A child safe policy sets out the steps your organisation takes to promote the safety and wellbeing of children who engage with your services.
A child safe policy must meet minimum South Australian legal requirements and align with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisation.
A child safe policy can be:
- a single document or
- form part of a broader policy and procedure framework for larger organisations.
Who needs a child safe policy
You need a child safe policy if your organisation:
- provides services to children
- employs paid and unpaid workers who provide services to children
- is a sole trader providing services to children
- is required to meet child safe environment compliance requirements.
How does a child safe policy help your organisation
A child safe policy helps an organisation clearly demonstrate its commitment to the safety and wellbeing of children.
Your policy should:
- set clear expectations for all paid and unpaid workers
- support appropriate responses to concerns
- help meet legal and child safe environment requirements while building trust with children, families and the community.
How to create a child safe policy
You must understand the South Australian legal and policy requirements your organisation must meet before drafting your child safe policy.
Your policy will need to demonstrate how your organisation:
- reflects South Australian child safety legislation
- includes working with children check (WWCC) requirements in line with the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016
- mandatory reporting obligations, including:
- when a report is required
- who must make a report
- how to make a report – for example, to the Child Abuse Report Line on 13 14 78.
- aligns to the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
Understanding these obligations will help ensure your policy is compliant and fit for purpose.
Legal requirements and mandatory reporting resources
Your child safe policy should reflect your organisation’s:
- size, structure and resources
- services or activities you provide to children
- risks relevant to your organisation and programs.
It should clearly explain:
- expected standards of behaviour of workers
- how risks of harm are identified and reduced
- how concerns and reports are handled
- roles and responsibilities, including mandatory reporting where required.
Use our child safe policy guide and resources to draft your policy
For a full list of what to include and how to write your policy, access our guide to writing a child safe policy.
Use our policy templates and resources to get started.
Once developed, your policy should be approved through your organisation’s approval process.
Your policy should help workers:
- understand the organisation’s child safe culture
- understand their own role in keeping children safe
- know what to do if they have a concern.
Make sure the approved policy is:
- communicated to workers
- shared in an appropriate way with children
- available to families, carers and other relevant persons.
You may need to submit a Child Safe Compliance (CSC) statement
Some organisations must submit a Child Safe Compliance (CSC) statement.
Check if you need to submit a CSC statement and how to do it
Reviewing and updating your child safe policy
You must review your child safe policies and procedures at least once every 5 years.
When reviewing your policy, make sure it includes all required information. Use our guide to write or review your child safe policy.
If your review results in changes to your policy, you must submit a new Child Safe Compliance (CSC) statement. This is required by law.
Get help
If you need help creating a child safe policy, contact the Child Safe Environments team.
Phone 1800 371 113
Email dhs.childsafe@sa.gov.au
Guide to writing or reviewing your child safe policy
Find clear guidance on how to write or review a Child Safe Policy that meets South Australian legal requirements and National Principles.
Child Safe Policy – templates and guidelines
Access guidance, templates and tools to support child safe environments and develop a child safe policy that meets legal requirements.