Jewish Care receives accreditation for safeguarding children
Jewish Care Victoria has received Accreditation under the Safeguarding Children Program from the Australian Childhood Foundation.
Jewish Care is one of the only providers of its kind to have undertaken and gained this accreditation in Australia.
Jewish Care has worked extensively with ACF over the last two years, undertaking a rigorous review of the entire organisation to ensure Jewish Care’s practices provide the safest environment possible for children and teenagers.
Bill Appleby – Jewish Care
Every day, staff and volunteers are entrusted with the care and support of children and young people; it is imperative that their safety is ensured at all times. Jewish Care takes its role in providing a safe environment for each and every child it cares for extremely seriously, and therefore has a strong commitment to the Safeguarding Children and Young People framework.
Jewish Care Chief Executive Officer Bill Appleby stated: “This is an outstanding result not only for Jewish Care, but also the community we serve. It provides reassurance to our clients that Jewish Care takes its responsibilities very seriously when seeking to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their children when in our care.”
Jewish Care undertook the accreditation voluntarily, where all programs and services that provide support for children and young people, along with the wider organisation were audited. The audit included liaising with staff, clients, management and Board members, alongside a stringent review of all policies and programs.
“The Board has been extensively involved in, and supportive of, the Safeguarding Children process, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children using our services,” Jewish Care President Mike Debinski added.
In its feedback, the Safeguarding Children Program Accreditation Panel stated: “It was the considered view of the Panel that the organisation’s pursuit of child protection and safety strategies was a genuine endeavour and that the skill set and knowledge housed within the organisation was contemporary and of high calibre.”
“As a leading care organisation, I applaud Jewish Care for continuously improving itself to deliver the highest standards and best practice for the Victorian Jewish community. In particular, I congratulate Jewish Care for their leadership in obtaining the ACF accreditation, the highest recognised Child Safe program in Australia,” Jewish Care Life Governor Andrew Blode said.
Jewish Care will continue to partner with the ACF, to continually improve the organisation’s child protection services, systems and monitoring programs.
