The Child Safe Standards

The Scheme includes ten Child Safe Standards (CSS, or Standards) to guide child safe practices in NSW. The Office of the Children's Guardian (OCG) has developed a Guide to the Standards which offers detailed guidance for creating cultures and adopting strategies that put the interests of children first and to keep them safe from harm.

The standards are:

1. child safety is embedded in organisation leadership, governance and culture
2. children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously
3. families and communities are informed and involved
4. equity is upheld and diverse needs are taken into account
5. people working with children are suitable and supported
6. processes to respond to complaints of child abuse (or other concerns) are child-focused
7. staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe, through continual education and training
8. physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse or other kinds of harm to occur
9. implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed and improved
10. policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe.

The Child Safe Standards must be adopted by organisations and people working with children in NSW who are covered by the Reportable Conduct Scheme (entities listed in Schedule 1 of the Children’s Guardian Act 2019) including those in the education, early childhood, health, community service and youth justice sectors. Additionally, local councils, religious, and recreational organisations that provide services to children must also implement the Standards.

The process of implementing the Child Safe Standards is ongoing. The OCG encourages agencies to become familiar with the Standards by providing resources and a self-assessment tool for organisations to identify ways to improve their child safe practices.