The Y WA acknowledged for ‘excellent’ standard in safeguarding review

An independent audit undertaken by the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF), assessing the Y WA’s Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, resulted in the highest overall assessment of ‘Excellent’, solidifying their commitment to protecting and upholding children and young people. This is the highest possible rating by an independent body that governs safety for children and marks the second annual audit review to achieve such a high standard.

Assessing their youth services and programs across Western Australia, the annual review process is designed to build upon the foundation laid by the previous review, focusing on the continuous enhancement of safeguarding measures within the Y WA.

This approach ensures the Y WA’s commitment to the highest standards of safeguarding compliance and practice.

A recent report, published in November 2023 by UNSW Sydney and Jesuit Social Service revealed some concerning statistics, including the fact that over 15% of Australian men report sexual feelings towards children and around one in 10 Australian men has already sexually offended against children.

Commenting on this, The Y WA Chief Executive, Dr Tim McDonald stated “alarming results like these only strengthen the importance of well thought out safeguarding policies and procedures. The Y WA considers any form of child/young person abuse, inclusive of emotional, physical, sexual abuse or neglect, as intolerable under any circumstances and that the protection, supervision and safety of children and young people is paramount.”

Sreej Pradhan, Youth Services Coordinator at the Y Leederville HQ has been with the Y WA for almost four years and shares his measures to ensure continuous improvement to safeguarding.

Pradhan advised “we are constantly safety planning with our young people on a one-on-one basis discussing things like safety, coping strategies and self-care, and offering them further help via appropriate referrals if they are suicidal or their concerns need higher level support. We offer youth across the Perth metro area a safe physical space at our Belmont and Leederville centres.

“We are also currently partnering with Curtin University researchers to offer Project LYRIC, a pilot program committed to improving young people’s access to mental health support, essentially providing interim support via our trained Youth Workers we call ‘Interventionists’, to support young people while they are waiting for specialist psychology services.”

The Y WA share a strong partnership with the ACF, driven by a shared commitment to safeguarding children and young people and through publicly sharing the audit results, the Y WA hope to give parents and carers assurance that the Y is one of the safest places for children and young people to be guided and cared for.

Dr McDonald added “as an organisation whose heart can only beat when it is full of inspirational young people, employing measures to assess, ensure and reassess our safeguarding policies is critical.

“Achieving such a high standard for a second year in a row is a testament to the continual work by all our Y WA staff.”

During 2023 The Y WA worked with approximately 497,200 youth and children through their varying services.

Annually, they deliver around 200 services, with almost three million participations in over 50 communities. They operate over 40 children’s services including Early Learning Centres, OSCH and Family Day Care services, over 20 youth services and programs including recreation centres, a vocational school, music programs and various school readiness programs and they also manage four health and wellness centres.

Image: Kirsti Bradshaw of  The Y WA putting the organisation's Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy into action.