Important Information for this Fortnight
NEXT SCHOOL CLOSURES
Stronger Standards, safer children
Victoria’s Child Safe Standards are a set of mandatory requirements to protect children and young people from harm and abuse.
The Child Safe Standards (the Standards) commenced in Victoria in January 2016. After six years, we have seen how the Standards improve safety for children and young people.
Changes have been made to make the Standards even stronger. The new Child Safe Standards came into force on 1 July 2022 and organisations now need to comply with these new Standards.
The new Child Safe Standards
There are now 11 Standards, which include new requirements such as:
- involving families and communities in organisations’ efforts to keep children and young people safe
- a greater focus on safety for Aboriginal children and young people
- managing the risk of child abuse in online environments.
Victoria has over five years’ experience of mandatory Standards, so many organisations will already have well developed child safety frameworks. Most organisations will need to make some changes to comply with the new Standards.
The new Standards are outlined in the information sheet below.
- The 11 Child Safe Standards
- New Child Safe Standards Information Sheet (PDF, 146kb)
- New Child Safe Standards Information Sheet (Word, 132kb)
- Translated information sheets
What does this mean for Columba?
We are currently working very hard to ensure all our policies and procedures are inline with the new 11 Child Safe Standards. Over the next month, you will see
changes to our school web page, specifically our policies and Child Safe sections.
We are developing ways of being more culturally sensitive through the school and working to develop procedures that involve the community in the safety of our children
We have also appointed a new Child Safe Champion, Kate Muccignat. Kate is a brilliant prep teacher but one of many Columba staff who believe keeping our children safe should be the priority for all of us. We know that Kate will do an amazing job as another key part of the Columba Leadership Team.
For more information, please visit the Commission for Young People CHILD SAFE STANDARDS Website
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SCHOOL FEES & CONCESSIONS
Term 1 & Term 2 fees are now overdue, please ensure payment is made at your earliest convenience.
If any families would like to set up a weekly, fortnightly or monthly direct debit schedule for school fees. For any assistance regarding calculations of payments, please contact us via email on: finance@bunyip.catholic.edu.au.
For any families that have recently received a Government means-tested health care concession card, please forward a copy of your card to the office to check your eligibility, as a fee concession may apply. The card must be in the name of the parent/fee payer for a fee concession to apply.
If your current Health Care card is due to expire this year and your card is re-issued, please send a copy of your new card details to the office as soon as possible for the concession to be checked and applied for next year's fees, if not already done so.