Unit rationale, description and aim
This microcredential introduces the core principles of safeguarding from a rights-based perspective, incorporating international frameworks such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). It emphasises leadership, ethical responsibilities, and the empowerment of children, forming the foundation for further study on safeguarding children.
Participants will gain essential knowledge of safeguarding frameworks, including the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. These principles guide institutions in embedding a child-safe culture, empowering children, addressing risks, and ensuring institutional accountability. The microcredential explores strategies for applying these frameworks, supported by real-world case studies and reflective exercises focused on ethical leadership and child safeguarding.
The aim is to provide foundational knowledge of child safeguarding, with a focus on empowering vulnerable children within institutions and developing effective safeguarding policies aligned with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of key interna...
Learning Outcome 01
Design and advocate for effective child safety pol...
Learning Outcome 02
Facilitate and advocate for the active participati...
Learning Outcome 03
Content
Topics will include:
- Exploring safeguarding frameworks such as the UNCRC and UNCRPD, with a focus on how they guide the safeguarding of children’s rights and wellbeing.
- Examining ethical leadership strategies for ensuring accountability and responsibility within institutional settings.
- Reviewing real-world examples of safeguarding policies and practices in institutions, with a focus on successes and lessons learned.
- Involving children actively in decision-making processes, ensuring their voices are central to institutional practices.
- Understanding the legal and ethical responsibilities of professionals in upholding children’s rights and ensuring their protection from harm.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment is designed to evaluate participants’ ability to apply the knowledge gained in a practical and reflective manner. It encourages critical thinking, self-assessment, and the integration of theoretical frameworks with professional practice. By focusing on one comprehensive task, the assessment promotes depth of engagement and allows participants to demonstrate their understanding and leadership in safeguarding children. focusing on a relevant topic, participants can critically engage with the values and beliefs that underpin approaches to child safety and wellbeing. The alignment of the action plan with National Principles 1 and 2 ensures that responses are both legally sound and ethically grounded. This strategy ensures that the assessment aligns with the unit’s learning objectives, emphasising both reflective analysis and practical application in child-related fields.
Overview of assessments
The assessment task for this microcredential is designed to demonstrate achievement of each of the learning outcomes. In order to pass this microcredential, students are required to meet the learning outcomes and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50% for the assessment task.
Assessment Task 1: Child Safety Action Plan: De...
Assessment Task 1:
Child Safety Action Plan: Development, Presentation, and Reflective Justification
Select a contemporary issue related to safeguarding children or young people from abuse and/or risk in your professional context, considering the context’s values and beliefs about safety and wellbeing.
Develop and present a safeguarding action plan that embeds child safety within practice, aligned with National Principles 1 and 2, and addresses the selected issue. Provide a critical reflection on the process, identifying any challenges to its implementation.
100%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Learning in this microcredential will involve a participatory approach, combining activities that integrate theoretical learning with practical application. Through collaborative work, reflective exercises, and problem-solving tasks, students will develop key leadership and ethical decision-making skills. This strategy emphasises active involvement and self-assessment, enhancing students’ ability to translate theory into effective practice in child-related fields. The overarching goal is to ensure that participants are equipped to apply their learning in professional settings.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Highly Accomplished
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Highly Accomplished standards:
Relating toEvaluate learning and teaching programs, using student assessment data, that are differentiated for the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toInitiate and take responsibility for implementing current school and/ or system, curriculum and legislative requirements to ensure student wellbeing and safety.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toPlan for professional learning by accessing and critiquing relevant research, engage in high quality targeted opportunities to improve practice and offer quality placements for pre-service teachers where applicable.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toEngage with colleagues to evaluate the effectiveness of teacher professional learning activities to address student learning needs.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Lead
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Lead standards:
Relating toEvaluate the effectiveness of student well-being policies and safe working practices using current school and/ or system, curriculum and legislative requirements and assist colleagues to update their practices.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toModel exemplary ethical behaviour and exercise informed judgements in all professional dealings with students, colleagues and the community.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toInitiate, develop and implement relevant policies and processes to support colleagues’ compliance with and understanding of existing and new legislative, administrative, organisational and professional responsibilities
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2