School Community

Code  of

Conduct

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Date of draft policy: October 2016

Date of ratified policy:

 Review: 

Lumen Christi Vision

            We, the staff, parents and students of Lumen Christi, are a gospel-centred learning community who live out the teachings of Jesus Christ – giving witness to the reign of God present in our world.

We strive at all times to create and support meaningful relationships in a safe, welcoming and inclusive community.

We value the need to live in right relationship with the whole of God’s creation, and with our environment.

We believe in and are dedicated to developing and nurturing a sense of curiosity, and life-long learning.

We value, recognise and celebrate the power of our Catholic stories, traditions and rituals as a means of energising our actions and transforming the world.

We are challenged and inspired at all times to “Let Your Light Shine

Statement of Commitment

At Lumen Christi we hold the care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people as a central and fundamental responsibility of our school. Our commitment is drawn from and inherent in the teaching and mission of Jesus Christ, with love, justice and the sanctity of each human person at the heart of the gospel (CECV Commitment Statement to Child Safety).

Purpose

This School Community Code of Conduct has a specific focus on safeguarding children and young people at Lumen Christi Catholic Primary School against sexual, physical, psychological and emotional abuse or neglect. It is intended to complement other professional and/or occupational codes.

All staff, visitors, volunteers, contractors and clergy at Lumen Christi Catholic Primary School are expected to actively contribute to a school culture that respects the dignity of its members and affirms the Gospel values of love, care for others, compassion and justice. They are required to observe child safe principles and expectations for appropriate behaviour towards and in the company of children, as noted below.

Acceptable Behaviours

All visitors, volunteers and contractors at Lumen Christi are responsible for supporting the safety of children by:

  • upholding the Lumen Christi Statement of Commitment to Child Safety at all times
  • taking all reasonable steps to protect children from abuse
  • treating everyone in the school community with respect
  • promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (for example, by never questioning an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child’s self-identification)
  • promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of children with culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds (for example, by having a zero tolerance of discrimination)
  • promoting the safety, participation and empowerment of children with a disability (for example, during personal care activities)
  • ensuring that adults are not alone with a child
  • reporting any child safety concerns or allegations to the school’s leadership and Student Wellbeing Team

Unacceptable Behaviours

All visitors, volunteers and contractors an at Lumen Christi must not:

  • develop any ‘special’ relationships with children that could be seen as favouritism (for example, the offering of gifts or special treatment for specific children)
  • exhibit behaviours with children which may be construed as unnecessarily physical (for example inappropriate sitting on laps)
  • put children at risk of abuse (for example, by locking doors or having all windows covered)
  • initiate unnecessary physical contact with children or do things of a personal nature that a child can do for themselves, such as toileting or changing clothes
  • engage in open discussions of a mature or adult nature in the presence of children (for example, personal social activities)
  • use inappropriate language in the presence of children
  • express personal views on cultures, race or sexuality in the presence of children
  • discriminate against any child, including because of age, gender, race, culture, vulnerability, sexuality, ethnicity or disability
  • exchange personal contact details with a child such as phone number, social networking sites or email addresses
  • photograph or video a child without the consent of the parent or guardians
  • work with or near children whilst under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs
  • consume alcohol or illegal drugs at school or at school events in the presence of children.

I, ______________________________________, confirm I have been provided with a copy of the above School Community Code of Conduct.

Signed: ___________________________________        Date: ________________

Definitions

A full list of definitions for Ministerial Order No. 870 is available at www.vrqa.vic.gov.au/childsafe.

Child abuse includes any act committed against a child involving—

  • a sexual offence or
  • an offence under section 49B(2) of the Crimes Act 1958 (grooming)
  • the infliction, on a child, of—
  • physical violence or
  • serious emotional or psychological harm
  • serious neglect of a child.

Child-connected work means work authorised by the school governing authority and performed by an adult in a school environment while children are present or reasonably expected to be present.

Child safety encompasses matters related to protecting all children from child abuse, managing the risk of child abuse, providing support to a child at risk of child abuse, and responding to incidents or allegations of child abuse.

School environment means any physical or virtual place made available or authorised by the school governing authority for use by a child during or outside school hours, including:

  • a campus of the school
  • online school environments (including email and intranet systems)
  • other locations provided by the school for a child’s use (including, without limitation,
  • locations used for school camps, sporting events, excursions, competitions, and other events).

School staff means an individual working in a school environment who is:

  • directly engaged or employed by a school governing authority
  • a volunteer or a contracted service provider (whether or not a body corporate or any other person is an intermediary)
  • a minister of religion[1].
  • School governing authority means:
  • the proprietor of a school, including a person authorised to act for or on behalf of the proprietor; or
  • the governing body for a school (however described), as authorised by the proprietor of a school or the ETR Act; or
  • the principal, as authorised by the proprietor of a school, the school governing body, or the ETR Act.

Resources

[1] minister of religion has the same meaning as in the Working with Children Act 2005.