MANDATORY REPORTING POLICY
1.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Camberwell Grammar School (“School”) has developed this policy to define the roles and responsibilities of School staff in protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and to enable staff to: • • •
2.
identify the indicators where a child or young person may need protection make a report on a child or young person who may need protection comply with reporting obligations under child protection law and criminal law.
BODY OF POLICY The School: • • • •
3.
has zero-tolerance for child abuse actively works to listen to and empower students has systems to protect students from abuse, and will take all allegations and concerns seriously and respond to them consistently in line with the School's policies and procedures is committed to promoting cultural safety and a safe environment for all students, including those: o of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage; o from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds; o with a disability; o who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and/or queer (LGBTIQ+); and o who are vulnerable or from a disadvantaged background.
APPLICATION Under legislation, certain people working at and for the School are deemed Mandatory Reporters. These include: •
Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registered teachers, including Headmaster
•
Early childhood workers
•
Staff who have been granted permission to teach by the VIT
•
Registered doctors and nurses
•
Registered psychologists
•
School counsellors, which means a person who works (other than on a voluntary basis) to provide direct support to school students
•
People in religious ministry.
This policy applies to not only Mandatory Reporters but all School staff, volunteers, contractors and any other members of the School community (collectively known as “Staff”). 4.
IMPLEMENTATION 4.1.
Duty of care
Staff have a duty of care to protect the safety, health and wellbeing of students in their care. If a Staff member has concerns about the safety, health and wellbeing of a student in their care it is important to take immediate action. Anyone who believes, on reasonable grounds, that the safety of a student is at risk, must notify one of the School’s Child Safety Officers or the Headmaster of their concerns and the reasons for those concerns.
Document Owner: Version: Title: Reference Number:
Deputy Head 7 Mandatory Reporting STW-POL-002
Last Approved: Approved: Next Review: Page:
March 2020 June 2022 June 2024 1 of 5