To get in touch with someone who can help with Child Safety issues at Golden Plains Shire, or to report a Child Safe issue or incident, please contact:
Council via email [email protected] or call Council on 03 5220 7111/1300 363 036 (toll free in Shire).
You can also contact the Social Services Register at [email protected] or call 1300 310 778.
Children and young people have a right to feel safe. We all have an obligation to keep all children safe from harm and abuse.
Golden Plains Shire’s Child Safe Commitment Statement
Council is committed to creating a culture of child safety and wellbeing where children and young people are respected, empowered and protected from harm. This includes preventing and responding to all forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation and promoting environments where children can thrive. We recognise that safeguarding children and young people is an organisation-wide responsibility.
We have a commitment to the cultural safety and inclusion of all children and young people, which includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, gender diverse, LGBTQIA+ young people, children with a disability and those experiencing socio-economic disadvantage. We recognise that these principles support the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people.
A child safe culture is championed at all levels of Council and further strengthened through leadership and governance. Our commitment is delivered through Council Strategy, Values, Action Plans, Code of Conduct, Training and Capacity Building, Policies and Procedures and is supported by ongoing review and continuous improvement to ensure best practice.
Download the Child Safe Policy
This policy reflects Council’s legislative responsibility in meeting the requirements of the Victorian Child Safe Standards. Council has specific policies, practices, reporting processes and training in place to support our people to achieve these commitments.
If you suspect or know of a child or young person being abused, you must report it:
- If a child or young person is in immediate danger, contact Police on Triple Zero (000)
- For immediate concerns about the safety of a child, contact Victorian Child Protection Services West Division on 1300 360 462 (8:45am – 5:00pm) or 13 12 78 (after hours, 5pm – 9am Monday to Friday and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays).
- To discuss concerns about the safety of a child or young person, contact your local Police Station.
Council is committed to being a child-safe organisation. All concerns raised with Council will be taken seriously and where appropriate will be reported to authorities and investigated by Council.
Any complaints about a Golden Plains Shire employee, Councillor, volunteer or contractor’s behaviour or conduct towards a child or young person will be handled in accordance with the Victorian Reportable Conduct Scheme.
You can contact Council directly via email [email protected] or call Council on 03 5220 7111 / 1300 363 036 (toll free in shire). You can also Social Servies Register contact the [email protected] or call 1300 310 778.
Further information can be found:
Raising concerns about child safety
Raising concerns with an organisation
The 11 Child Safe Standards in Victoria are a set of mandatory and minimum requirements to protect children and young people from harm and abuse.
There are 11 Child Safe Standards require Golden Plains Shire Council to implement and comply with these standards.
The Child Safe Standards aim to protect children and young people, by requiring organisations to put policies, procedures and processes in place to prevent and respond to abuse, change organisation culture, empower children to report concerns and embed safety in governance and compliance
Victorian organisations that provide services or facilities to children, such as Golden Plains Shire, are required by law to comply with the Child Safe Standards in order to protect children from harm.
The Standards were implemented in July 2022. The Standards address the prevention of child abuse, the promotion of child safety and wellbeing, the effective response to and reporting of abuse allegations.
They require organisations to embed child safety into their leadership, culture, policies, and daily practices to create safe environments for children.
Although all children are vulnerable, some children face additional vulnerabilities. The standards provide four overarching principles that organisations must consider:
- the cultural safety of Aboriginal Children
- the cultural safety of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
- the safety of gender diverse children
- the safety of children with a disability.
The organisation overseeing the implementation and compliance with the Child Safe Standards is the Commission for Children and Young People.
Find out more about the Child Safe Standards:
New Child Safe Standards Information Sheet
The Reportable Conduct Scheme was implemented on January 1, 2019. The scheme aims to ensure that timely reports are made and investigated regarding allegations of child abuse or neglect. The scheme imposes legal obligations on heads of organisations to have systems in place to prevent child abuse, and if child abuse is alleged, to ensure allegations are brought to the attention of appropriate persons for investigation and response.
Reportable conduct against a child includes:
- Sexual offences
- Sexual misconduct
- Physical violence
- Significant emotional or psychological harm
- Significant neglect
The Reportable Conduct Scheme has been designed to ensure that the Social Services Register will be aware of every allegation of certain types of employee/volunteer misconduct involving children. The Social Services Register must be informed of all allegations of child abuse involving a worker or volunteer, and independently monitors all investigations undertaken by organisations.
Any complaints about a Golden Plains Shire employee, Councillor, volunteer or contractor’s behaviour or conduct towards a child or young person will be treated seriously and in accordance with the Reportable Conduct Scheme.
If you have immediate concerns about the safety of a child call the Police on 000.
You can contact Council directly via email [email protected]
You can also contact the Social Services Register at [email protected] or call 1300 310 778.
Further information about The Reportable Conduct Scheme can be found at:
Every child deserved a childhood that is safe and free from harm.
The following are links to other organisations with resources and supports for parents and carers:
What to look for to ensure an organisation is child safe
How to teach your child to keep themselves safe
How to ensure your children have safe online experiences
Cultural differences and conflict
How to respond to a child disclosing abuse
Understanding cultural safety for Aboriginal children and young people
Resources for parents and carers of gender diverse children and young people
Resources for families raising children with a disability
Support for multicultural and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families
You have the right to feel safe and be safe.
Being safe means you are free from abuse, harassment, discrimination or inappropriate behaviour. Feeling safe means you are comfortable in the places where you spend time and trust the adults around you.
You have a right to:
- be safe and feel safe wherever you are
- expect that the adults around you are keeping you safe
- be given information about how to raise a safety concern
- be listened to and for action to be taken if you have a safety concern.
Further information:
What to do if you feel unsafe
Top Tips on How to Make a Complaint - YouTube
There are number of support services available, specifically to support children and young people
Kids Helpline
Kids Helpline provides free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.
• 1800 55 1800
Headspace
Headspace provide mental health support to 12 - 25 year olds through over 110 national headspace centres, over the phone or online. With a focus on early intervention, Headspace work with young people to provide support at a crucial time in their lives – to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in the future.
eSafety
The eSafety website provides information and advice for children and young people about how to keep safe online, what to do if something goes wrong and how to complain about online bullying or abuse.
ReachOut
ReachOut offers a range of online supports for young people aged 12–25, with a focus on supporting their mental health and wellbeing through everyday issues and tough times.
Youth Law Australia
Youth Law Australia provides free, confidential legal information, help and referrals to young people under 25 and their advocates.
- If you are under 25 (or an advocate for someone who is under 18) and you have a legal question, you can also call us Monday – Thursday, 10.00am to 4.30pm (AEDT), on 1800 950 570.
You can also submit a form on Youth Law Australia’s website or email [email protected].
What can our organisation do to ensure we meet the legal obligation of our organisation to comply with Victoria’s compulsory Child Safe Standards?
A Guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation
How can our organisation create a culturally safe environment for Aboriginal children?
Cultural Safety for Aboriginal Children
What can we do to help keep children with a disability safe in our organisation?
Safety of Children with a Disability
What can we do to promote the cultural safety of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds?
Safety of Children from Culturally and Linguistically diverse backgrounds
How can we encourage the empowerment and participation of children in our organisation?
Empowerment and Participation Guide
How can we ensure we engage appropriate people in our organisation?
Practical guide to choosing, supervising and developing suitable staff and volunteers
Please know that there are many other services that survivors of abuse, along with those concerned about others, can reach out to for confidential assistance and support.
Lifeline - (24 hours) Phone: 131 114, Chat
Kids Helpline - (24 hours) Phone: 1800 551 800 Kids Helpline is a free, confidential and private counselling service specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years. You can speak to them over the phone, via email, or even on-line live chat.
Social Services Register- [email protected] or call 1300 310 778
National Redress Scheme - The National Redress Scheme provides support to people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse. Phone: 1800 737 377
SAMSN (Survivors & Mates Support Network) - Support for male survivors of child sexual abuse. Phone: 1800 472 676
Blue Knot Foundation - The Blue Knot Foundation empowers recovery and builds resilience for adults impacted by complex trauma. Phone: 1300 657 380 (9am-5pm, Monday-Sunday)
knowmore - knowmore provides free legal advice and support to survivors of child sexual abuse. Phone: 1800 605 762 (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday)
- This includes people who have experienced child sexual abuse in non institutional settings, and people who were sexually abused in an institution or any organisation that was involved with children. knowmore also works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people including Stolen Generation survivors, and with young people who are leaving care.
- knowmore’s services include legal advice and assistance, support services, financial counselling, and culturally safe supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
QLife - QLife provides Australia-wide anonymous, LGBTI peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships. Phone: 1800 184 527 (3pm-midnight everyday). Web chat available.
Child protection contacts - DFFH Services - Victorian Child Protection Services West Division on 1300 360 462 (8:45am – 5:00pm) or 13 12 78 (after hours, 5pm – 9am Monday to Friday and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays
13YARN - 13YARN provides crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Phone: 13 92 76 (24/7)