Y NSW Welcomes new Child Safe Standards

The Y NSW applauds new legislation for Child Safe Standards, which provides a regulatory framework for organisations working directly with children. The new Child Safe Scheme applies to organisations in sport and recreation, early childhood education and care, education and out-of-home care providers.

“As the leader of an organisation that puts Child Safeguarding at the heart of everything we do, I welcome the Child Safe Standards and I am so proud that the Y already leads the way on applying these standards across our Children’s Services, our recreation and aquatic centres, at our camps and in our Youth & Community programs,” said Susannah Le Bron, Chief Executive Officer of the Y NSW. “The Y goes above and beyond on child safeguarding and nationally, we fund Y Safeguarding as a specific entity that focuses on child safeguarding consistently across Australia with our ‘Feel Safe, Be Safe Framework’. Our framework reflects the 10 standards.”

The Child Safe Standards will be introduced following the Child Safe Scheme Bill being passed by the NSW Parliament. The Hon. Alister Henskens, NSW Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services said: “The Child Safe Standards provide a framework for organisations to create and maintain child-safe cultures, operations and environments.”

The 10 Child Safe Standards are:

1. Child safety is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture;
2. Children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously;
3. Families and communities are informed and involved;
4. Equity is upheld and diverse needs are taken into account;
5. People working with children are suitable and supported;
6. Processes to respond to complaints of child abuse are child-focused;
7. Staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe through continual education and training;
8. Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur;
9. Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed and improved; and
10. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe.

“Child Safeguarding is adopted at the Y nationally, and is rigorously embedded in our leadership, our culture, policies and processes – it has been for some time and we are regularly asked to provide guidance on best practice for other organisations engaging with children and young people,” said Susannah Le Bron. “We welcome the Child Safe Standards because this means a great outcome for children, young people and family. A shared framework ensures that organisations can maintain regular dialogue, share best practice and innovation, and most importantly – ensure a consistent standard of safety and wellbeing is upheld for children in our care.”

The Y’s national position on Child Safeguarding can be read here, and the Y NSW commitment to Child Safeguarding can be read here.

For interviews with Y NSW CEO, Susannah Le Bron, contact Lyndal Stuart: 0456 773 680, lyndal.stuart@ymcansw.org.au