At Our Lady Star of the Sea School, the care, safety, and wellbeing of every child and young person is our central and fundamental responsibility. Our deep commitment is rooted in the teaching and mission of Jesus Christ, placing love, justice, and the sanctity of each human person at the heart of the Gospel, as articulated in the CECV Commitment Statement to Child Safety.

Every student enrolled with us has the right to feel safe and be safe. The safety and wellbeing of children in our care will always be our first priority; we do not and will not tolerate child abuse. Our aim is to create a child-safe and child-friendly environment where children are truly free to enjoy their lives to the full, without any concern for their safety.

This profound commitment guides everything we do, from our daily interactions to our comprehensive policies. It is underpinned by the 11 Victorian Child Safe Standards, which are integrated into our operations to ensure the highest level of protection for our students.

Our commitment to our students

• We commit to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people enrolled in our school.
• We commit to providing children and young people with positive and nurturing experiences.
• We commit to listening to children and young people, and empowering them by ensuring that they understand their rights (including to safety, information and participation), and by taking their views seriously and addressing any concerns that they raise with us.
• We commit to taking action to ensure that children and young people are protected from abuse or harm.
• We commit to ensuring that the needs of all children and young people enrolled in our school are met, including those who are most vulnerable.
• We commit to recognising the importance of friendships and to encouraging support from peers, to help children and students feel safe and less isolated.
• We commit to developing a culture that facilitates and provides opportunities for children and student participation, and that strengthens the confidence and engagement of children and students by being responsive to their input.
• We commit to teaching children and young people the necessary skills and knowledge to understand and maintain their personal safety and wellbeing.
• We commit to seeking input and feedback from students regarding the creation of a safe school environment.

Our commitment to parents, guardians and carers

• We commit to communicating honestly and openly with parents, guardians and carers about the wellbeing and safety of their children.
• We commit to engaging with, and listening to, the views of parents, guardians and carers about our child safety and wellbeing practice, policies and procedures.
• We commit to transparency in our decision-making with parents, guardians and carers where it will not compromise the safety of children or young people.
• We commit to open engagement and communication with parents, guardians and carers about our child safe approach and our operations and governance related to child safety and wellbeing.
• We commit to ensuring that relevant information relating to child safety and wellbeing is accessible to parents, guardians and carers.
• We commit to acknowledging the cultural diversity of students and families, and being sensitive to how this may impact on student safety issues.
• We commit to continuously reviewing and improving our systems to protect children from abuse.

Our Responsibilities & The Victorian Child Safe Standards:

"Everyone employed or volunteering at Our Lady Star of the Sea School has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play individually and collectively to ensure a child safe culture in which the wellbeing and safety of all students is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make." (CECV Commitment Statement to Child Safety).

This collective responsibility is guided by the Child Safe Standards, which are embedded throughout our school's operations:

1. Cultivating a Child Safe Culture: Our leadership actively champions child safety, fostering an open and accountable culture where protecting children is everyone's shared responsibility.
2. Child Safety in Policies and Procedures: We have clear, comprehensive child safety policies and procedures that are regularly updated, easily accessible, and understood by all staff, volunteers, and our school community.
3. Codes of Conduct: We maintain rigorous Codes of Conduct that set clear expectations for appropriate behaviour for all staff, volunteers, and school community members when interacting with children.
4. Human Resources Practices: Our recruitment and screening processes are thorough, including police checks, reference verification, and ongoing monitoring, to ensure that only suitable individuals work with our students.
5. Responding to Concerns and Complaints: We have transparent and well-communicated processes for responding to, reporting, and managing any child safety concerns or disclosures, ensuring that swift and appropriate action is always taken.
6. Engaging Families and Communities: We actively involve families and the wider community in our child safety efforts, valuing their input and promoting their partnership in keeping children safe.
7. Complaints and Feedback Mechanisms: We provide accessible, child-friendly, and culturally sensitive avenues for children, families, and staff to raise complaints or offer feedback, ensuring all voices are heard and taken seriously.
8. Staff and Volunteer Training: All staff and relevant volunteers receive regular, comprehensive training on child safety, equipping them to identify risks, respond to disclosures, and understand their reporting obligations.
9. Safe Physical and Online Environments: We maintain safe physical environments within our school grounds and provide education on online safety, ensuring all spaces where children learn, play, and interact are secure.
10. Continuous Improvement and Review: We are committed to ongoing review and evaluation of our child safety policies, procedures, and practices to ensure their effectiveness and identify areas for continuous improvement.
11. Addressing Diverse Needs: We actively promote the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, and ensure a safe environment for children with a disability, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. We recognise that some children may face additional vulnerabilities and tailor our approach accordingly.

Should you ever have any questions or concerns regarding child safety, please do not hesitate to contact me, Paul Anderson, Student Wellbeing Leader (panderson@staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au), Kerryn Sells (ksells@staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au) or the school office.

Policies to support the Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order No. 1359

Our Lady Star of the Sea, assisted by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) have  the following policies in place.  These policies are published on our School Website. 

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Child Safety Code of Conduct
• Engaging Families in Child Safety Policy
• Protect : Identifying and Responding to Abuse - Reporting Obligations