Child safety

Chisholm is committed to child safety and wellbeing in accordance with the Child Safe Standards. These are compulsory minimum standards for all organisations in Victoria providing services to children.* Chisholm has zero tolerance for child abuse in any form.

*A child is defined by law as anyone under 18 years of age. 

What is child abuse?

Child abuse is any act that causes physical or emotional harm to a child carried out by someone who is in a position of responsibility, trust or power. This might be an adult or an older child.* Child abuse is against the law.

*Definition: healthdirect.gov.au/child-abuse

Types of child abuse include:

• emotional abuse
• sexual abuse
• neglect and negligent treatment
• organised abuse
• physical abuse
• violence.

For more detailed information, please read the Child Safe Standards definitions provided by the Victorian Government.

How to report child abuse concerns

Child safety is everyone’s responsibility. Chisholm supports all members of our community, including children and their parents, to feel confident and comfortable in reporting any allegations of child abuse or child safety concerns.

It’s important that you report any child safety concern as soon as you:

• witness an incident of child abuse
• receive a disclosure about child abuse
• form a reasonable belief that a child has been abused or is in danger of being abused
• notice an environmental safety issue for children at Chisholm.

Report any child safety concerns by completing the Safer Communities incident report.

Report a Child Safe incident

Or email a Child Safe reporting officer at childsafetyandwellbeing@chisholm.edu.au.

Is the child at immediate risk? Notify the police immediately and make a report by calling 000.

Is there a risk to the child's safety on a Chisholm campus? You will also need to contact Chisholm Security Services by calling 1300 582 483 (option 1). This phone line is attended 24/7.

Any report of safety concerns relating to a person under the age of 18 will be taken seriously and reported to the appropriate authorities.

Child Safe is open from 8.30am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. If you require immediate assistance outside of these hours, please use the following information:

• In an emergency, call the police immediately by dialing 000.
• In a non-urgent matter, police can also be contacted on the Non-Critical Reporting Hotline on 131 444.

For further support and information, please contact:

• Child Protection (9am – 5pm) 1300 555 526
• Child Protection after hours (5pm to 9am) 13 12 78
• Kids Help Line (24/7 counselling support ages 5 – 25) 1800 55 1800.

It is important that these reporting processes are followed every time you become aware of a further instance or risk of abuse. This includes reporting new information to authorities.

Support for witnesses and informers

If you’ve witnessed child abuse or have had to report a child safety incident to us, support is also available to you. We encourage you to reach out to our Student Support and Engagement team. Our personal counsellors are here during business hours to listen and support you with confidentiality.

Child and youth support at Chisholm

Chisholm’s Student Support and Engagement team offers a range of free, confidential support services to help all students, including children and young people, stay engaged with their studies and achieve their educational goals.

These services include the following:

• Short-term personal counselling.
• Student success and wellbeing.
• Equitable learning and disability support.
• Koorie student support (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students).
• Apprenticeship support.
• Careers counselling.
• Library and learning services.
• Student life (including youth social clubs).
• Student voice and student leadership opportunities.

If you are a young person or parent / guardian of a young person and have any questions about the support available to children and young people at Chisholm, please email youthsupport@chisholm.edu.au or visit our youth support page for more information.

• Chisholm’s Child Safety Commitment

  Chisholm is committed to:

  • the safety, participation and empowerment of all students, including children;
  • the establishment and continuous improvement of child safe policies and procedures;
  • taking all reasonable steps for thorough recruitment due diligence, including the requirement for prospective staff members to provide the Institute with pre-employment Working with Children Check and where relevant National Police Check;
  • regularly training and educating our staff members, contractors and volunteers on the child safe standards, reportable conduct and child abuse risks;
  • preventing child abuse by identifying risks early and removing and reducing these risks;
  • preventing child abuse by identifying risks early, and removing and reducing these risks;
  • observing reporting requirements and disciplinary procedures;
  • the timely reporting of concerns about a child’s safety to relevant authorities;
  • promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of students, including children, from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds;
  • promoting a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are respected and valued, and dedicated support is provided through the Koorie Student Support team;
  • ensuring that students with a disability, including children, are safe and can participate equally, and align to Chisholm’s Belonging & Inclusion Plan, including Equitable Learning and Disability Support services;
  • ensuring that LGBTQIA+ students, including children, are safe and can participate equally;
  • ensuring that children who are unable to live at home, or who are in out-of-home care, are safe and can participate equally;
  • the modelling of Child Safe Standards in the Chisholm community and Chisholm Leadership Group;
    ensuring our physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing and minimise the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed;
  • providing a mechanism for children, young people and their families and communities to report concerns on Chisholm campuses and online environments.

  Read the full Child Safe Statement.




Related policies and procedures at Chisholm

Read the full Child Safe Reporting policy: QMS625 Child Safe Reporting.

Read the full Duty of Care policy: QMS128 Duty of Care.

Additional support contacts