Safeguarding for Local Government

Local government has a unique and critical role in
safeguarding children and young people.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was established in 2013 to examine institutional responses to child abuse. In 2017, it released 409 recommendations aimed at preventing abuse from occurring and providing support for survivors of abuse.

The Royal Commission recognised the important role that local governments play in building a community approach to child safety, as well as their own obligation to create and maintain child safe environments across council services and programs.

Our approach to child safety for Local Government

Safeguarding Central knows how to operationalise child safeguarding standards for local government. We take a structured approach to understanding existing strengths, building a road map to close any gaps, developing fit for purpose policy and procedures, and supporting workforce development and training.

Assess the Essentials

Local Government structure, divisions, systems and policies are operationally unique. It is important that child safeguarding policy settings are clearly embedded in local government functions and divisions, with clear understanding of roles and responsibilities.

It is also important to ensure that all other systems, programs and policies of local government - not just the areas that have direct engagement with children - align to Safeguarding Policy.

At this stage, the focus should be on ensuring the essentials are in place
and working together holistically to implement the Child Safeguarding Policy Settings.

Policy Development

A Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct anchors Local Government’s approach to child safeguarding. They should apply to all local government representatives including employees, volunteers and elected members.

As such, it is critical that the Policy and Code of Conduct clearly outline how Local Government safeguards children, including how it meets all 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and any State laws or regulations.

The Code(s) of Conduct for employees, volunteers and elected members must set clear expectations about prohibited conduct and expected behaviours, that are specific to the local government’s context, services, programs and community.

Improvement Planning

A child safe Local Government is committed to continually improving its approach to child safeguarding and keeping pace with the fast changing legislative and regulatory safeguarding environment.

Improvement plans are structured, sequenced road maps for implementing outcomes of assessments and supporting the full implementation policy and essential procedures. They help Local Government plan, budget, implement and monitor the implementation of child safeguarding priorities.

Improvement Plans make visible Local Government’s commitment to child safety as a long-term endeavour, rather than a short term, check box compliance process.

Workforce Development

A capable and confident workforce is critical to child safeguarding in local government. Employees, volunteers and elected members must understand their unique safeguarding roles and responsibilities.

This includes inducting the workforce and implementing partners (organisations that deliver services on behalf of the local government) into the Child Safeguarding Policy and Code(s) of Conduct. It also includes ongoing - usually annual - competency based training.

In addition, specialist training may be required for representatives that work directly with children (i.e. those in community, youth, recreation, library or swimming programs).

Child safeguarding is complex and it can be overwhelming.

Some of the questions we get asked by our local government clients include:

  • What is the difference between child safeguarding and child protection?

  • Should the Child Safeguarding Policy be a CEO or Council Policy?

  • Are existing systems for receiving customer and community feedback/complaints appropriate for child safeguarding?

  • Are existing systems for record keeping and information sharing appropriate for child safeguarding?

  • Is it reasonable to ask our employees to report child safeguarding concerns when they relate to the behaviour of their peers or even elected members?

  • What is the best way to consult or co-design policies and systems with children and young people?

  • Is it practical to be asking volunteers to meet the same child safeguarding standards as employees?

  • Is it practical to be asking contractors to meet the same child safeguarding standards as employees?

Local Governments are committed to ensuring they are child safe and supporting their communities to keep children safe.

Child Safe reforms also mean that local governments have new and expanding obligations to ensure they are creating environments that are safe for children.

These include the requirement to demonstrate that they have done everything possible to prevent harm or abuse to children across their operations, including - but not limited to having a Child Safe Policy that outlines how the Local Government meets all 10 National Principles.

Many Local Governments may also be in scope of their jurisdiction’s mandatory reporting legislation or reportable conduct schemes. This means that in addition to moral and ethical obligations to protect children, there are also legal requirements to put in place systems, policies and procedures that prevent abuse from occurring, enable children to raise concerns, and ensure appropriate responses.