At Focal, we are deeply committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people who access our services. We believe that every child, regardless of their abilities, background, or circumstances, has the right to feel safe, respected, and heard.
Our Commitments
Child Safe Commitment
For Children
You have the right to feel safe — always.
At Focal we care about you and your safety. Whether you’re coming to us for support, joining in activities, or just visiting, we want you to feel welcome, respected, and safe.
Your safety is the most important thing to us. It’s always okay to speak up.
Here’s what we promise:
- We listen to you and take you seriously.
- We respect who you are and what makes you unique.
- If something doesn’t feel right, you can tell someone you trust – and we’ll help.
- All our staff are trained to keep children safe and treat you kindly.
- We won’t allow anyone to hurt you, bully you, or make you feel unsafe.
For Parents and Carers
We uphold a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse and neglect, and we take our responsibility to protect children and young people seriously.
We are committed to creating environments that are inclusive, supportive, and free from harm.
We comply with all relevant child protection laws and guidelines, including the Child Safe Organisation Act 2024 (QLD) and the NDIS Practice Standards.
We are committed to ensuring:
- Children and young people feel safe and are encouraged to speak up.
- Families and carers are respected and involved.
- Staff and volunteers are carefully screened, trained, and supported to uphold child safe practices.
- Allegations, concerns, and complaints are taken seriously and responded to promptly and appropriately.
- Suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment is reported
- Continuous improvement in our child safe policies, procedures, and practices, and welcome feedback from children, families, staff, and the wider community.
Your child’s safety is not just our responsibility — it’s our commitment.
If you ever have questions, concerns, or just want to chat about how we keep children safe, please contact us at clientconnect@focal.org.au or phone 3812 2866.
Client Safety Commitment
Our Commitment to Client Safety and Wellbeing
At Focal, we are committed to ensuring that every person we support is safe, respected, and empowered. We believe all people—especially people with disabilities—have the right to live free from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence.
Client safety is central to everything we do. It is a shared responsibility, embedded in our values, leadership, policies, and daily practices.
Our Principles
Our commitment to client safety is guided by the following principles:
- Respect and Dignity – Every person is treated with care, compassion, and dignity.
- Rights-Based Approach – All clients have the right to make decisions about their own lives and to be supported in exercising their rights.
- Person-Centred Practice – Clients are at the centre of all planning, decision-making, and support.
- Safe Environment – Our workforce is resourced and trained to ensure delivery of safe and effective supports
- Cultural Safety and Inclusion – We embrace diversity and ensure our services are safe and inclusive for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and LGBTQIA+ people.
- Zero Tolerance for Harm – We have zero tolerance for any form of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
- Transparency and Accountability – We have a feedback process and respond to concerns and complaints quickly and openly
- Continuous Improvement – We undertake reviews and assess feedback to ensure continuous improvement.
Client Responsibilities
As a client, carer or visitor of Focal we ask that you:
- Treat staff, volunteers, and other clients with respect at all times
- Follow the organisation’s safety procedures
- Communicate respectfully — including during disagreements or complaints
- Not engage in any physical, emotional or sexual abuse, threats, or intimidation
- Respect the privacy, wellbeing, and cultural backgrounds of others
- Work with us to solve problems in a constructive and safe way
- Let us know if you feel unsafe or if you see behaviour that concerns you
We are committed to listening and supporting our clients, but we also have a duty of care to our workers and other people accessing our services. If behaviour puts staff or others at risk, we may need to:
- Set clear behaviour expectations or agreements
- Pause or change services temporarily for safety reasons
- Contact support people, advocates, or (in serious cases) authorities
Zero Tolerance for Abuse — In Any Direction
Just as we do not tolerate abuse toward clients, we do not tolerate abuse from clients either. Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected in our spaces — clients, workers, families, and the wider community.
Want to know more?
If you ever have questions, concerns, or just want to chat about how we keep children and clients safe, please get in touch.
