Our child safe organisation
Children and young people have the right to feel safe at all times. At Youth Off The Streets, their welfare is our first priority.
This includes respecting and protecting:
- First Nations people’s sense of self and identity
- people from non-English speaking backgrounds
- people from diverse ethnic, religious or cultural backgrounds
- people with disabilities
- gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, queer or intersex people
Youth Off The Streets supports the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).
We have specific policies and procedures that our Board, leadership team, staff, contractors, students and volunteers must follow to prevent harm to the young people who engage with our services.
We value participation
We understand that a welcoming, speak-up culture is critical to safeguarding the young people we work with. Our services provide a range of opportunities for young people, their families and carers to have their say.
National Redress Scheme
Youth Off The Streets is part of the National Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, joining over 500 organisations and charities to voluntarily sign on to the scheme. We firmly believe that survivors have the right to seek redress. If you would like to learn more about the National Redress Scheme, please visit nationalredress.gov.au. If you have an enquiry about our membership in the scheme, please use the ‘Contact us’ button below.
We want your help
Please contact us if you have any child safety concerns that require our action, or suggestions for ways that we could improve our services. We will make sure your issue is followed up.
Child Safe Policy
The Youth Off The Streets Child Safe Policy provides the framework for acting to ensure the safety of the children and young people who engage with our services. This policy applies to all Youth Off The Streets activities that involve, result in, or relate to contact with children and young people.
Schools Child Safe Policy
The Youth Off The Streets Child Safe Policy is specific to our six independent, accredited high schools. The policy outlines our responsibilities for enshrining child protection and policies that must be followed in relation to these matters. It extends to all Youth Off The Streets activities that involve, result in, or relate to contact with children and young people — particularly within educational environments.
Child Safe Code of Conduct
Youth Off The Streets’ Child Safe Code of Conduct provides the behavioural guidelines and expectations that must be followed by our Board, leadership team, staff, contractors, students and volunteers to protect the young people we support.
Schools Child Safe Procedure
Youth Off The Streets’ Schools Child Safe Procedure details the steps that are followed within our schools to ensure that our Child Safe policies and procedures are obeyed in all settings. This procedure applies to all Youth Off The Streets Education staff.
Mandatory Reporting Procedure
The Youth Off The Streets Mandatory Reporting Procedure outlines the process that must be followed when Youth Off The Streets workers come across children and young people in potentially harmful situations.
Reportable Conduct Procedure
The Youth Off The Streets Reportable Conduct Procedure covers what must be done in any instance where Youth Off The Streets workers are alleged to have engaged in harmful behaviour to children or young people.