Principle 6: Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused

This chapter focuses on how your organisation's policies and practices should support effective complaints management that is clear and accessible.

In this chapter you will learn

  • That complaints are to be taken seriously and responded to promptly and thoroughly.

  • The importance of effective complaint-handling processes that are understood by children and young people, families, staff and volunteers and are culturally safe.

  • How to respond to a disclosure of harm or abuse.

 What are your and your organisation's responsibilities for effective complaint handling and reporting?

 Your organisation is responsible for;

·  Providing an accessible, child-focused complaint handling policy

·  Clear processes that outline how to respond to breaches of the Code of Conduct

·  Ensuring reporting obligations are met 

You, as a child facing team member are responsible for;

·  Take feedback and complaints seriously and respond according to your organisation's processes.

·  Attending relevant training to recognise signs of harm, respond to disclosures of abuse, and to meet legal requirements.

·  Meeting reporting obligations, including disclosures of harm and suspected abuse   

Content Warning 

This Chapter frankly discusses issues of abuse and how to respond. Exploring and understanding these topics may be confronting and for some trauma inducing. 

For further support, contact:

Lifeline(opens in a new tab) 13 11 14

Beyond Blue(opens in a new tab) 1300 22 4636

1800RESPECT(opens in a new tab) 1800 737 732

"Every organisation working with children and young people—no matter their size—has the same obligations to respond effectively to complaints that affect children, whether initiated by a child or young person directly, or by an adult on their behalf."

- National Office for Child Safety

What is a complaint?

The term ‘complaint’ should be interpreted broadly. It can include expressions of dissatisfaction about an organisation related to one or more of the following:

  • its services or dealings with individuals

  • allegations about the conduct of its staff, volunteers or other individuals engaged by the organisation

  • allegations about the conduct of another child or young person at the organisation

  • the handling of a prior concern.

Your organisation's complaint handling processes should seek to achieve the following:

1. Children and young people's rights, safety and well-being are promoted.

2. Complaint-handling system is accessible and responsive to the needs of all children and young people and their parents/ carers.

3. Complaints are dealt with promptly, thoroughly and fairly.

Children and vulnerable people, parents, staff and volunteers need to know;

•what they can complain about,

•how to make a complaint, and

•who to make that complaint to

 How can you help ensure children and vulnerable people are supported to raise complaints or concerns:

·      Provide multiple ways to make a complaint. 

·      Be responsive to all complaints and concerns, no matter how small or large.

·      Do not just rely on written or online information; verbal communication is also important. 

·      Make information about the complaints process available in a variety of formats and languages as needed 

·      Give clear and simple messages about making a complaint and the process.  

Barriers to making a complaint.

It should be easy for any child or vulnerable person to make a complaint, irrespective of their age, gender, abilities or social, economic or cultural background. Some people who may feel more left out, or face greater barriers in having a say, might be reluctant to make a complaint or need more help.

An organisation’s complaint-handling system needs to be flexible and responsive to the particular needs of people from a diverse range of backgrounds and to other factors that could make them harder to reach or more vulnerable, such as:

  • Those who have experienced trauma, e.g. children and young people in out-of-home care  

  • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals 

  • Those living in rural and remote locations  

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families  

  • Individuals with a disability 

  • People from diverse cultural backgrounds and faiths 

 Prioritising safety is critical to a child-focused complaints process.

This means that organisations must identify any risks to children and young people arising from a complaint and act quickly to manage them. It is important that you follow your organisation's complaints processes to ensure:

  • Safety

  • Reporting and record-keeping obligations are met, and;

  • The well-being of those involved, including listening to and respecting the child or young person's views.

Responding sensitively to indicators of abuse or a disclosure

Reporting and disclosing

May choose to disclose intentionally – however children are more likely to disclose accidently.

Listen carefully – don’t try to council

Tell them you believe them

Don’t ask leading questions or investigate the claims, as this may compromise subsequent investigations by qualified people.

Let them know it’s not their fault. Children are likely to blame themselves.

Don’t promise not to tell anyone. Let them know that you will have to tell someone so that they can help stop the abuse.

Tell them you are pleased that they told you.

Stay with me if I’m upset, or until I’ve said everything I need to.

If its disclosed to you – be prepared to report this to the correct authorities in your jurisdiction. Also report to your direct leader to that they can action the report without delaying. If you’re not happy with their response or they are the abuser report to your co-ordinator immediately.

If a child or vulnerable person discloses to you:

  • Tell them you believe them and that they were right to tell you

  • Let them know it’s not their fault. They may be likely to blame themselves

  • Let them know that you will report this to someone else who can help (how you do this is likely to be influenced by the person’s age)

  • Stay calm. Be mindful of your facial expressions and body language

  • Listen carefully. Don't try to counsel.

  • Do not ask leading questions to investigate the claims, as this may compromise subsequent investigations by qualified people

  • Stay with them if they’re upset and until they’ve said all that they wish to say

  • Report to your team leader as soon as possible

  • Write down their statement ‘word for word’ as soon as you can

  • Keep all confidential information secure and private

  • Report to any external authority as required. (Your leader and organisation should describe this process clearly)

 Reporting Harm and Abuse.

Let's look at how we respond to complaints and when a report to child protection authorities should be made.

(In the next chapter we will look in more detail at the different forms of abuse and indicators of harm.)

What is the test to report child abuse?

  • Clear evidence - No. You don't need clear evidence to report child abuse.

  • Beyond reasonable doubt - No. You don't need evidence beyond reasonable doubt to report child abuse.

  • Reasonable belief - Yes. If you have formed 'reasonable belief', it is all you need to report child abuse.

Reasonable Belief (or reasonable suspicion) can be defined as:

"forming a belief that a defined abuse has been committed against a child, with some objective basis for the belief."

A ‘reasonable belief’ might be formed when:

  • A child states that they have been abused

  • A child states that they know someone who has been abused 

  • Someone who knows a child states that the child has been abused

  • Signs of abuse leads to a belief that the child has been abused, and there is no other satisfactory explanation

  • Professional observations of the child’s behaviour or development leads a mandated professional to a belief that the child has been abused

When reporting child abuse:

Do you need permission?

You do not need permission from parents or caregivers to report, nor do you need to inform them that you are reporting.

What if you are unsure?

If you are unsure whether you have reasonable grounds to report, contact your local authorities and discuss your concerns

Do you need to advise someone?

Any report should also be advised to the organisation so they can be aware and provide support to you and the alleged victim as appropriate to the situation, in the context of the organisation relationship.

Barriers to reporting child abuse

What are common barriers to reporting child abuse?

When reporting child abuse, these are common barriers that people experience and need to overcome:

  • Fear of personal and legal recrimination

  • Wanting to give the alleged abuser, maybe a colleague, the benefit of the doubt

  • Fear of being wrong

  • Fear of getting involved

  • Feeling that it’s too difficult

  • Feeling that it will involve more work

  • Feeling that you haven’t had enough training to deal with it

  • Thinking that protecting the child or vulnerable person is the responsibility of parents or primary carer

  • Not knowing what to do

  • Not trusting the ‘system’

  • Thinking it is optional

The best way to overcome these barriers is to be prepared.

When reporting directly to an external authority, you need to know the reporting process in your jurisdiction.

Review the link here(opens in a new tab)  and/or click below to download the document for future reference.

And once again, if you need support to deal with these difficult issues, please look after yourself and contact Lifeline(opens in a new tab) for help.

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