Child Safety

Child Safe Awareness

The City of South Perth supports and values all children and young people. We've made a commitment to support the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people by embedding the National Principles for Child Safety within our organisational policies, practices and procedures.

National Principles for Child Safety

The National Principles are: 

  1. Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.

  2. Children and young people are informed about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

  3. Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

  4. Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.

  5. People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.

  6. Processes to respond to complaints and concerns are child focused.

  7. Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.

  8. Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.

  9. Implementation of the national child safe principles is regularly reviewed and improved.

  10. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.

Reportable Conduct Scheme

On 1 January 2023 a Reportable Conduct Scheme was established in Western Australia, overseen by the Ombudsman Western Australia. The Scheme compels all organisations that exercise care, supervision or authority over children to notify allegations of, or convictions for, child abuse by their employees to the Ombudsman; and then investigate these allegations.

Some of the specific measures undertaken by the City to create a child safe organisation are:

  • We undertake Working with Children Checks and National Police Clearance checks for relevant employee roles.
  • We work hard to increase public awareness about the establishment of the Reportable Conduct Scheme, which enables employees (and members of the public) to notify reportable allegations or reportable convictions involving employees to the head of the organisation/CEO for investigating.
  • We include child safe awareness information on the City’s website, including website links to the Reportable Conduct Scheme overseen by the Office of the Ombudsmen Western Australia.
  • We inform members of the public about the Reportable Conduct Scheme, including the City’s participation in the Scheme and the ability for the public to make anonymous reporting, if required.

Additional Information about the Scheme

More information about the Reportable Conduct Scheme is available on the Ombudsman Western Australia website via www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au