Our Commitment

Every child and young person has the right to feel safe and secure at all times.

ESTHERS Australia is fully committed to the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, which guide us in creating environments where the safety and wellbeing of children and young people are fundamental to our values, actions, and priorities. We are working towards an organisational culture where:

  • Children and young people

  • Families and communities

  • All those who engage with us

...feel empowered to express their views and raise any concerns they may have in a safe and supportive environment.

We are dedicated to respecting and upholding the rights of all children and young people, helping them reach their full potential. We understand the importance of giving special attention to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. Furthermore, we recognise the specific needs of children and young people that arise from:

  • Their cultural and linguistic backgrounds

  • Their sexuality and gender diversity

  • Their disability status

  • Their experiences of domestic and family violence or other forms of trauma

At ESTHERS Australia, safeguarding children and young people is a shared responsibility across the organisation, including:

  • The Board

  • The Executive leadership team

  • Organisational leaders

  • Staff members

  • Contractors

  • Students

  • Volunteers

Everyone within the organisation is responsible for ensuring safety.

To achieve this, ESTHERS Australia will:

  • Foster a child-safe culture at all levels of the organisation.

  • Take all allegations or disclosures of abuse or neglect seriously, responding promptly and appropriately, reporting concerns to the relevant authorities, and always upholding our values of Compassion and Integrity. The safety and wellbeing of the child or young person will always be our primary concern, and no individual within the organisation will hinder any investigation or cover up to protect any person or entity.

  • Empower children, young people, families, and communities to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives.

  • Promote and celebrate diversity, ensuring our practices are inclusive.

  • Recruit and engage only those who are suitable to work with children and young people, providing them with high-quality supervision and ongoing support.

  • Ensure that children and young people who feel unsafe or wish to raise a concern know exactly who to approach and feel comfortable doing so.

  • Equip staff with the necessary knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children safe.

  • Maintain secure, safe, and appropriate physical and online environments that children and young people access.

  • Integrate the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations into our quality assurance systems.

  • Regularly review and update policies and procedures that ensure our organisation remains child safe.

The responsibilities outlined above are specified in the following key documents:

  • Code of Conduct Policy

  • Child and Youth Safe Policy

  • Behavioural Standards for Keeping Children and Young People Safe Policy