25 Jul 2022
The ACT Government has announced a $1.14m investment to establish the Safe@School Taskforce.
The last two years have been challenging for everybody, and our school communities have not been immune from the pressures of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and a nation-wide teacher shortage.
The Safe@School Taskforce is a collaboration between the Education Directorate and key stakeholders to ensure our schools remain safe and supportive learning and work environments for students and staff.
The Safe@School Taskforce will provide subject-matter expertise to lead a system-wide transformation that will enhance the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff in ACT public schools and the Education Directorate.
A key element of the work of the Taskforce will be to operationalise new safe systems of work, using lessons from a system-wide review of safety practices across ACT public schools and a desktop review of systems and processes related to early intervention and reporting.
Initially, the Safe@School Taskforce will coordinate a series of reviews across our public school system to provide a snapshot of how the processes and practices that support safe systems are operating in ACT public schools.
These reviews will inform and support the rollout of improved safety systems across all ACT public schools, and coordinate data analysis and reporting to assist with the delivery of appropriate safety supports for schools and students.
While the Safe@School Taskforce will implement a safety-first culture across the Directorate and support change management in schools and the Education Support Office, it will also build staff’s knowledge and skills.
More professional learning will be delivered to ensure both school and Directorate staff are well-equipped to proactively support and promote a safety culture and respond to negative incidents.
It will include Safety Culture Workshops to explore topics such as occupational violence, psychosocial impacts, safe systems and emergency management planning.
The Taskforce will be supported by an Advisory Group, comprising representatives from:
- the ACT Principals’ Association
- ACT Policing
- the Australian Education Union (ACT Branch)
- the ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Association
- the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
- and work health and safety experts from the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate.
Thanks is offered to all teachers, staff, students and families across all ACT Public Schools for their resilience and support throughout 2022 as we continue to face and respond to these challenges together.