Providing quality and safe services
The TAC expects that all TAC-funded services are delivered in a way that optimise the client’s health, wellbeing and overall recovery. These services must always be safe and of high quality. We expect service providers to have quality systems and processes in place to help keep their clients safe from abuse and neglect.
The TAC has a zero tolerance approach to abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Quality is defined by the TAC as services that:
- focus on providing positive outcomes for people who use those services.
- involve individuals in service design, promote continuous improvement, and monitor performance to improve the services.
- have mechanisms to ensure people have a way of raising concerns and resolving issues.
Safeguarding is about protecting the rights of people to be safe from the risk of abuse or neglect, while maximising the choice and control they have over their lives. Safeguards can include:
- Informal safeguards such as self-advocacy and building a network of trusted relationships.
- Formal safeguards such as legislative and administrative requirements, policies and practices, organisational culture that promotes human rights, and complaints processes.
Find out more about quality and safeguarding at the TAC.
Child safety expectations
The TAC's commitment to child safety
The TAC prioritises the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Children and young people of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences have the right to be safe and feel safe in any environment. We are committed to a culture that does not tolerate child abuse, neglect or exploitation and will work actively towards preventing it.
The TAC takes all concerns relating to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people seriously, and responds promptly, sensitively and in line with all legislative obligations.
We acknowledge the importance of listening to, and engaging the views of children, young people and their families and the significant value they bring to the organisation.
Our expectations of providers
Child safety is everyone’s responsibility.
As a TAC service provider, you must be aware of your role and responsibilities in adhering to the Victorian Child Safe Standards. If you are providing services to persons under the age of 18 years, you must comply (and ensure that your employees or contractors comply) with laws relating to the protection of children including the Child Safe Standards and the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic). Interstate providers must also ensure they meet any state-based requirements.
We expect that all TAC service providers operate in a way that optimises the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, even if you are not required to demonstrate compliance with the Victorian Child Safe Standards. This extends to any child who is impacted by TAC service delivery, not just clients of the TAC.
The TAC expects that you and your staff (including contractors) optimise child safety by:
- Considering the impacts of service delivery and rehabilitation decisions on the physical, emotional, educational and cultural safety of a child or their family. Impacts can occur as a result of support directly to the child or because of support provided to their family members.
- Making sure your organisation’s polices support child safety, ensuring staff know how to behave when they work with children and young people.
- Completing appropriate worker recruitment screening including Working with Children Checks, where required.
- Training and educating your staff on how to support child safety.
- Providing information to children and their families that is suitable for their needs and able to be understood.
- Having clear complaints and feedback mechanisms that are accessible to children and young people.
All service providers must take action if they have a child safety concern and must support others to raise concerns, in accordance with the law and the TAC’s processes. See below information on how to report a concern or complaint.
If a provider is concerned about a child’s safety, they must immediately:
- act in the best interest of the child or young person and ensure that the child or young person is safe, to the best of their ability
- contact emergency services or Child Protection if the child could be in immediate danger
- comply with any legislative reporting requirements, and
- follow the TAC’s reporting procedures as noted below.
This information should be read in conjunction with our other TAC policies and provider registration requirements. Some service types may have specific requirements in relation to Child Safe Standards compliance, such as disability service providers .
Further information
Victoria's Commission for Children and Young People have extensive information about the Child Safe Standards and how you can be a child safe organisation. Access it at CCYP - Child Safe Standards.
The full standard for child safety can be found here:
How to report client safety concerns and complaints
You must tell us about any concerns for the safety and wellbeing of any TAC clients you are supporting, particularly if the person is under 18 years old.
All providers have an ethical and social responsibility to report concerns and complaints to the TAC if they have information that suggests a child, young person or adult that they are supporting may be at risk of harm. The TAC expects that providers are proactive in identifying and reporting child safety concerns. Inaction is considered a breach of the TAC’s expectations and could be a breach of the Law.
For immediate concerns and to report abuse, harm or neglect, contact the police on 000. Child Protection can be contacted on 1300 655 795 (after hours 13 12 78).
To report a safety concern to the TAC about a client’s circumstances or TAC support:
Use our online complaints and compliments form or email complaints@tac.vic.gov.au
Call the TAC Claims Manager directly or Customer Service on 1300 654 329 - 8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
To report a concern specifically about a TAC-funded service provider:
All TAC clients have the right to access safe and good quality treatments and support, free from abuse or neglect. If you have concerns about the quality or safety of a TAC-funded service for any TAC client, you can contact TAC Safer Services Support:
Call 1800 931 233 - 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Your call can be anonymous. If you need to leave a message, we will contact you within one business day.
Email saferservices@tac.vic.gov.au.
Continuous improvement
The TAC is dedicated to the ongoing enhancement of the quality and safety of service provision and expect that providers are too. This requires an ongoing effort of continuous attention and improvement, underpinned by data and best practice.
The TAC commits to using complaints and compliments to inform continuous improvement.
Providers should ensure that they have clear and appropriate processes in place, for clients to make a complaint or compliment about their services. We expect providers to take any complaints or concerns raised about their service seriously and take appropriate action.
Disability Worker Regulation Scheme
The Disability Worker Regulation Scheme launched on 1 July 2020. The Scheme includes the introduction of:
- a Code of Conduct for disability workers
- a complaints service and mandatory notifications about the conduct of disability workers
These new regulations for all disability workers are designed to build a stronger, safer, disability sector. The regulations include clear, consistent standards for all workers providing disability services and stronger protections for people with disability.
You can make a complaint to the Victorian Disability Worker Commission if you are concerned about a disability worker’s conduct.
The Scheme’s definition of a disability worker is available here.
For more information about the Scheme, please visit the Victorian Disability Worker Commission website.
The TAC supports the standards of the Disability Worker Regulation Scheme.
