Appendix 2 | Background information on ECEC and school closures during the pandemic in Australia Returning to school was approached through a staggered plan with only some grades in regional Victoria returning on 11 October 2021, before all could return on 22 October 2021.124 For metropolitan Melbourne, with a staggered approach, all students returned to in-person learning on 26 October 2021 as vaccination rates rapidly increased.125 In 2022, students returned to school as normal, with masks recommended indoors. (ix) Western Australia On 23 March 2020, the WA Premier announced the introduction of Stage 1 restrictions, with the expectation that the restrictions would be in place for at least 6 months.126 Schools would remain open until the end of the school term, as agreed by National Cabinet; however, parents would not face the usual consequences if they decided not to send their children to school. On 26 March 2020, the WA Government announced new learning arrangements for government schools from 30 March 2020.127 While schools would remain open, families were encouraged to keep children at home. In April 2020, the WA Government announced that government schools would be open to all parents and carers who chose to send their children to school from the beginning of Term 2 and distance education resources would be provided to students who continued to learn at home.128 All school students were required to return to school from 18 May 2020, with an exemption for students who were medically vulnerable or had a family member with a chronic health condition.129 In 2021, the commencement of Term 1 was postponed for one week.130 The week was deemed an extra week of holidays for staff and students and no online learning was provided. Schools reopened as normal in Week 2, Term 1, 2021. Safeguarding Children: Using a child rights impact assessment to improve our laws and policies | 59