The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is everyone’s responsibility.
Every child and young person has the right to feel safe and we all have a shared responsibility to protect them from harm and abuse.
At Nillumbik Shire Council, we are committed to being a child-safe organisation where all children and young people are valued and protected from harm and abuse.
Council is required by law to implement the Victorian Child Safe Standards to protect children and young people from harm and abuse.
The Child Safe Standards are a compulsory framework for Victorian organisations that provide services and facilities specifically for children and young people aged 0 to 18 years.
The Standards aim to:
- promote the safety of children
- prevent child abuse
- ensure organisations and businesses have effective processes in place to respond to and report all allegations of child abuse.
Organisations and community groups can learn more about the Standards from the Commission for Children and Young People.
Council has zero tolerance of child abuse and is committed to creating and maintaining a child-safe organisation where protecting children from abuse is embedded in the everyday thinking and practice of Council, by Councillors, employees, contractors and volunteers.
Council recognises children as active citizens and is committed to advocating for the rights of children as valued members of the community.
Nillumbik Shire Council adopted the Victorian Charter of the Child Friendly Cities (VLGA) which recognises the need for increased participation by children in decision-making forums and creating a child-friendly environment.
Council values and celebrates diversity within the community and workforce, and actively encourages the safety, participation and empowerment of all children and is committed to:
- Promoting the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Promoting the participation and empowerment of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Providing a safe environment for children with a disability and will act to encourage their participation.
Note: This Commitment is currently being updated to reflect the new Victorian Child Safe Standards.
Nillumbik has a Child Safe Policy which outlines Council’s commitment to creating and maintaining a child-safe organisation where protecting children and preventing and responding to child abuse is embedded in the everyday thinking and practice of all Councillors, employees, contractors and volunteers. This policy is currently being updated to a Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy to align with the new Victorian Standards.
If you are concerned about a child or young person’s safety
If a child is in immediate danger, call 000 (triple zero).
For immediate concerns and to report abuse, contact:
- Police on 000 (triple zero), and/or
- Child Protection on 1300 664 977 or after hours on 13 12 78.
If you have child safety concerns or complaints regarding Nillumbik Shire Council
Council has zero tolerance towards child abuse and takes all concerns and complaints about child safety in our organisation extremely seriously.
You can report a child safety concern or complaint about Council in any of the following ways:
If you or someone you know needs support or assistance