Our Commitment to Child Safety

Everyone working for Gowrie Victoria is fully committed to providing an environment that embeds the child safe standards and promotes an organisational culture which:

• is safe, inclusive and nurturing for all children attending our services
• actively encourages children to express their culture and enjoy their cultural rights
• actively supports children with additional needs, children experiencing vulnerability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Peoples, children from culturally and linguistically diverse
• backgrounds, and children who are unable to live at home
• facilitates child-friendly ways for children to express their views, participate in decision-making and raise their concerns
• is responsive to children’s contributions
• promotes social connections between children

Gowrie Victoria does not tolerate:

• the physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse of children, or any form of child neglect
• racism, discrimination or prejudice in any form

At each of our services and across our whole organisation, we have:

• a code of conduct which includes expected behavioural standards and responsibilities for child safety and well-being
• risk management procedures and practices to identify and mitigate risks to children’s safety
• recruitment and human resource management practices which take full account of child safety, including promoting Gowrie Victoria as a child safe organisation, rigorous reference
• checks and pre-employment screening for staff member or volunteers looking to join us
• a program of continuous education and training to ensure all our staff members are fully up to date with their child safe knowledge, skills and obligations
• practices in place to identify children who are at risk of abuse or neglect outside our services
• practices in place to ensure that families participate in decisions affecting their children
• effective and culturally safe processes for allowing families to raise concerns
• complaint handling processes which are understood by families, staff and volunteers

Gowrie Victoria:

• investigates all incidents relating to child safety
• reports all allegations of abuse as required by law and by our duty to safeguard children in our care
• shares information when required for child safety and well-being purposes

Gowrie Victoria regularly reviews its child safe practices to ensure continuous improvement.