The Y’s of Australia are committed to providing opportunities for all children and young people to grow in body mind and spirit and be protected from harm.
At the Y Whittlesea, the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults is our highest priority. 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.
A crucial aspect of Safeguarding Children and Young People is ensuring our staff understand the process for reporting any concerns they have about a child or young person’s wellbeing and that our staff also understand the YMCA expectations in relation to their code of conduct around children and young people.
Programs and services that advocate for children and young people to air their concerns with our services, and be confident in offering feedback, is another important aspect of creating a culture where children and young people’s well-being is safeguarded.
Our Reporting procedure and Practice and Behaviour Guidelines are available here:
Report A Safeguarding Concern
We encourage parents/guardians to report any concerns relating to the safety or wellbeing of their own child(ren) or young person in a Y facility. This can be done:
- By speaking to our staff in person; or
- By contacting the Y Whittlesea on (03) 9407 6200 or whittlesea@ymca.org.au
- By writing to the Y Whittlesea t 25/797 Plenty Rd, South Morang VIC 3752
View YMCA Australia Safeguarding page for more information.