Cultural safety and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
SNAICC, in partnership with the National Office for Child Safety, developed resources to support organisations working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and communities to implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (National Principles).
The Keeping Our Kids Safe resources apply a cultural lens to the National Principles to help organisations think about how to make themselves safer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
The National Principles
The National Principles are 10 principles, agreed by all Australian governments, that give organisations across Australia a consistent approach to promoting a culture of child safety and wellbeing. The National Principles are flexible and relevant for organisations of all sizes and sectors that engage with children and young people.
A need for more information for organisations working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and communities was identified during consultation on the National Principles. The Keeping Our Kids Safe resources take the National Principles and deliver them in a way that is culturally relevant and promotes cultural safety.
What is cultural safety?
Cultural safety is the positive recognition and celebration of cultures. It is more than just the absence of racism or discrimination and more than cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity. It empowers people and enables them to contribute and feel safe to be themselves. In a child safe, culturally safe organisation, children, young people, family and community members feel that their culture and identity are respected.
SNAICC, with the help of Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA), has created two resources:
- a guide, Keeping Our Kids Safe: Cultural Safety and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, that gives practical advice on how to implement the National Principles in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities
- an animated video, Keeping Our Kids Safe: Understanding Cultural Safety in Child Safe Organisations, that gives viewers an introduction to the National Principles through a cultural lens.
Over 100 individuals and organisations representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, communities, and young people, as well as non-Indigenous organisations servicing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from all over Australia, had a say in shaping these resources during the consultation process.
A guide for cultural safety
This resource supports organisations engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and communities to implement the National Principles in a culturally safe way by providing practical advice for all levels of an organisation. It highlights considerations that will help organisations to make sure their spaces are culturally safe, and free from racism and discrimination.
A video for understanding cultural safety
This 9-minute video resource, Keeping Our Kids Safe: Understanding Cultural Safety in Child Safe Organisations, talks through each of the 10 National Principles and what they might look like through an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural lens. The video can be used for training and informing staff and volunteers at all levels of an organisation.
For more information about these resources, if you have any questions, would like to request printed copies of the guide, or would like to provide feedback, please visit the Office of Child Safety
