Our commitment to child safety
Every child and young person has the right to be safe, to be heard and to be treated with respect.
For children, young people and anyone who wants simple words and pictures: read the Easy Read version.
Our statement of commitment
Every Human Support Services is committed to the safety, wellbeing and empowerment of every child and young person we support or meet in our work. We have zero tolerance for child abuse, neglect and harm.
We value the views of children and young people, and we involve them and their families in decisions that affect them. We respect and celebrate diversity, including children with disability, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and children of all genders and sexualities. We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Everyone who works with us shares responsibility for keeping children safe. We take every concern seriously and act on it.
The standards we follow
We follow the 10 Child Safe Standards under the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 (Qld) and the Children's Guardian Act 2019 (NSW), and in Queensland we also follow the Universal Principle on the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. This means:
- child safety is part of how we lead and run our organisation
- children and young people know their rights, are listened to and take part in decisions
- families and communities are informed and involved
- we respect each child's needs, culture, identity and abilities
- the people who work with children are suitable, screened and supported
- concerns and complaints are easy to raise and are acted on quickly
- our staff are trained to keep children safe
- we keep children safe in person and online
- we regularly review and improve how we keep children safe
- our policies and procedures set out how we stay child safe
How we keep children safe
- Screening: all workers who may work with or around children hold a current Working with Children Check (a blue card in Queensland) and an NDIS Worker Screening Check, before they start and for as long as they work with us.
- Training: our workers are trained in child safety, recognising and responding to harm, cultural safety and anti-discrimination.
- Code of conduct: our workers must build respectful, professional relationships with children and their families. They must never threaten, shame or harm a child, use inappropriate language, or have contact that breaks our professional boundaries.
- Working in homes: where workers enter homes or community settings where children live or spend time, they must hold a Working with Children Check, even if the child isn't the person they are supporting.
- Listening: we explain things in ways children and young people can understand, and we listen to what they tell us.
Raising a concern
Anyone can raise a concern about the safety of a child or young person, including children themselves, their families, our staff and members of the public. You can talk to any of our workers or managers, or contact us:
We'll take your concern seriously, act quickly to keep the child safe, keep it confidential, and support everyone involved. Where the law requires, we report concerns to child protection services and the police. We report allegations about our workers to the Queensland Family and Child Commission or the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian under the reportable conduct schemes, and to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
You can also contact these services directly:
Our policies
This commitment is supported by our Child and Young Adult Safety Policy, Code of Conduct, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Policy and Worker Screening Policy. Contact us if you'd like a free copy. You can also read about our feedback and complaints process.