The Safer Schools Action Plan was initiated in response to the Hidden Valley Elementary School Independent Review Report, and was launched in February 2022.
The action plan focuses on improving the safety and wellbeing of students and government’s ability to respond effectively to critical or serious incidents.
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 Government of Yukon employed a whole-of-government approach to implementing the Safer Schools Action Plan, which involved close collaboration between the departments of Education, Health and Social Services, Justice, the Public Service Commission, the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, and the Executive Council Office. The Government of Yukon also worked closely with the RCMP, and will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure students are safe at school.
Recommendation 1
Implement a policy and process for interdepartmental cooperation for significant events, and provide appropriate training.
Recommendation 2
Implement a Department of Education policy for addressing school incidents that includes criminal allegations against employees.
Recommendation 3
Provide better training for school administrators and better onboarding of the Department of Education employees.
Recommendation 4
Ensure computerized databases in all school in the Yukon are capable of easily identifying families of students both past and present and information about educational assistant assignments.
Recommendation 5
Ensure school administrators, teachers and staff are provided training in respect of their duty to report and document suspected abuse on an annual basis.
Recommendation 6
Develop and implement a policy in cooperation with the RCMP regarding information sharing and working together in the event of an allegation of criminal conduct.
Recommendation 7
Fully implement the recommendations set out in the 2019 June Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Yukon Legislative Assembly. Especially those in respect of inclusive education for students who have special needs.
Our actions
Read the 23 actions we're taking in response to these recommendations.
2023
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
- January 31, 2022: Hidden Valley Elementary School Independent Review Report released
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
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October 13, 2023: 2023 Government of Yukon 1 year progress report on Child and Youth Advocate report on Hidden Valley Elementary School
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February 18, 2022: Safer Schools Action Plan
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January 31, 2022: Hidden Valley Elementary School Independent Review Report
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September 20, 2021: Yukon Child and Youth Advocate: Review of safety and supports at Hidden Valley Elementary School