Learn about our work to make schools safer

Ensuring students are safe at school is our top priority. Launched in 2022, the work of the Safer Schools Action Plan has made our staff more aware of, and accountable for, student safety.

All staff in schools are trained every year on recognizing when children might need protection, reporting to authorities, and supporting children who have made disclosures. This training is tracked and documented.

Other adults who are involved with students, such as coaches and school board and council members, are also offered training.

In addition, government-wide policies are in place to ensure coordination of responses to incidents. There are processes to follow when there are disclosures or accusations of abuse or inappropriate behaviour by staff. These processes include seeking legal advice as required.

There’s always more we can do to improve safety, and we will continue to work to make our schools safer for students.

The Safer Schools Action Plan was initiated in response to the Hidden Valley Elementary School Independent Review Report. It was launched in February 2022 and fully implemented in June 2023.

The action plan contains 23 commitments linked to the 7 recommendations in the independent review report. The 23 action items emphasize creating safe and caring environments, transparency, accountability, victim-centred approaches, collaboration and reconciliation in education settings.

The action plan focused on improving the safety and wellbeing of students and government’s ability to respond effectively to critical or serious incidents.  

2024

• August 27, 2024: Letter to the Yukon Ombudsman – update on recommendations from Left in the Dark report 2 
• March 7, 2024: Yukon Ombudsman Left in the Dark report 2: Safer Schools Action Plan Assessment tabled in the Legislative Assembly
• February 28, 2024: Statement from Minister of Education on the Yukon Ombudsman second report on their Hidden Valley investigation

2023

• October 13, 2023: 2023 Government of Yukon 1 year progress report on Child and Youth Advocate report on Hidden Valley Elementary School
• October 13, 2023: Statement from Minister McLean on the one-year progress report to the Yukon Child and Youth Advocate Office
• September 9, 2023: Statement from Minister of Education on the Yukon Ombudsman’s report on their Hidden Valley investigation 
• June 20, 2023: Safer Schools Action Plan update

2022

• October 5, 2022: Safer Schools Action Plan fall update
• July 21, 2022: Government shares progress update on Safer Schools Action Plan
• February 24, 2022: Hidden Valley Elementary School Independent Review Report action plan released   
• February 18, 2022: Safer Schools Action Plan  
• January 31, 2022: Hidden Valley Elementary School Independent Review Report
• January 31, 2022: Government releases Hidden Valley Elementary School Independent Review Report

2021

• October 6, 2021: Statement to Hidden Valley Elementary School Community
• October 6, 2021: Independent review of Hidden Valley Elementary School incident response launched
• October 06, 2021: Department of Education working with Child and Youth Advocate on review of safety and supports at Hidden Valley Elementary School    
• September 20, 2021: Yukon Child and Youth Advocate: Review of safety and supports at Hidden Valley Elementary School

• Student Protection Policy, updated September 29, 2022
• School Procedures Handbook (Under review): Section 9.11 Procedures for Preventing and Responding to Harm by Adults.  Section 9.11 was updated in 2022
• Safe and Caring Schools Policy was updated as part of the Safer Schools Action Plan
• Volunteers in the Schools Policy
• Supporting students at school and Supports for families and students
• Protecting students from harm by adults
• Report child abuse
• Get support for child victims of crime and Support for a child or youth victim of harm or crime: a guide for parents and caregivers