Child Safety

St Francis Xavier College adheres to the attached CECG Attendance Policy which can be accessed via the following link.

The implementation of CECG Child Safeguarding Commitment and Child Safety Policy at College level is contained within our Statement of Practice which has been endorsed by the Executive and Community Council of the College.

The safeguarding of our students is the top priority of St Francis Xavier College and the Catholic Education Office. Safeguarding is a term used to describe the protection of and human rights of vulnerable people. This may be due to their age, culture or trauma background, or they may be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation.

The College is committed to keeping our students safe and complying with Child Safe Standards. The CECG Safeguarding Commitment can be accessed here:

Our approach to child safeguarding is outlined in the Catholic Education Child Safety Policy. This policy includes the CECG Commitment Statement, the many aspects of child safety, how we ensure young people are safe and our compliance with the Child Safe Standards.

Our approach to child safety may be visualised as a ‘web’ or curriculum, with many aspects linking together to contribute to its strength. As a child safe school, we strive to understand and follow our legal obligations, use contemporary safeguarding practices and involve all stakeholders, particularly children and families, in safeguarding functions.

As a child safe school, we are required to comply with the Child Safe Standards, the Mandatory Reporting requirements for children in the ACT and NSW, the working with children/vulnerable person schemes and, in the ACT, the Senior Practitioner Scheme. Staff understand their mandatory reporting obligations and must report abuse and neglect of children and young people to the Year Coordinator, Director of Student Wellbeing and the Assistant Principal Student Wellbeing who action a mandatory report to Child Youth Families services.

We see parents and carers as partners in their children’s educational journey, experience and safeguarding. It is important for us to work together collaboratively to respond to safeguarding concerns, subject to the involvement of other agencies, including child protection and police.

St Francis Xavier College The CECG Pastoral Care and Student Wellbeing policy outlines system and school-based practices for pastoral care and student wellbeing.

Pastoral Care is a fundamental aspect of fostering a nurturing and supportive environment for students. At St Francis Xavier College, we have a strong tradition of pastoral care and provide every student with the foundation to flourish and reach their full potential in learning and life. Our model integrates trauma-informed practice and positive psychology to create safe and predictable learning environments, which are essential for students, particularly those who may have experienced trauma, while also nurturing their social and emotional growth. By embedding this approach into our Pastoral Care Framework, we aim to enhance students’ resilience, wellbeing, and overall academic success.