Child Safety and Wellbeing Summary Policy

Summary #

1. Rehoboth Christian College’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy implements, and is to be read and understood in conjunction with, the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations published by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
2. This Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy, which includes our Statement of Commitment to Child Safety and Wellbeing, has been approved and endorsed by the Board.
3. This Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy is published on our public website and provided to staff and direct contact volunteers at induction.
4. We take our faith basis and the Biblical principles underlining child safety and wellbeing seriously. These are fundamental to the identity and character of the College. This Christian worldview informs all aspects of governance, operations, teaching, and learning at all year levels and in age-appropriate ways. Board, staff, parents, and volunteers are expected to maintain this approach as a condition of appointment or enrolment and to encourage this approach in students.
5. The College’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy applies to all adults in the College community, including staff, volunteers, contractors, external education providers, parents, and other family and community members. It applies in all College environments, both physical and online, as well as onsite and offsite College ground (e.g. camps and excursions)
6. A breach of this policy will instigate a review that may result in a range of measures including (depending on the severity of the breach):
   1.  remedial education
   2. counselling
   3. increased supervision
   4. the restriction of duties
   5. suspension
   6. in the case of serious breaches, termination of employment, contract, or engagement.

Purpose #

1. Our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy, which includes our Statement of Commitment to Child Safety and Wellbeing and Biblical Rationale for Child Safety and Wellbeing, was written to demonstrate the strong commitment of the College to child safety, and to provide an outline of the policies and practices that we have developed to keep our students safe, including from abuse or other harm.
2. It is an overarching policy that provides the key elements of our approach to the College as a child safe organisation and sets the tone for the College’s entire Child Safe Program.
3. The Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy provides the framework for:
   1.  the implementation of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
   2. the development of work systems, practices, policies, and procedures that promote child protection, safety, and wellbeing within the College
   3. the creation of a safe and supportive College environment and a positive and robust child safe culture
   4. the promotion and open discussion of child safety issues within the College, and
   5. compliance with all laws, regulations, and standards relevant to child protection and child safety in WA.

A Biblical Rationale for Child Safety and Wellbeing #

1. We believe that children are made in God’s image (Gen 1:27) and are a gift from Him (Ps 127:3). The teaching of the Lord Jesus (Matt 18:1-14) makes clear the value of children to Him and the seriousness of causing children to stumble. As a community of His followers, we seek to take this teaching seriously. Children are therefore due the dignity and respect that this entails and have the right to be protected from abuse and harm.
2. Jesus Christ further qualified this when He taught that not only our actions but even our thoughts must be obedient to Him (Matt 5:21-22, Matt 5:27-28). We seek to obediently follow God’s commands and imitate Christ both in thought and action.
3. Abuse of any kind involves an individual taking advantage of another who is vulnerable or powerless. Throughout the Bible, God condemns such action, calling us instead to protect the vulnerable and serve those in need (Is 1:17, Is 25:4, Prov 31:8-9, Matt 25:40, James 1:27).
4. As staff attempt to imitate Jesus Christ (Eph 5:1-2), particularly in their dealings with students, so too are students encouraged to be Christlike and become His disciples. Part of such discipline involves, among other things, genuine respect for authority and a willingness to care forthose set over them in authority. The qualities of commitment, reliability, trustworthiness, and care for each other are to be emphasised within College culture.

Statement of Commitment to Child Safety and Wellbeing #

1. We are committed to the Biblical principles for child safety and wellbeing that are outlined above. These principles are central to our child safe culture.
2. We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of all students who come to Rehoboth. We are committed to providing a child safe and child friendly environment, where students are safe, feel safe, and are able to actively participate in decisions that affect their lives.
3. We have zero tolerance for child abuse, grooming, and other harm. We are committed to acting inthe best interests of students and keeping them safe from harm.
4. Because we believe that children are created by God, we understand that they are precious in His sight and loved and valued by Him. From that, it follows that their voice will not be ignored; on the contrary, their expression, whether positive or negative, will be listened to. This is particularly so in any matter affecting their safety and welfare.
5. The College regards its child safe responsibilities with the utmost importance and is committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child protection laws and regulations and maintaining a child safe culture. The safety and wellbeing of students is central to our planning and decision-making processes.
6. Each member of the College community has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role that they play individually, and collectively, to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all students is at the forefront of all that they do, and every decision that they make. We expect all persons and organisations who partner with us – including staff, parents, volunteers, students, visitors, and contractors – to uphold this statement of commitment.
7. The College’s Statement of Commitment to Child Safety has been designed to reflect the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

Child Safe Principles and Standards #

National Principles for Child Safe Organisations #

1. The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (National Principles) were developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission in response to recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The National Principles are comprised of ten principles that were informed by, but go further than, the ten Child Safe Standards recommended by the Royal Commission. They are described in the diagram above.
2. We will maintain a rigorous Child Safe Program that:
   1. embeds a Biblical rationale for child safety and wellbeing and the National Principles
   2. holds all stakeholders accountable, and
   3. will be publicly available via the College’s website.
3. A perspective on the National Principles informed by the College’s faith basis and values will be embedded across all policies and procedures.
4. The safety and wellbeing of students must be at the forefront of all planning, decision-making, and activities undertaken by all stakeholders. Every person involved at the College has a responsibility to understand the important role they play in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students.
5. We will maintain codes of conduct for all stakeholders that outline behavioural standards and responsibilities, with attention to child safety.
6. All stakeholders understand their obligations and responsibilities under the College’s Privacy Policy.
7. We will cooperate in the Multi-Agency Protocol for Education Options for Young People Charged with Harmful Sexual Behaviours. Where such enrolments arise, the College will implement a risk assessment and management plan for these students.

Children and Young People's Rights to Safety, Information, and Participation #

1. Children are created by God and loved and valued by Him. From that, it follows that their voice will not be ignored; on the contrary, their expression, whether positive or negative, will be listened to. This is particularly so in any matter affecting their safety and wellbeing.
2. We recognise the authority of a teacher over a student as a Biblical principle (Lk 6:40), where the aim is for the teacher to fully equip and effectively nurture the student. This view recognises that such authority is entrusted to us by God and that we must ultimately give an account to Him. It is the role of staff to lead students to become like Jesus Christ in their behaviour, personal development, and relationships with others.
3. We aim to inform all students within the first week of Term 1 each year of the Child Safe Program and its elements. The information will be available via class pages within the Learning Management System alongside a mechanism for students to report incidents or concerns.
4. We will, as part of our cycle of community satisfaction surveys, ask students for feedback on our child safe policies and practices.
5. Rehoboth Christian College is a child-safe organisation. Our environments are friendly and welcoming to all students.
6. We seek to include students in decisions that affect them. This includes decisions about organisational planning, delivery of services, management of facilities, and classroom learning and assessment environments.
7. We aim to ensure students know about their rights to safety, information, and participation. We recognise the importance of friendships and support from peers. We actively seek to understand what makes students feel safe in our organisation and aim to regularly communicate with students about what they can do if they feel unsafe.
8. Teachers aim to engage students in the development of a set of class norms and expectations at the beginning of each academic year. These should take the Child Safe Codes of Conduct into consideration, outline a commitment to respect and service, and cover the roles and responsibilities of students and teachers in an age-appropriate manner.
9. We will maintain an appropriate Protective Behaviours Program that aims to educate students on their rights, safety issues, risk identification, and identifying trusted adults and friends.

Parents, Families, and Community Involvement at the College #

1. The College recognises that parents have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of their children. Rehoboth exists to help parents meet this responsibility. In partnership with parents, we will seek to promote a Christ-centred culture where children and families are highly valued. We aim to ensure parents can participate in decisions affecting their children.
2. The College is governed by a Board elected from Members of the Association for Christian Education. Members of the Association are, in the main, parents with children enrolled at Rehoboth. As such, the College, including its staffing, educational programs, policies, and procedures, has parent oversight.
3. We ensure families and relevant communities know about the College’s operations and policies, including its Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and Child Safe Codes of Conduct, record keeping practices, risk management, and complaints and investigation processes.
4. We seek to include families and relevant communities in decisions about organisational planning, delivery of services, management of facilities, and classroom learning and assessment environments.
5. We aim to build cultural safety at the College through partnerships with relevant communities.
6. We aim to inform all parents before the commencement of Term 1 each year of the Child Safe Program and its elements and aim to reiterate this at the beginning of each Term via appropriate communication channels.
7. We will, as part of our cycle of community satisfaction surveys, ask parents for feedback on ourchild safe policies and practices.
8. Parents are encouraged to contact us at any time with questions, concerns, or feedback on any aspect of the Child Safe Program, our implementation of the National Principles, or any other matter related to child safety.