Statement of Commitment

Mater is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children, young people and adults at risk who attend our facilities or who engage in our services.

Consistent with our Mission, Values and Code of Conduct, all Mater People – employees, Board members, volunteers, students, visitors and contractors – have a responsibility to respect, protect and promote the welfare, dignity and human rights of children, young people and adults at risk.

We achieve this by committing to:

• Fostering a culture of safety across Mater.
• Promoting the rights of at-risk and vulnerable children, young people and adults to feel safe, valued, listened to, and informed to make decisions about their care.
• Recognising the diversity, cultural safety and other unique needs of priority groups including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and/or linguistically diverse, people living with a mental health concern and/or a disability, and people who identify as LGBTQIA+.
• Working in partnership with consumers, communities, and agencies to ensure a coordinated and collaborative response.
• Delivering healthcare in physical and online environments that promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children, young people and adults to be harmed.
• Remaining vigilant to emerging risks and opportunities to continuously improve health care services.
• Supporting Mater People to access and complete required education to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and awareness about behavioural expectations to keep children, young people and adults safe.
• Meeting legal and ethical obligations to safeguard and protect children, young people and adults from harm, including a duty to identify and report a suspicion that a child, young person or vulnerable adult is at risk of being or has been abused, harmed or neglected.
• Establishing a responsive and easily accessible complaints and feedback process, and responding sensitively, respectfully, and in a timely way, to anyone who brings forward an allegation of current or past abuse, and to have a process in place to respond to these concerns in a trauma informed manner.
• Maintaining and managing policies and procedures that build a strong culture of governance and leadership in safeguarding and protecting children, young people and adults.
• Embedding robust recruitment strategies to ensure Mater People are suitable and supported to reflect safety and wellbeing values in practice.