Under the department's Code of Conduct, section 8.6. Duty of care all personnel have a legal obligation to take reasonable care to minimise the risk of foreseeable harm (physical and psychological) to others.

Department staff can read more on Legal Services (staff only) about:

• Supervision
• Duty of care and behaviour management

Duty of care encompasses a wide range of matters including but not limited to:

• providing adequate supervision, training and instruction
• ensuring grounds, premises and equipment are safe for employees, students and the general public
• implementing strategies to prevent bullying in the workplace, school or college
• providing first aid commensurate with your level of training and experience, or seeking assistance from emergency service to aid an employee, student or community member who is injured or becomes sick in the workplace.

All employees share in the department’s responsibility and commitment to the safety, health and wellbeing of themselves and others in their workplace and must comply with relevant legislation.

A greater level of care is required for a person who is vulnerable because of their age, maturity, skill level, disability, health or personal circumstances.

Duty of care extends to protecting students from self-harm while in school and reporting on incidents out of school.

Which students need educating about the road safety concern?

• individual or small groups of students
• year/stage group of students
• the whole school?

How will road safety education be made relevant?

Through:

• localised, school-specific teaching and learning activities
• identified outcomes
• a strengths’ based approach?

Which parents/carers need informing about the road safety concern?

The parents of:

• individual or small groups of students
• a year/stage group of students
• all students?

How will it be communicated?

• e.g. social media (Facebook, school apps, Twitter)
• newsletters
• school website
• enrolment pack information,
• orientation day
• school noticeboard sign, email
• meetings
• take-home activity/note

If you need emergency services assistance call them before calling the WHS Incident Report and Support Hotline.

All department staff must report work health and safety (WHS) incidents, including injuries, hazards, and near misses, using the department’s approved reporting channels. : in line with Incident Notification & Response Procedures. This includes any non-workplace incident that impacts students, staff and the school community, e.g. travel to/from school.

Situations that have the potential to cause injury to an employee, student, member of the community, volunteer, or contractor should also be reported through the Mandatory incident reporting tools.

It is valuable to report all concerns to:

• highlight that a risk exists
• contribute to managing your duty of care
• get the concern noted so appropriate support and corrective actions can be initiated to prevent further incidents
• build a data profile that Health and Safety, and School Infrastructure NSW Directorates can use to bring about change for your school.

Who needs notifying if:

• student/s are unsafe road users
• the infrastructure is unsupportive to a safe school site or school zone

1. Parents/carers
2. Internally: school staff, P & C, school WHS Committee, WHS Advisor, WHS Incident Hotline, Assets Management Unit, local Director Educational Leadership, local Road Safety Education Officer
3. Externally: Council Road Safety Officer or general manager, Transport for NSW, police highway patrol/liaison officer, council parking rangers, bus company, local businesses?

How can the notification be made?

e.g. phone call, face to face informal discussion/formal meeting, email, formal letters, Snap send solve app

Who will document, record and track the actions?

Reporting

• class teachers, SASS staff, school executive

Managing

• principal

How and where will the actions be documented, recorded and tracked?