Children, young people, and adults at risk at St John of God Warrnambool Hospital

The Trustees, Board, and management of St John of God Health Care recognise that all children, young people, and adults at risk have the right to safety and protection from harm, especially within our health care facilities and community-based services.

We embrace this right to safety and are committed to ensuring the protection of all individuals in our care. 

Our Child, Young Person, and Adult at Risk Safeguarding Framework is built upon the 10 National Catholic Safeguarding Standards. It places responsibility for child, young person, and adult at risk safety on all members of our organisation. 

While incorporating the national standards, our framework also incorporates additional initiatives inspired by best practices and experiences from other countries, particularly within the health care setting.

To fulfil our commitment, we have implemented various measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, young people, and adults at risk within our hospital and services:

• Our Caregiver Code of Conduct includes explicit standards of behaviour and practice to ensure the appropriate care of these vulnerable groups.
• We have strengthened our recruitment process, conducting thorough assessments and comprehensive background checks, including Working with Children (WWC) and police checks, for all caregivers, volunteers, students, contractors, and relevant health care practitioners. These checks are regularly renewed as required.
• All caregivers are required to participate in mandatory learning that covers child, young person, and adult at risk safety principles, as well as reporting obligations for caregivers and volunteers.
• We conduct annual safety-specific risk assessments for children, young people, and adults at risk, taking necessary actions based on these assessments under the oversight of senior management.
• We actively involve children, young people, adults at risk, and their parents/guardians/carers in decision-making processes regarding their care and in the planning of health services.
• A designated safeguarding caregiver, with comprehensive knowledge of policies and approaches related to the safety of these vulnerable groups, oversees the effective implementation of safety measures on-site.
• We have established a responsive and easily accessible complaints and feedback process that prioritises the needs of children, young people, and adults at risk, ensuring their concerns are promptly addressed and taken into consideration.
• We are expanding the membership of our consumer advisory committees to include services such as paediatrics and disability services, providing greater opportunities for input from children, young people, adults at risk, and their parents/guardians/carers.
• We have implemented stronger visitor oversight, allowing children, young people, adults at risk, and their parents/guardians/carers to have input into visitation during their time in our care.

At St John of God Health Care, we remain steadfast in our commitment to creating safe and nurturing environments for children, young people, and adults at risk.