Our commitment to safeguarding
We are committed to keeping everyone safe - especially children, young people, and adults who may be more vulnerable.
We believe that everyone has a role in safeguarding, no matter their position in the organisation.
As a Christian movement, our mission is to share the love of Jesus. For us, safeguarding is not just about following rules - it’s about caring for people and building safe, healthy communities.
Message from the Chief
What this means in practice
We are committed to:
- Protecting and supporting the most vulnerable
- Acting with fairness, integrity and compassion
- Treating all people with respect and care — even in challenging relationships
What we do to keep people safe
Our leaders help create safe and welcoming places by:
- Building positive cultures at every site
- Supporting people to express their cultural heritage - with zero tolerance for racism or bullying
- Using clear policies and procedures to prevent and respond to harm
- Following quality standards that make our work safe, person-centred, seamless and effective
- Reviewing and improving how we work through a “plan, do, check, act” approach
We also extend our commitment to safety beyond Australia through our international development programs.
Learning from the past
In 2013, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse began. Its final report in 2017 gave important recommendations for organisations like schools, churches and community groups.
We deeply regret every instance of abuse that happened in our care. We have made formal apologies from Australian and International leaders, and continue to work hard to prevent harm in the future.
We follow the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, which help us create safe environments and respond properly when something goes wrong.
We are a Child Safe Organisation
As a Child Safe Organisation, we:
- Put children’s safety and wellbeing at the centre of everything we do
- Listen to and value children and young people
- Create conditions that reduce the chance of harm
- Make it easier to notice and respond to concerns
- Take action when someone speaks up
See our safeguarding insights for children and youth.
Our safeguarding journey
Since 2014, we’ve updated our policies and created a National Safeguarding Framework. This now includes both children and adults at risk.
We’ve built consistent ways of working across all sites in Australia, and we’re committed to making sure everyone understands and follows our safety standards.
Our safeguarding framework
Our framework includes:
- Clear policies and procedures
- Training for all staff and volunteers
- Alignment with the National Child Safe Principles
- Regular reviews and feedback from children, families and workers
Key documents include:
- Safety and Wellbeing of Children and Young People Policy
- Code of Conduct
- Client Feedback and Complaints Policy
Share your feedback or suggestions.
Find out more about our safeguarding framework and continuous improvement.
People, place and program
We reduce risks by thinking carefully about:
People
- We match workers to roles through interviews, checks and training
Place
- We design safe spaces with good visibility, supervision and inclusion
Program
- We plan activities based on age, equipment and risks
- We use risk assessments, permission forms and reviews
Learn more about our people, places and programs.
Code of conduct
Our Code of Conduct explains how our workers should behave. It covers:
- Language and clothing
- Boundaries and relationships
- Physical contact and privacy
- Reporting concerns
- Preventing grooming and misconduct
See child friendly information about expected behaviours.
Diversity and inclusion
Our sites are culturally safe places where people feel respected and free to have a say. Learn more about our commitment to reconciliation and inclusion.
Having a voice
We listen to the lived experiences of children, young people, vulnerable adults and community members.
We run state and national youth advisory groups and encourage anyone interested to get involved.
Contact us to join a youth advisory group.
Our Safeguarding Specialist team
We have a national team of experts who:
- Develop policies and strategies
- Support sites with training and advice
- Provide tools and resources to improve safety
- Look into reports, or signs of harm and abuse that involve vulnerable people.
Report a safeguarding concern
If you see or hear something that doesn’t feel right, please speak up.
You can:
Cultural diversity
