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Safeguarding
Safeguarding Commitment Statement
The St Vincent de Paul Society is a lay Catholic organisation that values and respects the dignity of all persons, especially the most vulnerable in our community.
A fundamental aspect of our work is providing a hand up to those facing adversity. Therefore, it is of prime importance that we safeguard children and young people enabling them to flourish and reach their potential both in their families and in the community.
The Society strives to work with the wider community to prevent all forms of abuse against children, young people and vulnerable adults to ensure that the inherent dignity, care and wellbeing of all children and young people is upheld.
Therefore, we commit ourselves to:
- Zero tolerance of abuse of children and adults.
- Fostering a culture of safety throughout the work of St Vincent de Paul Canberra/Goulburn.
- Implementing and modelling the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards.
- Upholding the dignity of all people to establish safe and supportive relationships.
- Listening to the voice of children, young people and the vulnerable to allow them to fully participate in the Society and in their local communities.
- Maintaining and managing policies and procedures that build a strong culture of Safeguarding.
- Supporting anyone who brings forward a suspicion, concern, knowledge, or allegation of current or past abuse and responding to them confidentially, sensitively, respectfully, and in a timely way.
- Remaining vigilant to emerging risks and opportunities for us to continuously improve our practice.
- Continually assessing and evaluating our Child Safe strategies to ensure that we are vigilant in our work to support and protect children and vulnerable people.
Key contacts
Safeguarding number:
To report a safeguarding concern or to seek advice, call
Safeguarding Email:
Resources
Safeguarding is a term used to describe all the things an organisation can do to keep its clients safe from harm and abuse, particularly children, young people and adults at risk.
Department of Communities and Justice (previously Family and Community Services or ‘FaCS’) identify concerns relating to the safety, welfare and well-being of children/ young people may relate to:
Emotional / Psychological abuse: Any act that damages the confidence, emotional well-being and self-esteem of the child or young person. This can be the result of a range of behaviours such as excessive criticism, withholding affection, intimidation, threatening behaviour, or exposure to domestic violence. Exposure to domestic violence can include watching or hearing a family member assault or threaten another member of the family, direct involvement or experiencing the aftermath of family violence.
Physical abuse: Physical abuse occurs when a child suffers significant harm from an injury. The injury may be inflicted intentionally or may be the inadvertent consequence of physical punishment or physically aggressive treatment of a child. Some examples of physical abuse include hitting, punching, burning or shaking a child.
Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse occurs when a person uses power, force or authority to involve a child or young person or adult in any form of sexual activity. This can involve touching or no contact at all. This may take the form of exposure to pornography, taking sexually explicit photographs or videos of children, forcing children to watch or take part in sexual acts and forcing or coercing children to have sex or engage in sexual acts with other children or adults.
Neglect: The failure to provide for the child or young person’s basic needs for life, such as food, clothing, shelter, medical attention, supervision or care to the extent that the child’s health and development are, or is likely to be, placed at risk. Includes homelessness and not being enrolled or attending school.
Carer concerns: A child/ young person is affected by carer concerns such as substance use, domestic violence and unmanaged mental health.
Risk to an unborn child: Refers to concerns for a mother's behaviour or well-being while pregnant, including substance abuse (use of alcohol or other drugs), exposure to domestic or family violence, unmanaged mental health issues or homelessness.
Danger to self or others: A child/young person is demonstrating suicidal or self-harming behaviours, or showing behaviours that endanger another child or person, such as the use of a weapon or violence.
Relinquishing Care: Parent/carer states they cannot or will not continue to provide care for a child or young person.
Society Personnel (who are not a Mandatory Reporters) with any information that may indicate that a child or young person is at risk must:
- Call Police on 000 immediately (only in an emergency),
- Alert your line manager as soon as possible
- Report to:
ACT:
- Child and Youth Protection Services
- General Public Phone 1300 556 729
- Mandated Reporters Phone 1300 556 728
NSW:
- Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ or 'FaCS')
- Child Protection Helpline 132 111 (available 24 hour/ 7 days)
1.Contact the Safeguarding Team on: 1800 952 327 OR safeguarding.cg@vinnies.org.au
2. Complete a Safeguarding Notification Form and attach all other relevant documentation, if any, and send it to safeguarding.cg@vinnies.org.au
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