Child safety
Our Commitment to Child Safety
Every child and young person who comes into contact with us has the right to feel safe, to be heard, and to be protected from harm.
Our statement
Together Two has zero tolerance for child abuse, neglect, or exploitation of any kind. We are committed to preventing harm, to listening when a child tells us something is wrong, and to acting promptly whenever a concern is raised.
Who this covers.
Together Two provides supports and services that involve children and young people, including NDIS supports for children with disability, in-home and group programs, Specialised Substitute Residential Care, Special Out-of-Home Care, and community activities at the Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre.
We recognise that children and young people with disability can be at greater risk of abuse and neglect, and that our safeguarding must be strong enough to match that risk. Keeping children safe is a shared responsibility held by everyone connected to Together Two: our Board, our leadership, our workers, our volunteers, and our community.
What this statement is built on.
Our approach is built on the 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, applied in New South Wales as the NSW Child Safe Standards under the Children's Guardian Act 2019.
What we are committed to
Ten principles you can hold us to.
Each one is a standing item at Board and leadership meetings, not a one-off promise.
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Leadership and culture
Embedding child safety in our leadership, governance and everyday culture, with child safety a standing item at Board and leadership meetings.
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Children's voices
Informing children and young people of their rights and supporting them to take part in decisions that affect them, in ways suited to their age, development and communication needs.
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Families and community
Working in partnership with families, carers and supporters, and keeping them informed about how we keep children safe and how to raise a concern.
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Equity and diversity
Upholding the safety of every child, with particular care for children with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and children who identify as LGBTQI+.
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Safe, suitable people
Screening everyone who works with children, including a valid Working with Children Check and NDIS Worker Screening Check, and supporting them to work safely.
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Child-focused complaints
Making it easy and safe for children, families and workers to raise a concern, and responding promptly with the child's safety as the first priority.
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Knowledge and training
Equipping our people to recognise the signs of harm and to understand their reporting obligations, through induction and ongoing training.
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Safe environments
Making our physical and online environments safe, and reducing the opportunity for children to be harmed.
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Continuous improvement
Regularly reviewing how we keep children safe and learning from feedback, complaints and incidents.
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Clear policies
Documenting our child safe systems in policies that are accessible to everyone and reviewed regularly.
In practice
What this looks like day to day.
Four things that are true right now, not aspirations.
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Working with Children Checks
All workers and volunteers in child-related roles are screened, and their clearances are kept current.
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Trained to respond
Our people are trained to recognise harm and to report it under NSW law.
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Code of Conduct
Everyone follows a Child Safe Code of Conduct setting clear expectations of behaviour toward children.
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Independent oversight
Our care of children is regulated by the NDIS Commission, the Office of the Children's Guardian and, for out-of-home care, the NSW Department of Communities and Justice.
If you are worried
Speaking up: how to raise a concern.
If you are worried about the safety or wellbeing of a child in our care, please tell us. You can speak to any Together Two worker or manager, or contact us directly on 02 9556 9500 or hello@together2.org.au. Concerns are taken seriously, handled sensitively, and no one will ever be disadvantaged for raising a concern in good faith.
If a child is in immediate danger, always call Triple Zero (000) first. You do not need to go through us to make a report. Anyone can contact the services below directly.
Immediate danger, Police or Ambulance: 000
NSW Child Protection Helpline (a child at risk of significant harm): 132 111 (24 hours)
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: 1800 035 544 · ndiscommission.gov.au
Office of the Children's Guardian (Reportable Conduct Scheme): reportableconduct@ocg.nsw.gov.au
Kids Helpline (free, confidential counselling for young people 5–25): 1800 55 1800
Endorsed by our Board.
This commitment is endorsed by our Board of Directors and championed by our leadership. It is backed by our Child Safe Policy (v2.0) and a family of supporting policies that set out in detail how we prevent, detect and respond to harm. A full copy of our Child Safe Policy is available on request.
Steven Lowrie
Governance and Case Management Lead · AASW Social Worker · Registered Behaviour Support Practitioner
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