The Child and Youth Safe Standards (the Standards) are 10 principles that form one part of the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework. Organisations that are required to comply must:
- promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people; and
- prevent abuse and harm to children and young people.
Tasmania's Standards mirror the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (National Principles) are high-level principles that set out a national approach to creating organisational cultures and practices that promote the safety and wellbeing of children in Australia.
If your organisation complies with the Tasmanian Standards, you will also comply the National Principles. However, complying with the National Principles alone does not mean you are complying with the Tasmanian Standards.
Some organisations that work across Australia may need to comply with child safe standards in other states, or both the National Principles and the Tasmanian Standards. If you’re not sure what your organisation needs to comply with, please contact us.
Organisations must also give effect to the Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety. This means organisations must provide an environment that ensures the right to cultural safety of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander children and young people is respected.
Click on the banners below to read more about each of the 10 Standards.
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.
Resources including compliance guidance are available to assist organisations in complying with the Standards.
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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 on our Wellbeing and support services page.