tasmania:- Phone: 1300 364 277