South Australian cybersafety policies
This section provides links to information about the cybersafety policies and procedures provided by the South Australian (SA) education authorities.
Catholic Education, South Australia
Approach to cybersafety
Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) notes that cybersafety governance within CESA schools is determined at a school level.
Catholic Education South Australia does provide links to a number of policy documents that have been approved by SACCS (South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools). These overarching policy documents are listed below.
ICT security
SACCS ICT Security Policy 2007
Cyberbullying policy
Cyber Bullying and e-Crime
Cyber bullying, e-crime and the protection of children
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Department of Education and Children's Services
Approach to cybersafety
In matters relating to cybersafety, DECS works with, and is advised by:
- the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum - a child protection teaching and learning program in South Australian government schools and preschools, developed by experienced South Australian educators and child protection experts. the Abuse and Neglect Training program (previously Mandatory Notification Training).
- the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which manages a national cybersafety education and awareness program and is also responsible for monitoring online content, including Internet and mobile phone content, and enforcing Australia's anti-spam law.
- South Australia Police (SAPol).
- the Coalition to Decrease Bullying, Harassment and Violence in South Australian Schools, which has representatives from the three schooling sectors and eminent international researchers Professor Ken Rigby, Professor Phillip Slee and Drs Barbara Spears and Shoko Yoneyama.
In addressing cybersafety it is acknowledged that many of the risks are not new and educators are familiar with strategies that maximise learning opportunities while minimising the risk to children’s’ safety and wellbeing. However the boundaries have changed with the rapid evolution of mobile and fixed networks and technologies. Bullying behaviour can now occur 24/7 with significant impact due to the rapid distribution of offensive material.
The centre piece of the DECS cybersafety initiative launched in July 2009 is the guidelines for schools and preschools Cyber safety: Keeping Children Safe in a Connected World
This document has as its three pillars:
- prevention of the risks to children and young poeple when they are online through classroom learning detailed in the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum. The curriculum includes topic and activity links between cyber bullying and harassment staged from ages 3-5 through to Senior School years (Years 10-12). Information for parents is available at http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/curric/files/links/CP_ENGLISH.pdf
- security measures to ensure the networks provided for learning are used appropriately (see Acceptable Use Agreements below).
- where students behave in a manner that threatens the wellbeing of others that principals can use the procedures of suspension and exclusion even if the event occurred off site or out of school hours. A suspected e-crime including where a crime is captured on a mobile device requires police notification. Advice to principals is available at http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/speced2/files/links/Cyber_bullying.pdf.
Information-Internet Safety in Schools. Managing the Risks
These risks are outlined in Cyber safety: Keeping Children Safe in a Connected World.
Acceptable use policies and codes of conduct
The DECS has developed draft templates that DECS schools can use in the development of school based agreements which it is advised should be developed in consultation with students, parents and teachers. Links to cyber safety use agreements for different years are provided below:
Pre-school to Year 4 Primary Middle Years Secondary years
Cyberbullying
The Department of Education and Children's Services states that 'All staff are responsible, directly or indirectly, for child and student health and wellbeing http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/portal/staffinfo.asp?group=wellbeing.
The School Discipline Policy requires that DECS, school communities, services and agencies will work together to create learning communities which are safe, inclusive, conducive to learning and free from harassment and bullying.
All schools are required to have anti-bullying policies in place. To this end, DECS works with the following initiatives to support implementation of programs in schools:
Mind Matters a resource and professional development program to support Australian secondary schools in promoting and protecting the social and emotional wellbeing of members of school communities.
Kids Matter - a primary school mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative developed in collaboration with the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, beyondblue: the national depression initiative, the Australian Psychological Society and the Australian Principals Associations Professional Development Council, now Principals Australia.
In 2005 the SA Government established the Coalition to Decrease Bullying, Harassment and Violence in SA schools http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/speced2/pages/bullying/Initiatives/. Membership of this group includes key academics from the SA university sector, and educators from the three schooling sectors. Further information about the Coalition and its work can be found here http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/speced2/pages/bullying/coalitionTermsOfRef/
The Coalition supports the evidence based primary program Friendly Schools and Families http://www.friendlyschools.com.au/ and the secondary Supportive Schools Program in South Australian schools to compliment the child protection curriculum. Forty key staff from DECS, Catholic Education - SA and the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia have recently been trained in delivering these programs to schools.
DECS resources for parents and carers:
A pdf brochure providing advice and assistance to parents in relation to bullying and harassment in schools. http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/speced2/files/links/link_97419.pdf
A pdf cyberbullying information brochure (‘Cyber bullying, e-crime and the protection of children’) which also provides examples from the SA Police of incidents which could be criminal. http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/CyberBullyingECrimeProtec.pdf
The cyberbullying stories website with i-pod stories of the experiences of students teachers and parents and accompanying advice. This was developed under the leadership of Dr Barbara Spears with support from the Coalition to Decrease Bullying, Harassment and Violence in SA schools with website expertise supplied by DECS. Go to www.cyberbullyingstories.org.au.
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