New Child Safe Standards for Schools: Information and support to help understand the new standards
The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) is Victoria’s education and training regulator. It is our responsibility to ensure Victorian schools meet the standards for registration and child safety.
This is important because the new Child Safe Standards came into effect on 1 July 2022.
These Standards are compulsory for schools, organisations or groups that work or volunteer with children up to the age of 18 in Victoria.
This matters to Victorian parents and carers of children because when your child is attending school or being cared for by an organisation, you want to know that they will be ok.
Whether they are playing sport, on an excursion, away at camp or boarding school, you have the right to expect that the adults looking after them will keep them safe.
The VRQA has released guidance to help schools understand the new Standards and what the VRQA will look for when assessing compliance.
Schools had already been meeting the previous Child Safe Standards since 2016, however the new standards have some additional requirements. They include a greater focus on:
- keeping Aboriginal children safe and celebrating their unique cultural identities
- involving parents, carers, families and communities in the school’s child safe policies and practices
- managing risk in online environments.
VRQA are encouraging schools, parents and carers to visit our website for more information:
The site features information tailored to:
- schools
- school boarding premises
- registered training organisations
- non-school and international education providers.
The Commission for Children and Young People also has a range of resources to help parents and carers.
The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority and the new Child Safe Standards
