Draft Child Safe Policy

New laws and reforms have been passed in the Parliament of NSW to help protect children and young people, based on recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

A key outcome of the reforms has been the adoption in NSW of the ten Child Safe Standards, and subsequent legislation changes made by The Children's Guardian Amendment (Child Safe Scheme) Act that have triggered new responsibilities for all Council staff, volunteers and Councillors to protect and listen to their youngest residents and workers.

Council has developed a Draft Child Safe Policy and this was reported to Council at its Ordinary Meeting on Tuesday, 11 July 2023. The Draft Child Safe Policy is now on public exhibition until the close of business Wednesday 30 August, 2023. The Policy can be viewed under the Documents Tab on this page, or in person from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday at Council’s Administration Building, 366 George Street, Windsor.

Submissions can be made under the Survey Tab below, or in writing with reference Draft Child Safe Policy via mail to Hawkesbury City Council, PO Box 146, Windsor NSW 2756 or emailed to council@hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au until Wednesday 30 August, 2023.

The Draft Child Safe Policy is a demonstration of Council's leadership in keeping children safe and assists Council to meet its legislative requirements.

The Child Safe Standards are:

• Child safety is embedded in organisational leadership, governance, and culture
• Children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously
• Families and communities are informed and involved
• Equity is upheld and diverse needs are taken into account
• People working with children are suitable and supported
• Processes to respond to complaints of child abuse are child-focused
• Staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe through continual education and training
• Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur
• Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed and improved
• Policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe.

Should you lodge a submission, it will be considered, along with any other submissions received and may be included in Council’s meeting business paper. Your submission, including any personal information is accessible by any person upon written application, subject to Council’s Privacy Management Plan and the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. The inclusion of personal information in your submission is voluntary. The information will ultimately be stored in Council’s records system.