Safety House News
TermOne 2017
Safety House WA Inc. Newsletter
WELCOME TO TERM ONE 2017
A new school term starts and we look forward to another highly successful year with local volunteers participating in the Safety House community child safety program. This can give parents and carers some reassurance that their children will have somewhere safe to seek assistance from trusted adults if they ever need help.
A massive and sincere thank you to all our Safety House Coordinators, Committees Members, Community Volunteers and local organisations and supporters for their support.
FASTER PROCESSING OF NEW SAFETY HOUSE APPLICATION FORMS
We are very pleased to advise that effective immediately, processing of Safety House application forms will be streamlined and significantly speeded up. There have been some issues with checking taking far too long which has resulted in a few applicants losing interest and withdrawing their applications to become a Safety House.
From Term 1 2017 onwards, once an application is received by the Safety House WA Inc Head Office; as long as the Working with Children Card check is validated and there are no other concerns; we can issue an approval email to the Safety House Coordinator or direct to the applicant without any delay. This will be a major improvement and ensure that the initial enthusiasm of an applicant does not wane whilst we all sit waiting for a check response.
After much consultation and advice we have decided to reserve the right to obtain a National Police Clearance Certificate for only those occasions when we feel there is some reason to follow up. WA Police can no longer offer the facility of continuous checking of criminal convictions, however, the WA Department of Child Protection still operates a continuous checking of allegations, charges and criminal convictions as a standard part of their verification system.
We have therefore decided to focus on the Working with Children Card as our primary check but retain the right to additionally request a National Police Clearance Certificate whenever we consider it to be necessary or if a notice is issued as a result of the Working with Children Card continuous checking procedures.
Some of our printed materials such as the yellow Procedure Card will be outdated about our Checking procedures but most of the data remains correct and useful. At our next reprint of each publication we will review the text to make sure it is up to date with current practice.
NEW SAFETY HOUSE WA FORMS
Because of the change to our application procedures as detailed above we have created new Safety House application forms for 2017. These new forms are available now to download from the Coordinators Area of the Safety House WA website To access this Coordinators Area of the website please use access code 1 2 3 4 If you have any trouble downloading the new forms please email the Safety House WA Office address and we would be happy to email or post them out to you.
It is important to use these new forms to avoid any possible delays in our new quicker processing of Safety House applications.
WORKING WITH CHILDREN CARD UPDATE
At this time last year, only 16 of our community volunteers were registered as accredited Working with Children Card holders under the Safety House WA Inc. organisation. Thanks to exceptional hard work by Renee and Gail in our office, our Safety House Coordinators and the wonderful response from so many of our community volunteers we now have over 2,500 people registered with the WA Department of Child Protection as accredited Working with Children Card holders. Well done to all involved.
We will continue to seek compliance with the WA Department of Child Protection directive that requires every registered Safety House resident aged over 18 years who is likely to assist a child at the door to hold a valid Working with Children Card.
Safety House WA Inc. is totally committed to community based child safety. We believe the Working with Children Card requirement will strengthen our assurance to parents that Safety House residents are intensively checked out to be trusted adults.
SAFETY HOUSE CHILD AND PARENT HANDBOOK
The Safety House Child and Parent Handbook is a free publication distributed to every child in the school giving good personal safety advice with puzzles, games and colouring-in to hold a child’s interest and attention. The Handbook is fully funded by local advertisers and Britel handle all the organising and distribution.
Safety House WA Inc. is proud to be in partnership with Britel on the Handbook.
If your school would be interested having a local edition produced just email Britel Enterprises at or 9409 2377and they will do everything else including speaking with the School Principal and potential local advertisers.
SAFETY HOUSE SHOW 2017 SEASON
In September 2017 we will have a new season of the Safety House Show. Last year was a great success with rave reviews from many schools who hosted a performance. Some schools missed out last year because they did not book in time and although we managed to extend the season by a few days we just could not fit everyone in.
Bookings are now OPEN and a few performance dates have already been snapped up.
Get in early to make sure that your school does not miss out in September 2017.
A Safety House Show flyer is attached with details of the 2017 season and the good news is that the performance fee remains unchanged from last year at the incredibly reasonable price of just $300 including GST. This performance fee is fixed regardless of how many children are likely to be in the audience.
SAFETY HOUSE ART COMPETITION 2017
NEW FOR 2017 – For the first time ever, Safety House WA Inc. will accept Art Competition entries submitted by email. The artwork should be scanned as either a .jpg or .pdf format image file and attached to an email sent to
The annual Safety House Art Competition will again be run in 2017 with the judging of entries and announcement of winning artworks to be made in September 2017. Each year we get thousands of entries and every single student artist and their school receives a Certificate of Participation. The winning artist in each school age group received a Winners Certificate and a cash prize of $50. In addition the Year Six group winning artwork becomes the keynote design in the 2018 Safety House Poster. The closing date for all entries to be received at the Safety House Office is FRIDAY, 2nd SEPTEMBER 2017.
The wonderful comic strip below was created by Michaela of Shelley Primary School and it formed part of her winning 2016 poster design in the Safety House Art Competition
What to do if someone scares or bothers you out in the street
NEW SIGNS FOR OLD
A Safety House sign at a school or in the public street can have great value in publicising that the community cares for the safety and protection of local kids. This can help build community spirit and can have a deterrent effect on any people who seek to do harm.
When visiting local Primary Schools we have seen a few Safety House signs that look like this one on the left. Because this sign is rather old, the condition is poor, the image is fading and the picture of IMA is downright scary!
If your school has a sign that looks like the one on the left above, and you would like to upgrade to the new design, please send us an email to let us know and we will happily swap your old sign for a new one like the sign on the right, at absolutely no cost to the school or P&C Association.
SAFETY HOUSE WA 2017 AFFILIATION FEES
We are very proud to announce that the Safety House WA annual affiliation fee in 2017 for a local Safety House group has not been increased from last year’s level of $130 including GST.
We are very aware that many P&C Associations have great demands on the funds they raise and that is why we have strived, and we have succeeded,in holding our annual affiliation fees at the same very reasonable level of $130 for the last ten years.
Some of the benefits of Safety House Membership supported by affiliation fees are:
FREEvolunteer worker personal injury insurance cover for every Committee Member whenever they are out on Safety House business, a value of $100 per Committee.
FREE public liability insurance cover for every Committee Member whenever they are out on Safety House business, a value of $50 per Committee.
FREE unlimited use of IMA costume for school events previously costing $35 hire fee.
FREEunlimited number of WA national Police Certificate Checks whenever required, paid by Safety House WA at $14.50 per check.
FREEPhoto ID cards and lanyards for Committee Members valued at $10 each.
FREEfull colour printed plastic Contact Number Cards for students in the school usually costing $1.50 per card.
FREE balloons for Safety House Week usually sold at $4.50 per pack of 50 balloons.
FREEAnti-Bullying strategies brochures previously sold at $9.00 per pack of 50 brochures.
FREE Safety House Bullying brochures previously sold at $9.00 per pack of 50 brochures.
FREEunlimited number of letterbox and house plates previously sold at $1.50 each.
FREEunlimited number of Safety House full colour A2 posters for display on school and P&C noticeboards, a value of $1.00 per poster
FREE UNLIMITED advice, training, help and support from Safety House WA Inc. Head Office.
A tax invoice for the 2017 Safety House annual Affiliation Fee will be sent out to each local Safety House group over the next few weeks and please pass this tax invoice on to your P&C for payment as soon as possible.
WELCOME TO NEW COORDINATORS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
A very warm welcome to the following Safety House Coordinators and Safety House Committee Members who have joined our team.
Jo Edmonds / North Woodvale Primary School Safety House Group - CoordinatorClaire Gould / Riverton Primary School Safety House Group– Joint Coordinator
Elizabeth Scaffidi / Riverton Primary School Safety House Group – Joint Coordinator
Sharmaine Sanders / Riverton Primary School Safety House Group – Joint Coordinator
Julie Oliver / Rosalie Primary SchoolSafety House Group - Coordinator
HANDING OVER AS A COORDINATOR OR COMMITTEE MEMBER?
If you are have already handed over your Safety House Coordinator or Committee Member role; or if you are planning to do so at your next P&C Association Meeting; please let us know. This will allow us to meet up with the new person taking over your role so we can help them with some training and have a chance to answer any queries they may have.
If you are leaving the Safety House role we would like to thank you most sincerely for your work and participation in this vital community child safety initiative.
SAFETY HOUSE WA INC 2017 NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Everyone is welcome to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Association which is held in Term One each year. This is the forum to elect Volunteer Office Bearers and Members of the Management Committee of the Association and an opportunity to meet them. It is also an opportunity to participate in Association business, put forward ideas and ask any questions.
It is intended that the 2017 Annual General Meeting will be asked to review and consider a motion introducing a revised Constitution for the Association that will bring us in line with the new governance requirements of the 2015 Incorporated Association Act.
2017 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - TUESDAY, MARCH 21st 2017
STARTS AT 5.30pm STAFF ROOM, WADDINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL, 15 HENNIKER WAY, KOONDOOLA
SAFETY HOUSE WA INC 2017 AGM - NOTICE OF MOTION
Formal notice of the following motion will be put to the 2017 Annual General Meeting of the Safety House Association of Western Australia Inc. which is to be held on 21st March 2017.
MOTION: that the Membership of the Safety House Association of Western Australia Inc. hereby approves the required amendments to the Constitution of the Association such as will ensure compliance with new requirements of the WA Associations Incorporation Act 2015.
SAFETY HOUSE WA COMMUNICATIONS
We are deeply sorry to have lost our Administrative Assistant Renee Chappell who has moved on to bigger and better things in her new job as a Primary School Officer. Renee will be sorely missed but we wish her every success and happiness on her new career path.
With the departure of Renee, the Safety House WA Head Office will be unattended more often than before but we have set up some alternatives so that you can stay in touch.
EMAIL: is probably the best way to contact the Safety House WA Office and these emails will be picked up and handled daily.
PHONE:(08) 9343 7511is the Safety House WA office telephone number. If the office is unattended you will be able to leave a voicemail message.
VOICEMAIL(08) 6142 8579 is the Safety House office direct voicemail telephone number. At any time a direct voicemail message can be left on our comms system.
MOBILE0438 606 617 is Michael Clarke’s mobile number and if he is engaged in a meeting at the time, a voicemail message can be left on this mobile number.
FAX CANCELLEDSafety House WA Inc. no longer has a fax line. We have cancelled this service as we actually received hardly any faxes in the last year.
As you may have noticed on our emails, the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC) has granted Safety House WA Inc. the right to display the Registered Charity symbol. We are very proud to accept this recognition of the great work done by our community volunteers and this Registered Charity symbol will be on display in many of our communications.
POYNTER PRIMARY SCHOOL SAFETY HOUSE LETTER
Our Safety House Coordinator at Poynter Primary School, Cassandra Brown; has kindly allowed us to share the newsletter she created for her Safety House group members. As long as you have a record of your Safety House members emails, it is now quite easy to keep your group informed and motivated with a regular communication about the program.
WELCOME TO NEW COORDINATORS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
A very warm welcome to the following Safety House Coordinators and Safety House Committee Members who have joined our team.
Jo Edmonds / North Woodvale Primary School Safety House Group - CoordinatorClaire Gould / Riverton Primary School Safety House Group– Joint Coordinator
Elizabeth Scaffidi / Riverton Primary School Safety House Group – Joint Coordinator
Sharmaine Sanders / Riverton Primary School Safety House Group – Joint Coordinator
Julie Oliver / Rosalie Primary SchoolSafety House Group - Coordinator
HANDING OVER AS A COORDINATOR OR COMMITTEE MEMBER?
If you are have already handed over your Safety House Coordinator or Committee Member role; or if you are planning to do so at your next P&C Association Meeting; please let us know. This will allow us to meet up with the new person taking over your role so we can help them with some training and have a chance to answer any queries they may have.
If you are leaving the Safety House role we would like to thank you most sincerely for your work and participation in this vital community child safety initiative.
2017 TERM CALENDAR FOR STATE SCHOOLS
Please contact your local school directly for more information about its own specific school development (pupil free) days. The dates below may differ for schools in the private sector.
SCHOOL TERM 1 2017 – Wednesday, 1stFebruary 2017 - Friday, 7th April 2017
SAFETY HOUSE WA TERM 1 2017 GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday, March 7th2017 5.30pm Waddington PS Staff Room
SCHOOL TERM 2 2017 – Monday, 24thApril 2017 - Friday, 30thJune 2017
SAFETY HOUSE WA TERM 2 2017 GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday, May 9th2017 5.30pm Waddington PS Staff Room
SCHOOL TERM 3 2017 – Monday, 17th July2017 - Friday, 22ndSeptember 2017
SAFETY HOUSE WA TERM 3 2017 GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday, August 8th2017 5.30pm Waddington PS Staff Room
SCHOOL TERM 4 2017 – Monday, 9th October 2017 - Thursday, 14th December 2017
SAFETY HOUSE WA TERM 4 2017 GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday, 7th November 2017 5.30pm Waddington PS Staff Room
SAFETY HOUSE NEWS ITEMS
We welcome any ideas or suggestions for items to be included in Safety House News. If you have anything you would like to see in future issues please email the Safety House WA Office.
SAFETY HOUSE WA INC.ABN 18 933 719 759
WADDINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL,
15 HENNIKER WAY, KOONDOOLA WA 6064
Tel: (08) 9343 7511 www.safetyhousewa.org.au