National

Safe Schools
Framework

Prepared by the Student Learning and Support Services Taskforce 1

 Contents

1. Introduction 3

2. Context 4

3. Vision 5

4. Guiding Principles for the Provision of a Safe and Supportive School 5

Environment

5. Key Elements/Approaches that Inform Good Practice 6

6. Glossary 11

7. Appendices

One: Acknowledgements 13

Prepared by the Student Learning and Support Services Taskforce 2

 1. INTRODUCTION
All State and Territory government and non-government education authorities, and the
Commonwealth, are committed to working together to ensure the wellbeing of all Australian students.

A scan of State and Territory government and non-government education authorities, conducted in
November 2002, revealed a range of excellent practices that clearly showed that each jurisdiction
asserts the rights of all students to be safe and supported.

Typical jurisdictional practices to prevent and respond to bullying, harassment, violence, and child
abuse and neglect, identified in the scan, include:

• Providing guidance and advice to schools in the development of written policies;

• Encouraging and promoting whole-school approaches, including the involvement of parents
through workshops, school boards, and associations representing parents, carers and
community members;
• Including child protection education in the school curriculum, as well as content that explores
discriminatory behaviours through an understanding of social factors such as gender, race,
sexuality, disability and religion;
• Providing professional development and training for school staff on, for example, methods of
countering bullying and harassment, child protection legislation and procedures (including
mandatory reporting), and identifying and understanding child abuse, including the needs of
victims;
• Providing resources to teachers on helping students to recognise/report abuse, and build
protective behaviours, resilience and optimism;
• Encouraging schools to empower students by involving them in the decision making and
resolution processes through, for example, training in peer mediation or adoption of ‘buddy’
systems;
• Providing specialist support, including for teachers who encounter or report abuse and who
work with students who are persistently aggressive, such as behaviour teachers and
consultants, anti-harassment officers, school counsellors, psychological consultants and
school based police constables; and by
• Conducting police checks on school personnel.

The National Safe Schools Framework incorporates existing good practice and provides an agreed
national approach to help schools and their communities address issues of bullying, harassment,
violence, and child abuse and neglect.

Prepared by the Student Learning and Support Services Taskforce 3

 2. CONTEXT
The Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) on 19
July 2002 agreed to the development, by January 2003, of a national framework for ensuring safe
and supportive school environments. Council decided that the framework should be developed by
the MCEETYA Taskforce on Student Learning and Support Services and agreed to jurisdictions
reporting through the annual National Report on Schooling in Australia on their strategies and
initiatives to provide safe, supportive learning environments.

Promoting and providing a supportive learning environment in which all students can expect to feel
safe is an essential function of all schools. Students have a fundamental right to learn in a safe,
supportive environment and to be treated with respect. The Australian community rightly expects
authorities charged with managing our schools, both in the government and non-government sectors,
to take all available measures to ensure the safety of students, to support students and to set out
clearly, transparently and explicitly the policies and programmes they have in place to fulfil this
important responsibility.

Schools are among the safest places in the community for children and young people. Much good
work has already been undertaken and continues to be undertaken by all school jurisdictions to
provide a safe and supportive environment. The National Framework identifies strategies that can
inform practice which enhances school safety and students’ physical, social and emotional wellbeing.

The Framework is a collaborative effort by the Commonwealth and State and Territory government
and non-government school authorities and other key stakeholders. It presents a way of achieving a
shared vision of physical and emotional safety and wellbeing for all students in all Australian schools.
The Framework recognises the need for sustained positive approaches that include an appreciation
of the ways in which social attitudes and values impact on the behaviour of students in our school
communities. Such approaches encourage all members of the school community to:
• value diversity
• contribute positively to the safety and wellbeing of themselves and others
• act independently, justly, cooperatively and responsibly in school, work, civic and family
relationships
• contribute to the implementation of appropriate strategies that create and maintain a safe
and supportive learning environment.

The aim of the Framework is to assist all school communities in building safe and supportive schools
where:
• bullying, harassment and violence are minimised;
• students receive support on issues related to child abuse and neglect.

The Framework is underpinned by a set of guiding principles and related key elements/approaches
that schools can put in place to effectively provide a safe and supportive learning environment.

Prepared by the Student Learning and Support Services Taskforce 4

 3. VISION
The National Safe Schools Framework is based on the following overarching vision:

All Australian schools are safe and supportive environments.

4. GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE PROVISION OF A SAFE AND

SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
Australian schools:

1. affirm the right of all school community members to feel safe at school

2. promote care, respect and cooperation, and value diversity

3. implement policies, programmes and processes to nurture a safe and supportive school
environment

4. recognise that quality leadership is an essential element that underpins the creation of a safe
and supportive school environment

5. develop and implement policies and programmes through processes that engage the whole
school community

6. ensure that roles and responsibilities of all members of the school community in promoting a
safe and supportive environment are explicit, clearly understood and disseminated

7. recognise the critical importance of pre-service and ongoing professional development in

creating a safe and supportive school environment

8. have a responsibility to provide opportunities for students to learn through the formal
curriculum the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for positive relationships

9. focus on policies that are proactive and oriented towards prevention and intervention

10. regularly monitor and evaluate their policies and programmes so that evidence-based practice
supports decisions and improvements

11. take action to protect children from all forms of abuse and neglect

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 5. KEY ELEMENTS/ APPROACHES THAT INFORM GOOD PRACTICE
Outlined below are the key elements stemming from the Guiding Principles that a school would have
in place to effectively prevent and respond to bullying, harassment and violence, and child abuse and
neglect. These are accompanied by a range of suggested approaches designed to support schools
in providing a safe and supportive environment, and to assist them to reflect on their existing
practices and plan for improvement. These approaches are not intended to be exhaustive, but are
examples of good practice to guide schools in creating and maintaining safe and supportive learning
environments. Examples of ideas about whole-school approaches to the issues can also be found
on the Bullying. No way! website at www.bullyingnoway.com.au.

Guiding Key Elements Suggested Approaches

Principle
1, 2, 3, 4, School values, ethos, Leadership is committed to a shared vision of a positive and
7, 8, 10, culture, structures inclusive school. Such commitment includes resourcing and
11 and student welfare endorsement of policies, programmes and procedures.

Parent, student, teacher and school community commitment is

established and ongoing through:
‰ the development of active, trusting relationships;
‰ fostering shared awareness about the diverse needs
and viewpoints of the school community; and
‰ democratic decision making and leadership structures
such as School Boards/Councils.

Pastoral care or student welfare systems/ student support

teams and systems are in place.

The school develops programmes and strategies to empower

students to participate in a positive school culture, e.g. peer
support systems.

Positive relationships are established between schools,

agencies and community groups with a related or
complementary function.

1, 2, 3, 4, Establishment of Policies, programmes and procedures are developed in

5, 8, 9, agreed policies, collaboration with staff, students and parents, and include a
10, 11 programmes and statement of rights and responsibilities of members of the
procedures school community, including visitors. They also include –

(i) in relation to bullying, harassment and violence:

‰ an agreed definition of bullying, harassment and
violence or, an agreed statement of expected and
unacceptable behaviour in relation to bullying,
harassment and violence, and a statement of
consequences for unacceptable behaviour; and

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 ‰ a coordinated whole school plan outlining how the
issues are to be addressed.
(ii) in relation to child protection:
‰ an explicit aim of eliminating the risk of child abuse by
staff/ visitors;
‰ comprehensive screening of applicants for
employment, student teachers and volunteers before
they become involved in school activities, bearing in
mind that few child sex offenders have criminal records;
‰ safe procedures for staff who work alone with students;
and
‰ procedures for the reporting of abuse by staff.

Policies, programmes and procedures are developed,

disseminated and promoted across the whole school
community in a way that is sensitive to parents, students and
community members from diverse backgrounds.

Policies, programmes and procedures are integrated with

existing policies and procedures, for example, Behaviour
Management, Sexual Harassment and Racial Harassment.

Periodic evaluation of policies, programmes and procedures is

undertaken and includes:
‰ auditing the school’s policies/ strategies;
‰ reviewing bullying and safety issues through surveys of
staff, students and parents; and
‰ analysing evaluation data to inform future planning
needs and practice.

Risk assessment procedures, within and outside school, are in

place. For example, risk minimisation through appropriate
supervision, environmental design and targeted programmes
for students at risk (e.g. pro-social skills development).

2, 4, 5, 6, Provision of School Staff

7, 9, 10, education/ training
11 • School staff Appropriate pre-service and in-service training is conducted for
• Students all staff about bullying, violence, harassment and child
• Parents protection issues.

Training for all staff in:

(i) in relation to bullying, harassment and violence:
‰ understanding what is happening in the school, making
use of appropriate information gathering methods and
related discussion;
‰ positive student management;

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 ‰ knowledge and skills relating to methods of addressing
bullying and harassment;
‰ identifying and dealing with prejudice and
discrimination, for example, as they relate to gender,
race, sexuality, disability and other factors; and
‰ understanding the effects of bullying and harassment
on children and young people.
(ii) in relation to child protection:
‰ recognising and responding to indicators of child abuse
and neglect;
‰ understanding the effects of abuse and neglect on the
development of children and young people;
‰ complying with agreed policies and procedures related
to child protection;
‰ keeping themselves safe; and
‰ personal safety/child protection curricula.

Relevant additional training is conducted for staff with specific

roles in child protection to:
‰ provide support to students who are the subject of
concerns about abuse or neglect; and
‰ fulfill agreed responsibilities.

Residential care training for all boarding school staff is

conducted.

Students

Effective curricula, programmes and pedagogy enable students

to make use of empowering processes that increase safety and
provide students with the means to solve their own problems
and learn important lifelong relationship and citizenship skills.

Comprehensive, realistic, developmentally appropriate personal

safety component within the curriculum enables students to:
‰ recognise and report abuse;
‰ understand power in relationships;
‰ develop protective strategies, including help-seeking
behaviours; and
‰ create positive, healthy relationships (sexual and
social).

Age-appropriate curriculum content and pedagogy relating to

bullying, harassment, and violence, enables students to learn,
for example:
‰ skills for forming and maintaining positive, non-coercive
relationships including differentiating between

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 assertiveness and aggression;
‰ methods of conflict resolution;
‰ how bystanders can discourage bullying and
harassment;
‰ the development of cooperativeness, empathy and
respect; and
‰ how to identify and address prejudice and
discrimination, for example, as they relate to gender,
race, sexuality, disability and other factors.

Parents

Parents have an increased knowledge of strategies, options

and ideas through:
‰ engagement in whole school planning processes;
‰ parent information sessions (e.g., on bullying, child
protection, supporting children); and
‰ access to community based resources and information
on developing effective relationships and behaviour in
children.

2, 3, 4, 5, Managing incidents Cases of abuse/victimisation are identified and reported. This

8, 10, 11 of abuse/victimisation includes –

(i) for bullying, harassment and violence:

‰ explicitly encouraging all members of the school
community to take a proactive stand against bullying
and violence;
‰ involving students and staff in identifying where bullying
occurs;
‰ developing procedures to encourage early identification
of incidents;
‰ responding proactively to signs and symptoms of
bullying, harassment and violence;
‰ creating opportunities for students to share concerns;
‰ encouraging students to seek immediate help when
bullying is witnessed or experienced;
‰ encouraging parents to identify and report bullying and
harassment issues that have been observed or
discussed by students to staff.
(ii) for child protection:
‰ implementing requirements of child abuse reporting
legislation, as appropriate;
‰ identifying the indicators of all forms of child abuse and
neglect;
‰ developing teachers’ empathic listening skills;
‰ implementing support and monitoring strategies, both

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 immediate and long-term.

Steps and outcomes for managing incidents are clearly

documented in order to facilitate evaluation and justify possible
modification in approaches.

In responding to individual cases of bullying, harassment,

violence or abuse, strategies:
‰ are effectively matched to the incident;
‰ include parental education and involvement in their
planning and implementation; and
‰ involve other agencies/ services as appropriate (e.g.,
police) and the implementation of individual case
management systems through collaborative planning.

The support of relevant specialists is enlisted, including support

for staff dealing with child abuse cases.

1, 3, 4, 10 Providing support for Support is provided for students involved in bullying,

students harassment and violence and who have experienced abuse or
neglect:
‰ focuses on restoring the wellbeing of students who
have been affected by abuse or victimisation, through
the provision of adequate social support and
counselling;
‰ maintains their connectedness to schooling, including
facilitating reintegration into the school of those
involved in harmful behaviour (e.g., through restorative
justice practices); and
‰ provides opportunities for individual students to develop
more socially appropriate behaviour and coping skills,
as relevant.

3, 4, 5, 7, Working closely with Schools work closely with parents to prevent bullying,
10, 11 parents harassment and violence, informing and consulting with them
on relevant issues, especially when their children become
involved in incidents, either as perpetrators, victims or both.

Parent participation is a key component of the child protection

programme for children – for example, through parent
information sessions, workshops and joint child-parent
homework – enabling parents to reinforce safety concepts and
strategies at home.

There is an emphasis on increasing students’ confidence and

more open child-parent relationships.

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 6. GLOSSARY

Bullying and Harassment “Bullying and harassment are often thought of separately; however both
involve a more powerful person or group oppressing a less powerful
person or group, often on the grounds of ‘difference’ … These differences
can be related to culture, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, sexual orientation,
ability or disability, religion, body size and physical appearance,
personality, age, marital status, parenting status or economic status.”
(Bullying. No way! National website)

Child abuse Child abuse refers to the “maltreatment of a child, especially by emotional
or physical violence or sexual interference”. (Australian Oxford Dictionary)
“Child abuse and neglect refer to acts of omission and acts of commission
that are potentially harmful to the child.” (Professor Freda Briggs)

Child sexual abuse Child sexual abuse refers to the use of children under the age of consent
(as defined in different jurisdictions) for sexual gratification. (Professor
Freda Briggs)
Child sexual abuse may include sexual abuse by school peers.

Connectedness A person’s sense of belonging and connectedness with others, including

family and school. Connectedness within a school community has been
linked to enhancing health and wellbeing.

Evaluation The process of measuring the value of a program or intervention. It is a

structured, staged process of identifying, collecting and considering
information to determine goals, progress and outcomes. Evaluation is
central to good practice and ensuring an evidence-based approach to
school safety.

Principles A statement encapsulating a fundamental concept for action that guides

effective practice. The principles in this document are recommended
guidelines for schools in providing a safe school environment.

Restorative justice approaches use the incident of misbehaviour as an

Restorative justice
educative opportunity for repairing the harm and fostering more socially
practices
responsible relationships and behaviours that take others’ perspectives
into account. This is achieved through carefully structured opportunities for
individuals to understand the impact of their actions, recognise their social

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 responsibilities and make amends to those who have been affected by
their actions. The young person is also assisted to reintegrate successfully
into the school community. The most common form of restorative justice is
community conferencing.

Safe and supportive In the context of the National Safe Schools Framework, ‘safe and
school environments supportive schools’ refers to the provision of an environment that protects
the emotional, psychological and physical well-being of students. In ‘safe
school environments’ children are to be protected from verbal, physical,
emotional and sexual abuse, including indirect forms of abuse, such as
discrimination, exclusion and isolation by their peers.

School community
The school community is considered to comprise students, school staff (for
example, teachers and other professionals, administrators, other support
staff and volunteers) and parents/guardians and other carers.
Violence
“Unlike bullying and harassment, violence is not necessarily associated
with an imbalance of power. It can occur between people of equal power
… It implies extreme forcefulness, usually (but not always) of a physical
kind.” (Dr Ken Rigby)

Wider school community

The wider school community includes individuals, groups and agencies
who work together with the school community to achieve the best
educational and personal outcomes for students, for example, health,
youth and welfare professionals or agencies, community and church
groups and the police.

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 APPENDIX 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The MCEETYA Taskforce on Student Learning and Support Services wishes to thank and
acknowledge the following National Safe Schools Framework Roundtable participants, who
contributed to the development of this Framework:

Baker, Mr David, National Coordinator, National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and
Neglect (NAPCAN), New South Wales.

Bray, Mr Ed, Principal, Mackay State High School; Deputy President, Australian Secondary
Principals’ Association (ASPA), Queensland.

Briggs, Professor Freda, Delissa Institute of Early Childhood and Family Studies, University of South
Australia, South Australia.

Cross, Mr Stewart, Deputy CEO, CrimTrac agency, Australian Capital Territory.

Cummins, Ms Robyn, Vice-President, ACT Council of P&C Associations Inc; Australian Council of
State School Organisations (ACSSO), Australian Capital Territory.

Forestenko, Ms Irene, Teacher, Mount Rogers Community Primary School; Federation of Ethnic
Communities’ Council of Australia (FECCA), Australian Capital Territory.

Fraser, Ms Alyssa, Student, Hawker Primary School, Australian Capital Territory.

Green, Ms Kim, Student, Cyril Jackson Senior Campus, Western Australia.

Griffiths, Ms Coosje, Student Services Manager, WA Department of Education; National Safe

Schools Framework Working Group, Western Australia.

Hargreaves, Ms Narelle, Director (Northside), Schools Operations, ACT Department of Education,

Youth and Family Services; National Safe Schools Framework Working Group, Australian Capital
Territory.

Hawkes, Dr Tim, Headmaster, The King’s School, New South Wales.

Henderson, Ms Chris, Senior Project Officer, Inclusive Education Branch, Education Queensland,
Queensland.

Howe-Schneider, Ms Vivienne, Project Manager, National Child Sex Offender System, CrimTrac
agency, Australian Capital Territory.

Jewell, Ms Pat, Victorian Coordinator, National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and
Neglect (NAPCAN), Victoria.

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Kerr-Roubicek, Ms Helen, Manager, Student Welfare, NSW Department of Education and Training,
New South Wales.

Kirkwood, Ms Maria, National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC); National Safe Schools
Framework Working Group, Victoria.

Le Duff, Mr Garry, Executive Director (SA), National Council of Independent Schools’ Associations
(NCISA); National Safe Schools Framework Working Group, South Australia.

Lonergan, Mrs Josephine, Executive Director, Australian Parents Council (APC), New South Wales.

McGrath, Mr Patrick, Principal, Good Shepherd School; Australian Primary Principals’ Association
(APPA), Australian Capital Territory.

McMenamin, Ms Bernadette, Child Wise (formerly ECPAT Australia), Victoria.

McMillan, Mr John, Principal, Denistone East Public School; Australian Primary Principals’
Association (APPA), New South Wales.

McShane, Mr David, School Counsellor, St Peter’s College, South Australia.

Monks, Ms Susan, Assistant Director, Special Services, SA Department of Education and Children’s
Services; National Safe Schools Framework Working Group, South Australia.

Morgan, Dr Ian, President, ACT Council of P&C Associations Inc; Australian Council of State School
Organisations (ACSSO), Australian Capital Territory.

Morrison, Dr Brenda, Centre for Restorative Justice, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian
National University, Australian Capital Territory.

O’Connor, Detective Senior Sergeant Christopher, Sexual Crimes Squad, Crime Department,
Victoria Police, Victoria.

O’Donnell, Mrs Julie, Principal, Our Lady Help of Christians; Chair, Australian Catholic Primary
Principals’ Association, Victoria.

Paterson, Brother Tony, Principal, Samaritan Catholic College; Australian Catholic Secondary
Principals’ Association, Victoria.

Paterson, Mr Andrew, Client Services Unit, CrimTrac agency, Australian Capital Territory.

Puls, Mr Joshua, Student Counsellor, Sacred Heart Girls’ College, Oakleigh, Victoria.

Rigby, Adjunct Associate Professor Ken, School of Education, University of South Australia, South
Australia.

Schneemann, Mr Bart, Student, Canberra Grammar School, Australian Capital Territory.

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Silcox, Mr Steffan, District Director, Swan District Education Office, National Safe Schools
Framework Working Group, Western Australia.

Slee, Associate Professor Phillip, School of Education, Flinders University, South Australia.

Spencer, Ms Jan, Teacher, Hawker Primary School, Australian Capital Territory.

Townsend, Mr Arthur, Branch Manager, Quality Schooling Branch, Commonwealth Department of

Education, Science and Training (DEST); Chair, National Safe Schools Framework Working Group,
Australian Capital Territory.

Vandepeer, Ms Natalie, Head, Canberra Girls Grammar Junior School; Junior Schools Heads
Association of Australia (JSHAA), Australian Capital Territory.

Weatherilt, Ms Tracey, School Psychologist, Swan District Education Office, Western Australia.

Young, Ms Ngaire, Secretariat, Student Learning and Support Services Taskforce, Western
Australia.

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