MIDCOAST Council has endorsed its Child Safe Action Plan 2022-2026 at its recent Council meeting on 25 May 2022.

The Child Safe Action Plan was placed on public exhibition from 30 November 2021 to 15 February after being presented to Council on 24 November 2021.

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Lyndie Hepple, MidCoast Council’s Community Development Coordinator says that this plan has a large history.

“In December 2017, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse highlighted the need for action to make organisations across Australia safe for children.

“Among the recommendations from the Royal Commission is the development of standards to ensure a nationally consistent approach to embedding child safe cultures within organisations that engage with children and act as a vehicle to give effect to all Royal Commission recommendations.

“In December 1990 Australia was one of 194 countries that committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“This means that organisations and people working with children in NSW share responsibility for keeping children safe,” Lyndie said.

In September 2019, MidCoast Council adopted the Child Protection Policy which included a commitment to becoming a Child Safe Organisation.

The decision by organisations to become Child Safe has until now been voluntary, however in November 2021 NSW Parliament passed the Children’s Guardian Amendment (Child Safe Scheme) Bill 2021 which requires organisations like Councils to have a Child Safe Action Plan in place and to demonstrate that the organisation is working towards meeting the 10 Child Safe Standards.

MidCoast Council sought feedback on the draft plan through several channels, including through Council’s ‘Have Your Say’ platform, 556 direct emails to local child-centred community organisations, flyers distributed to schools and libraries and a workshop with MidCoast Youth Taskforce.

The plan highlights ten standards surrounding child safety recommended by the National Office for Child Safety and the NSW Child Safe Standards, recognising that child protection is everyone’s responsibility, including Council officers, families and carers of children and young people.

The plan can be accessed from the MidCoast Council website https://www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/Home

By Tara CAMPBELL