Based on the Child Safe Principles recommended by Australia’s landmark Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the 2018 Child Safety Toolkit –
How to Create a Child Safe Organisation, is a straightforward and practical resource to ensure organisations understand mechanisms for the protection of children and compliance with the law.
Leading child safety agency Child Wise, together with training social enterprise Our Community and Victorian law firm Moores, are partnering to help educate not-for-profit organisations about their child safeguarding responsibilities, and will launch the toolkit at the Save the Children head office in Melbourne on Friday April 20th.
This toolkit considers current legislation and best practice advice, including that arising from the Royal Commission, which revealed the damage that can result when individuals and institutions fail in their responsibility to protect children.
The commission’s final report also highlighted the need for shared responsibility and collaboration in child safety across of all levels of society.
Child Wise executive director Jane French emphasised that everyone played an important role in eliminating child abuse in society.
“Now more than ever it is important that everyone understands their obligations to keep children safe,” Ms French said.
“Every organisation that interacts with children must now actively consider the findings of the Royal Commission and review their policies, procedures, and practices through the lens of child safety.
“We know institutions have failed to keep children safe in the past and as a community we must ensure that this won’t happen again.
“We are proud to be part of this partnership with Moores and Our Community to deliver this toolkit, ensuring more Australian organisations are safer for children.”
The 2018 Child Safety Toolkit will be launched by Australian Council for International Development president and chair Susan Pascoe AM, Paddle Against Child Abuse founder Damien Rider and Moores managing principal David Wells.
To seek support for your organisation to become child safe please contact Child Wise on (03) 9998 9906 or visit
https://www.childwise.org.au/.
About Child Wise:
Established in 1991, Child Wise is one of Australia’s leading not-for-profit child abuse prevention organisations. Child Wise works to build awareness, deliver education, and provide the tools to empower individuals and communities around Australia so they can actively prevent child abuse and exploitation.
Child Wise merged with Save the Children in December 2017 to achieve more in scale and impact for vulnerable children by working together.
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