Everyone in landcare knows how important it is to ensure landcare activities are a safe and rewarding experience for children. Many groups organise activities specifically for children and in other cases children join in along with adults.
Watching children learn and grow through their participation in landcare is a reward in itself. Encouraging the involvement of children and young people in our landcare activities is the best way we can ensure new generations will be available to step into landcare leadership roles in the future.
The Victorian Commissioner for Children and Young People has issued new Child Safe Standards that are now in effect. The Standards apply to a wider range of organisations, including not for profit organisations such as Landcare Victoria and its Member Groups. Among other things, the Standards require that relevant organisations have documented policies about how they will ensure children will be kept safe.
Landcare Victoria has prepared a new Child Safe Policy that under our association rules applies to all Landcare Victoria Member Groups. The policy conforms to the requirement of the Child Safe Standards.
We encourage our Member Groups to read the policy, formally adopt it through your committee, and ensure it is communicated to all relevant members and staff.
The policy, as well as an updated code of conduct and child safety guidelines, are available on our Resources page.