Child safety pulse checks
Department of Education and Training Victoria
Compliance with Ministerial Order 870 Child Safe Standards – Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools in all Victorian schools is mandatory and implementation is critical for managing the risk of child abuse in schools. The pulse check program was implemented to provide independent assessment of school compliance with the Standards, while providing an opportunity for schools to receive advice regarding compliance.
We undertook over 150 pulse checks for the Department from 2017 to 2019. Our team was comprised of retired school principals with experience in Victorian schools of varying size and student demography. Their experience working in schools gave them an up-to-date understanding of the challenges of compliance and of implementation of policy and processes in schools. They engaged effectively with school leaders, speaking the language of the school and exploring the issues diplomatically and directly.
