Child Safety

Victoria University Secondary College is committed to providing a child safe and child friendly environment, where students are safe and feel safe.

Child Safe Standards

Our child safety and wellbeing policies outline the measures and strategies we have in place to support, promote and maintain the safety and wellbeing of our students:

  • Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
  • Child Safety Code of Conduct 
  • Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures

All of these child safety documents can be found on this page under Related Documents. 

Several other school policies relating to child safety and wellbeing can be found here.

As valuable partners in promoting and maintaining child safety and wellbeing at VUSC, we welcome and encourage your feedback. 

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions in relation to our child safe policies and practices, please contact your campus and speak to the Campus Principal.

The Child Safe Standards are:

  • Standard 1: Aboriginal cultural safety
  • Standard 2: School leadership, governance and culture
  • Standard 3: Children are safe, informed and actively participate
  • Standard 4: Family engagement
  • Standard 5: Equity and diverse needs
  • Standard 6: Suitable staff and volunteers
  • Standard 7: Complaints processes
  • Standard 8: Child safety knowledge, skills and awareness
  • Standard 9: Physical and online environments
  • Standard 10: Review of child safety practices
  • Standard 11: Implementation of child safety practices

More details on the Victorian Government’s Child Safe Standards can be found on the PROTECT website. 

 

Preventing and Addressing Racism in Schools

 
Racism is not tolerated at VUSC

VUSC is committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment where racism is not tolerated. Racism harms students’ mental health, learning and sense of belonging. We celebrate the diversity of cultures, ethnicities and faiths of all our students. It is up to all of us at VUSC to make our school a place that is free of racism and where everyone feels respected and can learn in a safe and inclusive environment.

What VUSC is doing to prevent racism

Our school follows the Department of Education’s Preventing and Addressing Racism in Schools Policy. We are building a culturally safe school with inclusive learning for everyone by working with staff, students, families, carers and communities. We will:

  • provide programs that teach about and celebrate diversity, inclusion and the impact of racism to build understanding and empathy
  • use practices that support all students to thrive
  • implement anti-racism efforts to prevent and address racism effectively
  • make sure everyone feels safe, with clear and accessible pathways to report racism
  • consistently and explicitly teach all students about our school values and School Wide Positive Behaviour Support model.
What to do if your child experiences or witnesses racism at school

If your child experiences or witnesses racism or religious discrimination at school, please let us know. You can tell your child’s Teacher, Year Level Coordinator, School Leader or Campus Principal. 

Report Racism hotline

If you don’t feel comfortable reporting racism to school, or you are not happy with the school’s response, you can report racism to:

For additional support following an incident of racism:

For more information about how to report racism to the school, and to get information in community languages, visit this website: Report racism or religious discrimination in schools.

If you need an interpreter to call the school, please use the details available at: Guide for Families: How to use an interpreter to contact your school.

How VUSC will respond to racism

When you report a racist incident, our school will:

  • take your report seriously and act quickly
  • give you ongoing support
  • investigate and respond safely and appropriately
  • keep you informed, while respecting privacy
  • review the incident to help avoid it from happening again.