Compassion and Child Protection

FAQs

• How does Compassion protect children?

  We are committed to demonstrating effective child protection practices at all levels of the organisation, including:

  1. Providing specific interventions when needed
  2. Providing on-the-ground training for all staff and volunteers
  3. Employing specialist child protection staff at national offices
     
  4. Maintaining a secure, anonymous reporting and follow-up system for abuse and malpractice
  5. Facilitating communication through secure technology
     
  6. Holding firm to a commitment from the entire organisation to maintain the child’s and family’s privacy and dignity

  Our Child Safe Policy is regularly reviewed and updated in line with any legislation changes in Australia regarding child protection and intervention issues.

  All people interacting with children and young people on behalf of Compassion Australia must abide by the Compassion Australia Child Protection Code of Conduct.

  If you have a concern about any of Compassion’s operations or child safety issues in Australia or overseas, please call us on 1300 22 44 53 or email compassion@compassion.com.au.

  We take your concerns seriously and will investigate thoroughly and provide you with a response in writing.

  If you would like to remain an anonymous whistleblower and make a complaint, we will make every effort to keep your identity confidential and only reveal it where necessary.

  Please email your complaint to:

  risk@compassion.com.au

  chairman@compassion.com.au

• We sponsor a child as a family. What name should we use to meet the increased privacy measures?

  Increased privacy and child protection measures mean you won't be able to sign off your letters using your surname.

  Instead of signing off your letters as, for example, "The Smith Family", please use your first names instead. While your letter template may have just the main contact’s first name, you’re welcome to sign-off your letters with the first names of all family members.

• When is Compassion removing my sponsored child's surname from all materials?

  The process of changing to a first-name-only basis will commence in January 2021, but it will take some time to carry through into all Compassion materials.

  Letter templates will begin to change from the beginning of 2021, but it may be weeks before you see the change on the letters you receive from your sponsored child. This is because some centres and countries have a quantity of letter templates and other materials with full names on them already in stock; rather than waste them, we want to steward those resources well and use them before the change happens and the new letter templates come into play.

  If you have any questions about this change, you can find more information at compassion.com.au/be-informed/child-protection or call us on 1300 22 44 53.

• The name printed on the letter to my sponsored child is incorrect. What can I do to fix it?

  As part of our ongoing commitment to child protection, your privacy and the security of your data, we have implemented new measures to only display or share a child’s preferred name and your first name.

  If the first name that is now printed on your letters is not correct, or not the name you are known by, you can change this in your My Account. If you need further assistance, please call us on 1300 22 44 53 and we can help make the appropriate changes.

• What is Compassion Australia’s Child Protection Code of Conduct?

  Compassion Australia’s Child Protection Code of Conduct

  All people interacting with children and young people on behalf of Compassion Australia both overseas and in Australia will:

  1. Endeavour to maintain a child-safe environment in the course of their work.
  2. Treat children and young people with respect and value their ideas and opinions.
  3. Be culturally sensitive when with children and young people, particularly with physical and verbal interactions.
  4. Avoid being unnecessarily alone with a child or young person.
  5. Ensure an appropriate relationship with children and young people.
  6. Submit to the appropriate background or police checks as permissible by law prior to face-to-face contact with children.
  7. Follow the instructions and requests of Compassion Australia staff and national office staff regarding interactions with children.
  8. Respect the privacy of children, their families and teachers/carers, and only disclose information to people who have a need to know.
  9. Take any form of child abuse seriously and report it to the proper staff or relevant authorities in a timely manner. This may include a child reporting abuse, witnessing a firsthand account of child abuse and/or observing concerning behaviours from colleagues, partners or other representatives. They will seek to do everything in their authority to ensure the child is removed from danger.

  No person shall:

  1. Shame, humiliate, oppress, belittle or degrade children or young people
  2. Unlawfully discriminate against any child
  3. Engage in any activity with a child or young person that is likely to physically or emotionally harm them
  4. Initiate unnecessary physical contact with a child or young person, or do things of a personal nature for them that they can do for themselves
  5. Arrange contact, including online contact, with children or young people outside of the organisation’s programs and activities
  6. Photograph or video a child or young person without the consent of the child and his/her parents or guardians
  7. Work with children or young people while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs
  8. Engage in open discussions of a mature or adult nature in the presence of children
  9. Use inappropriate language in the presence of children
  10. Visit a Compassion assisted child, their caregiver(s) and/or church outside the bounds of acceptable program or tours and visits standards
  11. Travel alone with a Compassion assisted child, without prior approval and an approved Compassion representative, except in a life-threatening emergency where circumstances require immediate movement
  12. Do anything in contravention of this policy, associated documents, training or other instruction.