Safeguarding at YWCA Canberra

Safeguarding is protecting the welfare and human rights of people that are connected to our organisation.  It refers to the proactive measures we take to protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults from harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. It’s about creating environments—physical, emotional, and digital—where they feel safe, respected, and empowered.

We recognise the profound impact of national inquiries into child sexual abuse, aged care, and disability services, which revealed systemic failures in protecting vulnerable people. These findings have shaped Australia’s safeguarding standards, highlighting the need for proactive, rights-based approaches.

For YWCA Canberra, safeguarding means creating safe, inclusive environments where children, young people, and vulnerable adults are protected from harm—through prevention, accountability, and genuine engagement. It is not just a legal obligation, but a moral commitment to uphold dignity, safety, and trust in every aspect of our work.

YWCA Canberra takes a proactive, whole-of-organisation approach to safeguarding.
We go beyond compliance to embed safety, respect, and wellbeing into every aspect of our work with children, young people, and vulnerable adults. Our safeguarding strategies are integrated into our systems, policies, and culture—ensuring that protection from harm is not just a response, but a daily practice.

We prioritise:

• Rigorous staff screening and ongoing training to build child-safe knowledge and trauma-informed practice
• Clear and accessible reporting systems that support early intervention and accountability
• A culture of transparency and continuous improvement, where safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility

By embedding safeguarding into our everyday operations, we foster environments where trust is built, risks are reduced, and individuals can thrive—free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

YWCA Canberra is unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

We consider the protection of vulnerable people to be one of our most serious responsibilities and as such have a proactive and continuous commitment to protecting individuals from harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

We have robust policies and procedures in place to ensure that any concerns, complaints, or allegations of inappropriate conduct are responded to swiftly and appropriately. Where criminal conduct is suspected, YWCA Canberra works closely with police and relevant authorities to ensure accountability and justice.

YWCA Canberra’s Safeguarding Coordinator and team lead the organisation’s proactive approach to safeguarding.
They ensure that the Child Safe Code of Conduct and related policies are consistently enforced through staff training, supervision, and a culture of accountability.

Accessible and confidential reporting systems are maintained to support safe disclosures and timely responses. The team also conducts risk assessments and safeguarding planning across programs to identify potential risks and implement preventative strategies.

Importantly, this role includes conducting investigations into any concerns raised regarding an employee’s interaction with a child, young person or vulnerable adult,

 ensuring that all allegations are handled with professionalism, sensitivity, and in accordance with legal and organisational requirements. If you have safeguarding concerns, please speak to the Service Manager, an Executive Director, or the Safeguarding Coordinator on 0427 724 188

YWCA Canberra has a robust recruitment and onboarding process, including police checks, Working with Vulnerable People checks, Working with Children Checks, and mandatory child protection training.  We ensure that all employees complete a thorough onboarding and induction process with a strong focus on safeguarding principles.

YWCA Canberra is committed to continuous learning and development to uphold the highest standards of safeguarding.

As part of this commitment, all staff engage in comprehensive and ongoing training that covers the Child Safe Code of Conduct and trauma-informed practice.

Through regular training and reflection, we ensure our team remains informed, responsive, and deeply committed to creating safe environments for children, young people, and vulnerable adults.