Changes in the school environment, changes in gates, size of school, staff transitions, may impact the school's ability to continue fulfilling certain responsibilities indefinitely. If a school has previously committed to displaying flags at a children's crossing wishes to withdraw from this commitment, the crossing may need to be decommissioned by Transport for NSW or the local council. Schools can request a reassessment of the crossing by the local council, that initially approved it, to evaluate the situation and consider alternatives.

Before making any decision that could lead to the crossing being decommissioned by the Local Council or Transport for NSW, schools should:

• consult with the school community, and their expectations of the crossing being available for their children
• consult with the local School Education Director, and Work Health and Safety as part of their decision-making process.
• explore whether alternative local arrangements could facilitate the continued display and removal of flags each day
• assess the risks associated with removing a facility that students regularly use. Possible mitigation measures might include changing access points to the school, informing students and parents of the changes, and modifying the school's supervision plan, either temporarily or permanently.
• contact Legal Services for guidance on any legal or liability issues related to the operation of school crossings
• consult with their local department Road Safety Education Officer for any further advice.

NSW children's crossings only operate when the flags are displayed and the installation of the crossings has been approved by TfNSW or local council. This is where a school principal has agreed to sign an undertaking that the relevant flags will be displayed during and only during periods of usage by school children at the children's crossing.

Schools should consider the following issues before agreeing to sign any undertaking required by Transport for NSW or the local council:

• are there any alternative methods of operation of the crossing apart from displaying the flags
• who is going to be responsible for the display and removal of flags at the appropriate times. Whilst it is not necessarily required that a school principal perform the task (depending upon the wording of the undertaking), careful consideration needs to be given as to who would undertake the task on behalf of the school. Students are not to perform the task.
• the school community need to be informed of its operation
• the principal should ensure that successive principals are fully aware of the extent of the school's obligations in respect of the crossing.