❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses concerns that a new Duty of Care policy may reduce parent and volunteer support in schools. The Minister outlines strategies to inform and reassure volunteers, emphasizing the policy's aim to protect all involved.
AnsweredQoN 2073Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(b) given the Duty of Care policy will deter some parents and volunteers from providing much needed support to schools, what strategy does the Minister have in place to counter the anticipated drop off in parent and volunteer help; and (c) are schools required to provide the volunteer or parent with written confirmation of their duty of care?
(c) are schools required to provide the volunteer or parent with written confirmation of their duty of care?
(b) The Western Australian Council of State School Organisations and Departmental officers have taken the decision to bring this policy directly to the attention of all Parents and Citizens’ (P&C) Associations. By the end of Term 4 this year, all P&C Associations will receive their own copy of the policy, as well as a CD-Rom containing the PowerPoint presentation entitled 'Doing our best for the safety and welfare of students'. It is anticipated that once the policy is properly explained to parent volunteers, volunteers will understand that the policy simply clarifies responsibilities when schools use adults other than teachers to care for students, and that the changes to the policy are intended to better protect all persons, including parent volunteers, who care for students. (c) The policy requires principals and teachers to provide volunteers with clear instructions as to the level of care required for the student(s) under the volunteer’s supervision, thereby informing the volunteer of how his/her duty of care may be discharged.
It is anticipated that once the policy is properly explained to parent volunteers, volunteers will understand that the policy simply clarifies responsibilities when schools use adults other than teachers to care for students, and that the changes to the policy are intended to better protect all persons, including parent volunteers, who care for students. (c) The policy requires principals and teachers to provide volunteers with clear instructions as to the level of care required for the student(s) under the volunteer’s supervision, thereby informing the volunteer of how his/her duty of care may be discharged.
(c) The policy requires principals and teachers to provide volunteers with clear instructions as to the level of care required for the student(s) under the volunteer’s supervision, thereby informing the volunteer of how his/her duty of care may be discharged.
(c) are schools required to provide the volunteer or parent with written confirmation of their duty of care?
(b) The Western Australian Council of State School Organisations and Departmental officers have taken the decision to bring this policy directly to the attention of all Parents and Citizens’ (P&C) Associations. By the end of Term 4 this year, all P&C Associations will receive their own copy of the policy, as well as a CD-Rom containing the PowerPoint presentation entitled 'Doing our best for the safety and welfare of students'. It is anticipated that once the policy is properly explained to parent volunteers, volunteers will understand that the policy simply clarifies responsibilities when schools use adults other than teachers to care for students, and that the changes to the policy are intended to better protect all persons, including parent volunteers, who care for students. (c) The policy requires principals and teachers to provide volunteers with clear instructions as to the level of care required for the student(s) under the volunteer’s supervision, thereby informing the volunteer of how his/her duty of care may be discharged.
It is anticipated that once the policy is properly explained to parent volunteers, volunteers will understand that the policy simply clarifies responsibilities when schools use adults other than teachers to care for students, and that the changes to the policy are intended to better protect all persons, including parent volunteers, who care for students. (c) The policy requires principals and teachers to provide volunteers with clear instructions as to the level of care required for the student(s) under the volunteer’s supervision, thereby informing the volunteer of how his/her duty of care may be discharged.
(c) The policy requires principals and teachers to provide volunteers with clear instructions as to the level of care required for the student(s) under the volunteer’s supervision, thereby informing the volunteer of how his/her duty of care may be discharged.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
4 December 2003
Responded by
Minister for Education and Training
Response time
71 days
(a) The policy has been made publicly available via the Internet. The Department’s attention has focused on bringing the policy to the attention of school staff, as the policy and procedures are lawful orders for the purposes of the Public Sector Management Act 1994 in respect to Department of Education and Training employees. To this end, school administrators, teaching and non-teaching staff, from across the State have attended conferences or video-linkups to learn about the revised policy and procedures. They were encouraged to make the policy available to their parent groups, given that the policy may affect parents who volunteer in schools.
(b) The Western Australian Council of State School Organisations and Departmental officers have taken the decision to bring this policy directly to the attention of all Parents and Citizens’ (P&C) Associations. By the end of Term 4 this year, all P&C Associations will receive their own copy of the policy, as well as a CD-Rom containing the PowerPoint presentation entitled 'Doing our best for the safety and welfare of students'.
It is anticipated that once the policy is properly explained to parent volunteers, volunteers will understand that the policy simply clarifies responsibilities when schools use adults other than teachers to care for students, and that the changes to the policy are intended to better protect all persons, including parent volunteers, who care for students.
(c) The policy requires principals and teachers to provide volunteers with clear instructions as to the level of care required for the student(s) under the volunteer’s supervision, thereby informing the volunteer of how his/her duty of care may be discharged.
(b) The Western Australian Council of State School Organisations and Departmental officers have taken the decision to bring this policy directly to the attention of all Parents and Citizens’ (P&C) Associations. By the end of Term 4 this year, all P&C Associations will receive their own copy of the policy, as well as a CD-Rom containing the PowerPoint presentation entitled 'Doing our best for the safety and welfare of students'.
It is anticipated that once the policy is properly explained to parent volunteers, volunteers will understand that the policy simply clarifies responsibilities when schools use adults other than teachers to care for students, and that the changes to the policy are intended to better protect all persons, including parent volunteers, who care for students.
(c) The policy requires principals and teachers to provide volunteers with clear instructions as to the level of care required for the student(s) under the volunteer’s supervision, thereby informing the volunteer of how his/her duty of care may be discharged.
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