Safeguarding Standard #10: Policies & Procedure support the Safety of Children & Adults

​​

​The National Catholic Safeguarding Standards require action and commitment from each of us to create safe learning environments for our students.

Each month we will focus on one of the 10 Standards, providing information on their meaning and criteria for implementation as well as highlighting successes across BCE in embedding the Standards in the work we do every day.

This month we're starting the countdown at standard 10 – policies and procedures that support the safety of children and adults. This standard highlights the importance of how our policies and procedures outline and document how BCE is creating a thriving and safe place for students.

Did you know that BCE has 28 policies and 122 procedures?

To understand this standard more and how our policies and procedures are used throughout organisations we spoke to students, parents and staff.

Student Voice

Year 11 student Louie said his school recently showed him a flowchart that outlined the approach to managing and resolving complaints from students, parents and guardians.

“Policies and procedures become easier to understand when it is consistently communicated, readily and publicly accessible across multiple modes and contains child-friendly language with consideration of diverse backgrounds and abilities," he said.

“Safeguarding policies and procedures should be designed to empower students and informing students that their safety is the priority. We should continue to recognise students as the direct consumers of our education system."

Parent Voice

Parent of a Year 2 and 5 students, Nadia, said she was most familiar with policies around bullying, behaviour management, technology and device use and homework.

She said she finds it useful that her school's newsletters refer to them, they're easily available on the website and her school visually displays its safeguarding commitment in the office.

“Policies and Procedures are easy to understand when they are openly talked about and referred to with all stakeholder groups, taking the time to explain in a way that is easily understood by the target audience.

Staff Voice

BCE Manager of Policy, Performance and Improvement Dr Doug Magendanz said our policies and procedures keep students safe by setting down the mandatory rules and processes that employees, students, and parents must follow.

“Often those rules express BCE's legislative obligations, but also BCE's mission, vision, and values. Policies and procedures communicate model conduct and model processes that are explicitly designed to mitigate harm.


To learn more about the 10 National Catholic Safeguarding Standards visit Safeguarding (bne.catholic.edu.au).​

Top stories