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Safeguarding children and young people

Victorian Child Safe Standards

Australia’s Ys are committed to providing opportunities for all children and young people to grow in body, mind and spirit, and be protected from harm.

Our highest priority is the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults. The right to be able to enjoy a safe environment free from threats, abuse, neglect or exploitation is our service commitment. We work hard to ensure the safeguarding of children and young people is embedded in our culture and at the forefront of everything we do. We know that it is not just about having the right policies and procedures, it is also about being proactive.

The Y has a legal, moral and mission-driven responsibility to protect children and young people from harm and to ensure that any incidents of suspected child abuse are promptly and appropriately managed.

In conjunction with the Victorian Child Safe Standards, which aim to protect children and young people by requiring organisations to put policies, procedures and processes in place to prevent and respond to abuse. They aim to make keeping children and young people safe a key focus of organisations in Victoria.

Tell Someone

  • If you:

    See Something

  • If you:

    Hear Something

  • If you:

    Feel Something

We want you to feel safe, and be safe

If you think you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.

The Y is a global youth movement where we take pride in providing a wide range of programs and services to support children and young people. We strive to always have a positive impact and support young people to reach their potential.

If you have a concern about the safety or wellbeing of you or another participant in our programs or services, you can fill out the Report a Safeguarding Concern form via the button below. We take the safety and well-being of children and young people seriously, so please be assured that a member of our team will investigate your concern as a priority.

While the Y cannot conduct criminal investigations, provide child protection services or deliver crisis services, there is always support available.

Safeguarding at the Y

The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is our highest priority, and safeguarding is non-negotiable in everything we do.

Report a Safeguarding ConcernRead our Safeguarding Policies

Child Safety & Wellbeing

At the Y, safeguarding children and young people is at the heart of who we are. Through our Feel Safe, Be Safe Framework, we work every day to create safe, inclusive spaces where children and young people feel safe, heard and supported.

By sharing our expertise with sector leaders and partners, we continue to strengthen child safety across the Y and beyond.

  • Zero tolerance for harm, neglect or abuse of any child or young person.

  • Strong policies, practices and processes that are continually reviewed and improved.

  • A national safeguarding approach that supports safe, inclusive Y programs, centres and communities.

Smiling child wearing glasses and headphones sitting on an orange seat, likely on a bus or tram, with greenery visible through the window behind them.
Smiling child in a red and navy sweatshirt stands on a rock in front of a large mammoth statue outdoors on a sunny day.
Two smiling boys standing by a lake, one wearing a helmet and life vest, both wet and happy, suggesting they have been swimming or kayaking on a sunny day.
A smiling young girl with Down syndrome proudly holding up a colorful abstract drawing in a bright classroom setting.
Smiling boy in a gray hoodie sitting at a table, playing with colorful building blocks indoors.
Badge showing QIP Safeguarding Standards and QIP Accredited logos, indicating Quality Innovation Performance accreditation for safeguarding standards.

We are QIP Safeguarding Accredited

Y Whittlesea, which operates Inclusion Services by the Y, is QIP Safeguarding Accredited. Independent assessors reviewed our safeguarding policies and practices against the nationally recognised QIP Standards for Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk. They spoke with a cross section of our staff and the people we support, and looked at how our governance works in practice. Safeguarding is non-negotiable at the Y. It shows up in how we listen, how we treat one another, and how seriously we take every concern.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is an independent assessment of an organisation's safeguarding practices against the QIP Standards for Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk. Accreditation shows that assessors have reviewed the organisation's systems, spoken with staff and the people it supports, and looked at how safeguarding works in practice.

No organisation can promise that. Accreditation shows our safeguarding has been independently assessed, and that we have systems for staff to recognise, report and respond quickly if something goes wrong. We keep reflecting and improving, and formal reviews continue every 18 months.

QIP carries out a full assessment every three years, with a mid-cycle review at 18 months. This means our safeguarding systems are formally assessed twice within each three-year accreditation cycle, so they stay effective and continue to improve over time.

The assessors spoke with a cross section of our staff and the people we support. They also examined our governance structures and how they work in practice. This helped them see how safeguarding is lived every day, not only how it is written down.

Speak with any member of our team, or report a safeguarding concern here. We take every concern seriously and respond promptly, thoroughly and with care. If a child or adult is in immediate danger, call 000.

Look for the QIP Safeguarding Standards Accredited symbol. You will find it at our central office and on our website. It shows our safeguarding practices have been independently assessed against recognised standards. If you don't see it, ask a member of our team and we will point you to the information.