National Principles for Child Safe Organisations Consultation Report – Children and Young People with Disability

This consultation report outlines key findings and recommendations to inform the development of resources that will support organisations to better keep children and young people with disability safe.

The National Office for Child Safety (National Office) engaged Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) in mid-2022 to develop this report. The report involved extensive consultation with a range of stakeholders, including children and young people with disability, organisations that work with children and young people with disability, and state and territory children's commissioners and guardians.

Key recommendations of the consultation report include:

• using a co-design framework to inform the design and development of resources
• paying particular attention to the report’s 5 key messages to ensure the areas for action are fully understood and addressed. The 5 key messages are:
  1. Organisational culture: knowledge and attitudes towards disability
  2. Organisational culture: safety
  3. Organisational culture: inclusion
  4. Systems, practices, processes and governance
  5. Accommodating smaller and medium‑sized organisations.

Each of the key messages have a range of resource suggestions which embed the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. These include:

• toolkits and checklists for staff including volunteers and casual staff
• templates with key information and steps that must be taken
• training videos and webinars that cover a range of topics.

This was phase one of the Resources Project. The National Office will now commence phase two, the development of resources.