Principle 9: Regular Reviews Improve Implementation

This chapter outlines how your organisation can conduct reviews to ensure that policies and procedures, including record-keeping practices, are being implemented by staff and volunteers.

In this Chapter, you will learn:

·      Importance of reviews to improved implementation

·      How you can support the review and improvement process 

What are your and your organisation's responsibilities  in the review processes that support the interests of children?

Your organisation is responsible for;

• Continuous improvement of their delivery of child safe services and operations

• Conducting reviews to ensure that policies and procedures are followed

• Ensuring record keeping practices are implemented

• Reporting on the findings of reviews

• Addressing new challenges and concerns that arise

You, as a child facing team member are responsible for;

• Supporting reviews                 

• Keeping good records  

Child safe organisations seek to continuously improve their delivery of child safe services and operations.

To be able to continuously improve their delivery of child-safe services and operations, your organisation should conduct reviews to ensure that organisational policies and procedures, including record-keeping practices, are being implemented by staff and volunteers.

Key activities and indicators that this Child Safe is upheld are:

• The organisation regularly reviews, evaluates and improves child safe practices, and

• Seeks the participation of children and young people, parents and community in its regular reviews

• Child safety and wellbeing indicators are included in documentation used for reviews.

• Review outcomes are considered and implemented to improve child safe practices.

• Complaints, concerns and safety incidents are analysed regularly to identify causes and systemic failures so as to inform continuous improvement.

• The organisation reports on the findings of relevant reviews to staff and volunteers, community and families and children and young people. 

 Your role in the review and improvement process

While the primary responsibility is for your organisation to facilitate it, you too, have a role in supporting the review and improvement process.

• Include caregivers, children and other vulnerable people in providing feedback

• Use a variety of feedback tools e.g. simple language, visuals, specific examples.

• Participate in debriefing after your program 

• Reflect on your program and what you can learn from it 

• Be sure to complete accurate incident report when required by your Team Leader.

When we put safety and well-being of children first we are always looking for ways to improve.