Question 1

What is safeguarding?

Accepted Answer

Safeguarding refers to the actions and measures an organisation takes to protect people in its care, particularly children, young people, and at-risk adults. It requires organisations to continually assess their culture, environments, policies, and procedures so the safety and wellbeing of people remain central to all operations. Effective safeguarding also helps organisations respond promptly and appropriately when concerns arise.

Question 2

Who is an at-risk adult?

Accepted Answer

In its final report on Elder Abuse – A National Legal Response (2017), the Australian Law Reform Commission defined at-risk adults to mean people over the age of 18, who: have care and support needs; are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, abuse or neglect; and are unable to protect themselves from abuse or neglect because of their care and support needs. The adoption of this definition recognises that not all older Australians or people with disability have significant care needs, and many are able to protect themselves.

Question 3

Why is safeguarding important?

Accepted Answer

Children, young people, at-risk adults and their families place significant trust in the people who care for them. When they experience harm, fear, abuse, and/or neglect, they may not be able to speak up, ask for help, describe what happened, or report their experience. Safeguarding actions create safe, accessible, and trusted pathways for children, young people, and at-risk adults to raise concerns, seek support, and have their experiences responded to appropriately. It also helps build workforce capability to identify and act on potential indicators of harm.

Question 4

How is safeguarding different from protection?

Accepted Answer

Safeguarding creates a proactive obligation for organisations to keep the safety and wellbeing of the people in their care at the forefront of business operations, from governance and leadership through to service delivery, workforce practices, risk management, and continuous improvement. Protection refers to reactive responses or actions that need to be taken when a person has experienced, or is at immediate risk of experiencing, abuse, harm and/or neglect.

Question 5

I am an employee involved in an investigation. Where can I go for help?

Accepted Answer

If you are an employee involved in an investigation, you should seek guidance from your organisation’s nominated contact, human resources team, employee assistance program, union or professional representative, or independent legal adviser. You should also follow any confidentiality directions given during the investigation and avoid discussing the matter with people who are not involved.

Question 6

What is the difference between mandatory reporting and reporting requirements under the Reportable Conduct Scheme?

Accepted Answer

Mandatory reporting is a legal obligation that requires certain people to report suspected child abuse or harm to the relevant child protection authority or police, focusing on whether there is a risk of harm to a child, a parent willing and able to protect the child, and/or sufficient evidence that a criminal offence has occurred. The Reportable Conduct Scheme is an oversight framework that requires certain organisations to notify and investigate allegations of reportable conduct by workers or volunteers, and to report relevant information to the responsible regulator. The same incident may trigger both obligations.

Question 7

What happens if my organisation has to meet overlapping safety standards across different frameworks?

Accepted Answer

Where safety standards or safeguarding obligations overlap, organisations should map the requirements across each framework, identify the highest or most specific applicable standard, and maintain evidence that their policies, training, risk management, and reporting processes address each obligation. A single integrated safeguarding framework can help reduce duplication while still meeting the requirements of each regulator, funding body, or commission.

Question 8

Is my organisation required to meet safeguarding obligations?

Accepted Answer

Your organisation may be required to meet safeguarding obligations if it provides services to, works with, or has contact with children, young people, or at-risk adults. The specific obligations will depend on the organisation’s activities, location, funding arrangements, regulatory framework, and the people it serves. Organisations should confirm the legal and regulatory requirements that apply to their operations and review those obligations regularly.

Frequently asked questions

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