Our commitment to child safety and wellbeing
About

Our commitment to child safety and wellbeing

Samaritans is committed to being a childsafe organisation. The upholding of the rights, best interests, and the safety and wellbeing of all children is paramount. Samaritans purposefully creates conditions that prevent harm to children, while also increasing the likelihood that harm or risk of harm with be readily identified.

Children and young people are informed of their physical, emotional and online rights, and what actions to take if they feel unsafe.

All staff and volunteers are made aware of the conduct expected within the organisation and of the zero tolerance for child abuse.

Staff and volunteers are aware of the requirement to report concerns for the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Concerns regarding children and young people being at risk of harm will be reported to the appropriate authorities, and information will be lawfully shared, where required.

Samaritans seeks and values input and feedback from all children and young people, their families, kin, and community, where it is safe to do so. Samaritans recognises the increased vulnerabilities and our responsibilities for genuine inclusion for some children in our care and seeks to promote their safety, cultural safety and wellbeing. This includes children from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background, children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, those with disability, and those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or intersex, and those whose lives are touched upon by the child protection, out of home care, and youth justice systems. Samaritans seeks to empower these and all children, young people, and their circle of support to participate in decisions affecting their lives or care, giving voice to their concerns and complaints about the organisation.

Samaritans has specific policies and procedures and systems in place to meet our obligations, and importantly, a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children.