At Holy Spirit Primary School Thornbury East, the safety, wellbeing and dignity of every child and young person is our highest priority. Guided by our Catholic faith and the policies and procedures of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS), we are committed to creating a child-safe culture where all students feel protected, respected, valued and heard.
We recognise that every child has the right to feel safe and to thrive in an environment that promotes inclusion, respect and wellbeing. Child safety is embedded in all aspects of school life and is a shared responsibility of staff, leadership, families and the wider community.
At Holy Spirit, we actively promote a culture of child safety through:
Commitment to the Child Safe Standards
We implement the Victorian Child Safe Standards and MACS Child Safety policies to ensure best practice in protecting children and young people.
A Culture of Inclusion and Respect
We celebrate diversity and are committed to ensuring all children, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disability and vulnerable students feel safe, included and empowered.
Student Voice and Participation
Students are encouraged to express their thoughts, feelings and concerns. We value student voice and provide opportunities for children to actively contribute to decisions that affect their wellbeing and safety.
Staff Training and Professional Learning
All staff participate in ongoing child safety training and professional learning to strengthen their understanding of child protection, mandatory reporting obligations and creating safe learning environments.
Clear Policies and Procedures
Holy Spirit follows MACS policies and procedures relating to child safety, wellbeing, complaints handling, bullying prevention, online safety and professional boundaries.
Safe Recruitment Practices
Robust recruitment, screening and supervision processes help ensure that all staff, volunteers and visitors uphold child-safe expectations.
Wellbeing and Pastoral Care
Through programs such as Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL), Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) and Social and Emotional Learning initiatives, we support students to feel connected, safe and supported.
Partnership with Families
We work collaboratively with families to promote child safety and wellbeing and encourage open communication within our school community.
As a Catholic school community inspired by the teachings of Jesus, Holy Spirit is dedicated to fostering environments where children are known, cared for and empowered to flourish safely and confidently.
Please refer to our Policies page for further information