Safeguarding

Safeguarding

UnitingCare is committed to making sure that all the people we support are safe and are protected from the risk of abuse, harm, exploitation or neglect. We are committed to ensuring our processes and responses improve and develop in line with best practice. 

The  UnitingCare Safeguarding Commitment Statement demonstrates UnitingCare’s commitment to safeguarding to the communities we serve, our People, and every individual that interacts with a UnitingCare service. The Statement acknowledges UnitingCare’s responsibility to uphold safeguarding practices, outlines the key commitments and highlights our practice of continuously reviewing and improving our safeguarding policies and procedures.

Each of the eight commitments made in the Statement are underpinned by the policies, procedures, frameworks, training and the teams that support and implement them.

We are continuing to strengthen our commitment to embed consistent safeguarding practices across UnitingCare. 

Your Safety

Everyone has a right to feel safe and live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.  UnitingCare is committed to ensuring the safety, best interests and wellbeing of you and your loved ones while taking part in our services and programs.

Within UnitingCare we have an independent Safeguarding Lead as well as Client Safeguarding teams within our business streams who proactively work to protect you and ensure you receive safe and high-quality services. 

If you ever have any concerns or feel unsafe, you can talk to the UnitingCare Safeguarding Lead or the Client Safeguarding Teams within our business streams. These teams are entirely independent from UnitingCare operations to ensure that your confidentiality and privacy is maintained at all times. There are times where we have to reveal information if we feel there is danger to you or someone else. All concerns will be investigated.

If you are immediate danger or know of a child or young person who is at immediate risk, please contact Triple Zero (000).

If you’d like to talk to one of our safeguarding teams, contact details are below:

• UnitingCare Safeguarding Lead – safeguarding@ucareqld.com.au
• For Family and Disability Services contact the Client Safeguarding Team – clientsafetyteam@uccommunity.org.au
• BlueCare - We encourage you to speak with your Service Manager however there may be some things you may not be prepared to discuss.  In these cases, please contact: 
  • The General Manager of your BlueCare service (refer to the Organisational Directory within the BlueCare Client Information Booklet ) 
  • The BlueCare Customer Service Centre on 1300 BLUE CARE (1300 258 322)
• If you wish to make an anonymous compliant, our third party Whistleblower reporting services Stopline can be contacted on  1800 297 745  or  ucareqld@stopline.com.au

Other Supports:

• If you are experiencing abuse, or are concerned about an older person in your life, call Elder Abuse Hotline on 1300 651 192
• If you are in distress, contact a 24/7 crisis support service:
  • 13 11 14 – Lifeline’s Crisis Support Line
  • 13YARN (13 92 76) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Support

Child Safe Child Friendly

The  Child Safe Child Friendly Risk Management Framework  applies across all UnitingCare’s services.  The Framework is reviewed and approved annually by the UnitingCare Board and addresses the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

As part of our commitment to child safe child friendly (CSCF), all UnitingCare staff are required to undertake mandatory CSCF training as part of induction as well as sign of a statement of commitment to being part of a child safe organisation prior to onboarding.

For any questions or concerns about safeguarding, please contact UnitingCare’s Safeguarding Lead at -  safeguarding@ucareqld.com.au

Child Safe, Child Friendly Fact Sheet