Child Safe Standard 9 – Safe Spaces, Online and Onsite
Standard 9 is all about creating safe physical and online environments for children and young people—while respecting their rights to privacy, connection and learning.
What does this mean for staff?
- Actively spot and reduce risks in your work environment (including online).
- Always follow our Child Safe Code of Conduct—onsite and online.
- Build child safety into activities, spaces, and third-party services.
Next step:
Get in touch with our Child Safety Compliance Officer, Vafa Otia, to book a Child Safe Risk Assessment Workshop for your team. This will help you create the required child safe risk assessment and management plan addressing risks specific to your services.
Read Previous Child Safety and You Articles
Child Safe Standard 1 - Creating a Culturally Safe Environment for Aboriginal Children
Child Safe Standard 1 ensures Aboriginal children feel respected, valued, and safe.
Here's how your team can help:
- Learn the Reconciliation Action Plan: Familiarise yourselves with the Council’s Reconciliation Action Plan to understand how we respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
- Review Responding to Racism: Review the CCYP’s case study on handling racism and how to respond effectively. Understanding Cultural Safety CSS1 Guide - 11.1MB
- Hold a Team Discussion on Race: Use the Australian Human Rights Commission’s guide to start a meaningful conversation on race within your team.
Let’s create a culturally safe environment for all children.
Contact Child Safety Compliance Officer, Vafa Otia, for more information on the implementation of the Victorian Child Safe Standards within your department.
Child Safe Standard 2 - Embedding Child Safety in Our Culture
Recently, a Council staff member spotted a young child alone near a busy road. Without hesitation, they called the police and stayed with the child until help arrived. They then reported the incident to their coordinator, ensuring proper follow-up with the Child Safety Compliance Officer.
This is what a child-safe culture looks like- taking action and encouraging reporting.
To further strengthen our commitment, we’re re-introducing Child Safe Leadership Training, starting with Child Safe Risk Management Plan Training, to help leaders identify and prevent risks, ensuring every child and young person’s safety.
Contact Vafa Otia for more information on training for your department/unit or team.
Child Safe Standard 3 - Ensuring children and young people know their rights, have a voice and are involved in decisions affecting them
Child Safe Standard 3 ensures that children and young people know their rights, have a voice and are involved in decisions affecting them. By consulting them on local issues and services, we create a safer, more inclusive environment.
Engaging with young people requires a thoughtful approach, considering their unique perspectives and communication styles. To make sure their voices are heard, we create safe and welcoming spaces for active participation.
For guidance on engaging children and young people, reach out to:
- Robyn Alexander, Children’s Services: Prepare to engage with the Children’s Advisory Group, which meets monthly, to hear directly from young residents.
- Aishling Fagan, Youth and Family Services: Get support for consultation activities, feedback and youth engagement training tailored to your team.
Want to learn more? Check out the Commission for Children and Young People’s Empowerment and Participation Guide or contact Vafa Otia, Child Safety Compliance Officer for help with implementing Standard 3 in your department.
Child Safe Standard 4 - Engaging Families and Communities
If you are part of a team that provides services or programs to children and young people, try answering the following questions to reflect on whether your team can improve the way you keep families and the community informed on child safety and wellbeing:
- Do you use plain and simple English in your communications to families?
- Do you provide a contact officer for new families participating?
- Do you consider diverse circumstances, backgrounds and needs of families and communities?
- Do you provide Welcome Packs with information on the Council and its policies for new members?
- Do you seek feedback from families on preferred methods of communication?
- Do you use multiple channels to get the greatest reach?
If you answered yes to all these questions, you are doing great! Keep it up. If not, take a moment to consider what actions you can take to improve communication with families and the community.
Child Safe Standard 5 - Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice
Child Safe Standard 5 covers these key points:
- Understand Diversity - Recognize and support the unique needs of all children and young people, especially those who are vulnerable.
- Accessible Information - Ensure information and support are easy to understand and accessible to all children and young people.
- Focus on Specific Needs - Pay special attention to children and young people with disabilities, from diverse backgrounds, those unable to live at home and LGBTQIA+ children.
- Cultural Safety - Create a culturally safe environment for Aboriginal children and young people.
How you can meet the standard:
- Be inclusive: Look for ways to adapt services and environments—whether it’s physical access, communication tools or program flexibility—so every child and young person can participate.
- Keep it clear: Use plain child-friendly language and visual aids. Make complaints, feedback and support info easy to access.
- Make space for feedback: Create safe, simple ways for children and families to tell us what they need. Offer interpreters if needed. Involve children and families in policy development and review.
- Stand up: Discrimination is never okay. Call it out. Inclusion is everyone’s responsibility—especially ours.
- Training: Regularly train staff on cultural competency and the diverse needs of children and young people.
Be the reason a child or young person feels safe, seen, and supported. It starts with you.
Further information:
Visit the Commission for Children and Young People website for more information on Child Safe Standards.
Visit our website to view our Diversity, Access and Inclusion Policy.
Watch a TED Talk on the danger of a single story.
Read the Cultural Connections booklet on the Child Australia website.
Child Safe Standard 6 - People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice
At Greater Dandenong City Council, we’re committed to ensuring every child and young person is safe, no matter where they interact with us. That’s the heart of Child Safe Standard 6, which asks us to make sure the people who work with children are not only suitable but also supported.
This means we all have a role to play, not just those in direct care or education roles. Whether you’re in leadership, manage social media, access sensitive data, work in customer service or use Council’s public facilities—your role may still bring you into indirect contact with children or their information.
Having a valid Working with Children (WWC) Check is a great start and we encourage all staff and volunteers to get one. But it’s only one part of the puzzle.
To truly keep children safe, we also need strong recruitment and workplace practices. This means:
- Asking child safety-focused questions in interviews
- Conducting thorough reference checks
- Clearly outlining child safety responsibilities in position descriptions
- Providing meaningful inductions and ongoing supervision
Small actions, big impact:
- Raise child safety in team meetings and one-on-ones
- Make it part of onboarding and supervision conversations
- Encourage your team to speak up about concerns no matter how small
Let’s continue building a workplace culture where the safety and wellbeing of children and young people is everyone’s responsibility every day, in every role.
Child Safe Standard 7: Listening and Acting When Kids Speak Up
Keeping children safe starts with listening and responding.
Standard 7 makes it easy for children and young people to raise concerns safely, and ensures we respond with care, respect and action through a child-friendly complaints process.
- Make it easy – Kids should feel safe and confident to speak up.
- Take it seriously – Act quickly, without judgment.
- Keep them in the loop – Inform and involve the child every step of the way.
Your role matters. If something feels wrong or a child speaks up, don’t ignore it.
Help us keep kids informed. Make sure Child Safety Reporting Posters are displayed in Council facilities where children and families visit. Download these posters here:
Together, we can make sure every child feels safe, heard and supported.
Additional Resources:
Child Safe Standard 8 – Skills That Keep Kids Safe
Keeping children safe is everyone’s responsibility. It starts with making sure we all know what to do and feel confident to act.
Standard 8 is about making sure our staff and volunteers are trained and supported to follow our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy. This includes:
- Recognising indicators of child harm.
- Knowing what to do if you’re worried about a child or young person.
- Creating spaces where all children, including Aboriginal children and those from different backgrounds, feel respected, valued and safe.
Children thrive when they feel safe. By investing in ongoing education and support, we’re not just meeting compliance—we’re fostering a community where every child and young person can flourish.
Actions to take:
- Haven’t done the mandatory face to face First Nations Cultural Awareness Training? Request training via Pulse for the next session on 8 October 2025 or Contact Dani Gerresheim via email.
- Haven’t done your latest online child safety refresher? Now’s the perfect time! Complete Child Safety and Wellbeing Training via Pulse.
Contact Child Safety Compliance Officer, Vafa Otia, for more information on the implementation of the Victorian Child Safe Standards within your department.