Adopting and applying the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations

All schools are required to apply a set of guiding principles when carrying out duties under the Education Act 2015.

These principles are set out in section 4 of the Act.

From 2 January 2024, a new principle was included in the Act with the aim of strengthening the requirement for all schools to provide a child-safe environment.

Both government and non-government schools must adopt and apply the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

The national principles are based on the 10 child safe standards recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

To read the standards and for information and resources, go to the Child Safe website.

To read the Department of Education’s Child safe policy, go to Student health, safety, wellbeing and behaviour.