NSW Child Safe Standards

At SDN, we are committed to implementing the Standards and to making SDN safer for children.

As of 1 February 2023, the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) has the power to take action to ensure any organisation that works with children legally complies with the 10 Child Safe Standards.

Under the new Child Safe Scheme, we must demonstrate our commitment to child safety by having child safe systems, policies and procedures based on the NSW Child Safe Standards.

These standards are similar to the National Principles, as they are also based on the work of the Royal Commission. They provide us with a framework to drive cultural change in our organisation so we can improve our child safe practices and prevent abuse from happening.

Being a Child Safe Organisation isn’t only for early childhood education services. Any organisation that works with children, including schools, sports clubs, dance schools, churches, and cultural groups, must prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children.

You can ask how other services and community organisations your child is involved with are keeping children safe at any time.

We believe all organisations working with children should be child safe, and we want to provide children with the child safe environment they deserve.

The NSW Child Safe Standards

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 diversity is 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.
10. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe.

Watch this video from the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian to learn about the Child Safe Scheme in NSW and why it is now law.

Click here to return to our Child Safe Organisation section