Complying with Child Safe Standard 3 – Family and community (for transport providers)

Standard 3 – Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

How you can comply

Consider how families and communities have ways to provide input and feedback on their interactions with your service.

How you may already be complying

You may already invite feedback from families who use your services. You may already be doing this when you meet with families in your community to assist them to fill in transport applications and explain the Code of conduct for school students travelling on buses (the Code) to them.

Under the Code there is an expectation that parents and guardians are kept informed of all relevant matters and are provided with an opportunity to respond.

Best-practice ideas

Share your organisation's approach to child safety and wellbeing with families and community. For example, you could:

  • incorporate information on child safety and wellbeing in your organisation's school transport bus pass application forms, booking systems, brochures, newsletters, social media pages or website
  • give an option for families and other local community members to subscribe to receive child safety and wellbeing updates from your organisation
  • arrange a time to speak to the community about your policies, such as at an information session held at an open date or a community BBQ, or in collaboration with the schools you provide services for
  • encourage families, local communities, and Aboriginal workers and Torres Strait Islander workers to provide feedback on your approach. This may include:
    • an information session held at an open day or family/community BBQ
    • setting up an online feedback form or physical feedback box at a suitable location
  • track and respond to feedback you receive
  • use the feedback information when you review and update your policies and procedures.

A worker is defined in the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024.

Cultural safety and this Standard

Remember that terms like families, parents and primary carers may have different meanings for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For example, parent extends beyond biological parents to include extended family and kinship networks responsible for raising children.

Engage respectfully with Aboriginal Elders, leaders, families and community members and Torres Strait Islander Elders, leaders, families and community members. Take time to understand your local community and diverse cultures you provide services to and build relationships.

Related Standards

Complying with this Standard can also help you comply with:

Also consider...