Child Safety
Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people and has zero tolerance for child abuse. We are committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. In particular, we pay attention to the cultural safety of Indigenous children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, children who identify as LGBTIQA+, as well as children with a disability. Every person involved in Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do.
Consistent with the Child Safe Standards we will do this by:
- Establishing a culturally safe environment where the diverse and unique identities and experiences of indigenous children and young people are respected and valued.
- Embedding child safety and wellbeing in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
- Ensuring children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
- Informing and involving families and community in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
- Ensuring equity is upheld and diverse needs are respected in Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health policy and practice.
- Ensuring Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health staff, students, contractors and volunteers working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
- Providing a child focussed complaints and concerns process.
- Providing ongoing education and training to staff and volunteers to equip them with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe.
- Ensuring Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health’s physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
- Committing to regularly review and improve Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health’s implementation of the Child Safe Standards
- Documenting how Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health is safe for children and young people in our policies and procedures.
If you have a concern about the safety of any young people participating in our programs and services, contact our child safety officer, Head of Services on 9477 4455 or email admin@scchc.org.au.
Situations in which a child is at immediate risk should be reported to the police by calling 000.
More information on the Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme can be found on the Commission for Children and Young People website.