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Children and young people

Neami is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.   

We commit to providing accessible and safe physical and online environments for all children and young people.

Commitment to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people

At Neami, we work together with children, young people, (chosen) families, carers and communities to encourage them to feel comfortable communicating about matters that involve them.

We recognise the importance of respecting and developing children and young people’s autonomy: to have a voice and to be able to provide input into the things that are important to them, including the support they receive from us.

Neami is committed to the inclusion of all children and young people who access our services, including those who may not be direct recipients of our services but are connected to the adults we support.

We know that safety and wellbeing mean different things to different people. We respect differences in culture and personal experience.  We celebrate, value, and include people of all ages, backgrounds, genders, sexualities, cultures, bodies, and abilities.

We recognise the importance of cultural safety, and we commit to providing a safe space for all children and young people who identify as First Nations. Neami acknowledges the continuing impact colonisation has on First Nations people, including the stolen generation and trauma that has been shared across generations.  Neami upholds the right of every First Nations child and young person to fully engage with and embrace their culture and exercise self-determination.

All children and young people have the right to dignity, safety, and experiences of positive wellbeing.

We do not tolerate any harm, abuse, or neglect of children or young people in any form – verbal, emotional, sexual, psychological, technological, or physical.

All concerns, allegations, and disclosures will be treated seriously. Neami will respond promptly, with sensitivity, and with respect, in line with our policies and procedures.

We commit to our legal and ethical responsibility to uphold the rights of all children and young people. Concerns regarding children and young people’s safety and the risk of harm will be reported to statutory bodies where required.

All Neami service delivery staff have a:

  • current Working with Children Check
  • valid National Police Check
  • robust reference checks and screening clearances required of specific services or professions.

Neami commits to the promotion of the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people by:

  • recognising risk factors that support early intervention and prevention of physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse and neglect of all children and young people.
  • necessary induction, education, information, policy, procedures, training, and development programs to enable all staff to recognise and respond to any harm, abuse and/or neglect of children and young people.
  • working with (chosen) families, carers, communities, and people with Lived Experience; involving them in decisions that impact children and young people.