POLICIES & CHILD SAFETY
Keeping every young person safe, respected and heard
Every young person who comes to BlendED deserves to feel safe. Below you’ll find our national policies alongside location-specific commitments, contacts, and child safety information, so you always know who to reach and what protections are in place.
Statement of Commitment to Child Safety at BlendED
All children and young people have a right to feel safe and be safe.
At BlendED National, the safety, wellbeing and participation of every child and young person in our care is paramount. We carry out this commitment on behalf of Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA), and it applies across every BlendED location.
How we demonstrate our commitment to safety
- Taking children and young people’s views seriously in decisions that affect their safety and wellbeing
- Listening to concerns and suggestions, and acting on them to improve our processes
- Involving families, carers, and communities in decisions that support a child safe culture
- Applying robust recruitment and screening practices for all staff, contractors and volunteers
- Providing regular training on recognising and responding to safety concerns, and building culturally safe environments
- Responding swiftly to safety concerns, with clear procedures for managing and reporting them
- Continuously reviewing and improving our systems and practices to protect every child and young person
- Embedding child safety into our leadership, governance, and culture, shaping every decision we make
Prioritising the safety of vulnerable children and young people
Particular attention is given to the needs of vulnerable children and young people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, those with disability or mental health needs, young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those unable to live at home, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+.
We are committed to:
- Always acting in the best interests of children and young people
- Zero tolerance of child abuse, with all allegations and safety concerns treated seriously and consistently with our safeguarding policies and procedures
- Nurturing the wellbeing of every child and young person, respecting their dignity and protecting them from abuse and harm
- Responding swiftly to safety concerns, including contacting authorities where relevant, which we follow rigorously
BlendED National policies and documents
These policies, forms, and documents guide how we protect privacy, handle complaints, and keep learning safe and inclusive for every young person, no matter which BlendED location they attend.
These policies and documents apply across all BlendED National locations:
Location Policies
Each location we operate in has its own local commitments, partnerships, and contacts, alongside the national policies above. Select your state below to find what applies where you are.
These policies and documents apply to BlendED Tasmania only:
Catholic Education Tasmania (CET) Statement of Commitment
EREA and BlendED National demonstrate commitment to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people by:
- We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people while enabling their participation as valued members of our community.
- We have zero tolerance to child abuse and harm. Our people prioritise the safety of the children they interact with in the performance of their role and must report any conduct of concern.
- We recognise the importance of child safety in the provision of quality education services. All children who attend Catholic Schools in Tasmania have the right to feel safe, be safe, and be heard.
- We recognise our legal and moral responsibilities in keeping children and young people safe and have robust policies and procedures in place to meet this commitment that are aligned with the National Principles and applicable Tasmanian child safety legislation.
- We want children to thrive, be safe, happy and empowered, and are dedicated to ensuring their views are listened to and respected, and they are given opportunities to contribute to how we plan and deliver our services that affect them.
- We are committed to being a Child Safe Organisation.
Statement of commitment to child safety
This commitment is made nationally and applies to every BlendED location, including Tasmania. Read our full Statement of Commitment to Child Safety below.
Prioritising the safety of vulnerable young people
We give particular attention to the needs of vulnerable young people, including those who are First Nations, living with disability or mental health needs, from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds, unable to live at home, or who identify as LGBTQIA+. Read more about how we prioritise this nationally below.
Child Safety Officers
Paul Reidy
Principal
BlendED Tasmania
Meghan Rutherford
Acting Program Director,
Teaching & Learning
BlendED Tasmania
Renee Dyhr
Program Director,
Wellbeing
BlendED Tasmania
Child Safety Policies:
Contact BlendED Tasmania
Phone: 03 6292 6015
Address: 195 Main Road, Austins Ferry TAS 7011
Email: admin.tas@blendednational.edu.au.
Feedback & complaints
We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of all young people. If you’d like to share a suggestion, compliment or concern, please get in touch below.
These policies and documents apply to BlendED Queensland only:
More policies coming soon
Statement of commitment to child safety
This commitment is made nationally and applies to every BlendED location, including Queensland. Read our full Statement of Commitment to Child Safety below.
Prioritising the safety of vulnerable young people
We give particular attention to the needs of vulnerable young people, including those who are First Nations, living with disability or mental health needs, from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds, unable to live at home, or who identify as LGBTQIA+. Read more about how we prioritise this nationally below.
David Gall
Principal
BlendED Queensland
Nat Kilburn
Program Director,
Teaching and Learning
BlendED Queensland
Mark Vernon
Program Director,
Wellbeing
BlendED Queensland
Child Safety Policies:
Contact BlendED Queensland
Phone: 07 3522 2944
Address: Level 1 The Mackillop Centre,
2199 Sandgate Road
Boondall QLD 4034
Email: admin.qld@blendednational.edu.au
Feedback & complaints
We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of all young people. If you’d like to share a suggestion, compliment or concern, please get in touch below.
Feedback and complaints
We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of all young people across our schools. If you’d like to share a suggestion, compliment, or concern, please get in touch below .