Safeguarding Children

At the Y we believe in the power of inspired young people. For young people to be inspired, we know they need to feel safe and be safe. That is why the Y is independently reviewed by the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) to ensure our services are safe for all children and young people.

The ACF ‘Independently Reviewed’ stamp is a sign of assurance that the Y is a safe place for your children and young people.

On this page, you will find links to our policies, staff/volunteer code of conduct, and parent/carer information brochure.

The YMCA has a culture of awareness and vigilance supported by:

• Staff and volunteer screening, training and code of conduct
• Clear documented policies and procedures
• Incident reporting, management and analysis
• A focus on staff and volunteers documenting any concerns they may have
• A culture of ‘if you see something … say something’
• A consideration of facility design

Child protection is embedded into the YMCA both on a local and national level. YMCA Brisbane has its own dedicated safeguarding team, and on a larger scale the Y founded the YMCA National Safeguarding Unit – a body which ensures the highest standards of safeguarding practices, policies and procedures are in place across Australia.

The Y is also independently reviewed by the Australian Childhood Foundation.