Child Safe Standards
Sunshine Christian School has zero tolerance for child abuse and is committed to the protection of all children from all forms of child abuse.
“In the Lutheran school the gospel is to inform all programs, relationships and activities” (LCA and Its Schools statement). The love of God in Jesus Christ is to govern all that is done, in response to this love, people in the school community are directed to their fellow human beings. Where they love others, they love him. Christ’s promise is that whatever is done for others is done for him. Informed and transformed by God’s creative, redemptive and sanctifying love, God’s people are concerned with the total needs of their fellow human beings (Industrial Relations and the Lutheran school).
The Child Safe program in place at Sunshine Christian School defines power as the capacity to set and care for boundaries. Boundaries are the structures which support human development within community; boundaries may be personal, communal, spiritual, psychological or physical. In Christ, there is an empowerment by the gospel to recognise boundaries and prevent their destructive crossing and to care for those who have been violated. Our responsibility of leadership is to care for professional boundaries through the establishment of structures that protect them. Structures provide for support, examination, and action to ensure that school leaders, staff and students act according to boundaries that help, protect and uphold the dignity, worth and safety of each individual. (Valuing Safe Communities: Statement of values)”
This Child Protection Program is made up of work systems, practices, policies and procedures designed to maintain a child safe environment and to embed an organisational culture of child safety within the School community. The Program deals specifically with child protection issues and is designed to ensure compliance with the Victorian Child Safe Standards and related child protection laws. Broader child safety issues arising from our common law duty of care are dealt with through our Student Duty of Care Program.
School governing authorities must take into account the diversity of all children, including (but not limited to) the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities and children who are vulnerable (schools only).
To create and maintain a child safe organisation, an entity to which the Child Safe Standards apply must have:
1 Strategies to embed an organisational culture of child safety.
2 A child safety policy or statement of commitment to child safety.
3 A child safety code of conduct.
4 School staff selection, supervision and management practices for a child-safe environment.
5 Procedures for responding to and reporting allegations of suspected child abuse.
6 Strategies to identify and reduce or remove risks of child abuse.
7 Strategies to promote child empowerment and participation.
Our Child Protection Officers are Mrs Melanie Truong, Ms Michelle Clarke and Mr Damian Pietsch. They can be contacted via phone on 03 9312 1253 or via email at brent.pelton@scs.vic.edu.au; mclarke@scs.vic.edu.au or principal@scs.vic.edu.au
Please find further information on the - Child First Website
Other resources:
Child Friendly Child Safe Policy
Responding to an Allegation of Child Abuse
National Child Abuse Helpline (Child Wise) - 1800 991 099
Kids Helpline - 1800 551 800
Create Foundation - 1800 655 105