Pictured from left: Sue Ryan (City Mission Operations Manager Children, Youth & Futures), Craig Stenton (City Mission Quality & Risk Manager), Amanda Sheehy (QIP National Manager Health Services Accreditation), Evan Hill (QIP General Manager Operations), Dr Jo Fearman (City Mission CEO) and Rolph Vos (City Mission Chair).

City Mission and QIP are proud to mark a significant national milestone, with City Mission becoming the first organisation in Australia to achieve accreditation under the first edition of the QIP Standards for Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults (QIP Safeguarding Standards).

This achievement represents an important step forward for both organisations - for City Mission, as a reflection of its strong commitment to safeguarding, quality and continuous improvement, and for QIP, as an important milestone in the rollout of their internationally accredited national framework designed to strengthen protections for children, young people and vulnerable adults across the human services sector.

The QIP Safeguarding Standards align with the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023 and expand safeguarding expectations beyond children and young people to also include vulnerable adults. For City Mission, the framework provided an opportunity to build on its previous Child Safe Certification through a more contemporary model that better reflects the breadth of the organisation’s work and the communities it serves.

This accreditation reflects growing expectations across the human services sector for stronger, independently verified safeguarding standards.

The journey to accreditation was shaped by a strong partnership between City Mission and QIP. After proactively approaching QIP to explore a new accreditation pathway, City Mission was invited to participate in piloting the assessment methodology of the Standards, helping test the framework in practice while also contributing feedback to support its refinement for wider sector use.

That collaborative approach has been a defining feature of the process. As City Mission progressed through accreditation, QIP was able to gain valuable insight into the practical application of the Standards, while City Mission had the opportunity to help shape a framework that strengthens safeguarding practice not only within its own organisation, but across the broader community services landscape.

City Mission also entered their Safeguarding accreditation journey from a position of strength, with prior recognition through its existing accreditation against the QIC Health and Community Services Standards (QIC Standards) – also provided by QIP. This supported the Safeguarding accreditation process and reinforced the maturity of the systems, governance and safeguarding practices already in place at City Mission.

For City Mission, the accreditation sits within a broader commitment to quality, accountability and best practice. In addition to achieving accreditation under the new QIP Safeguarding Standards, the organisation is also accredited to the QIC Standards.

For QIP, the achievement highlights the strength and relevance of the new QIP Safeguarding Accreditation framework, and the value of working closely with organisations to ensure accreditation models are practical, meaningful and capable of supporting strong safeguarding cultures in real-world service environments.

Together, City Mission and QIP see this milestone as more than a single organisational achievement. It is an example of how collaboration between service providers and accreditation bodies can help strengthen standards, build trust and contribute to safer, more accountable organisations for children, young people and vulnerable adults.

City Mission CEO Dr Jo Fearman said the accreditation was a significant milestone for the organisation and an important reflection of its values.

“Becoming the first organisation in Australia to achieve accreditation under these new standards is something City Mission is incredibly proud of,” Dr Fearman said.

“This accreditation reflects our commitment to creating environments where children, young people and vulnerable adults are safe, respected and supported, and to continually strengthening the systems and standards that underpin our work.”

‍ “At City Mission, we work alongside people at some of the most vulnerable points in their lives. That brings with it a profound responsibility to ensure the care we provide is supported by strong systems, clear accountability and a culture of safeguarding.”

‍ “We are proud to have worked alongside QIP through this pilot process, and to have contributed to a framework that will help strengthen safeguarding practice across the sector.”

‍In acknowledging City Mission’s achievement, QIP CEO Dr Tina Janamian said the accreditation represents an important development not only for City Mission, but also for the broader evolution of safeguarding practice in Australia.

‍“The QIP Safeguarding Standards were developed to provide organisations with a rigorous, evidence-based and independently assessed framework for strengthening safeguarding governance, culture and accountability,” Dr Janamian said.

‍“We are delighted that City Mission has become the first organisation in Australia to achieve accreditation against the first edition of QIP’s internationally accredited Safeguarding Standards. In doing so, they have demonstrated genuine leadership and a strong commitment to external review, continuous improvement and strengthening protections for children, young people and vulnerable adults.”

‍“Through ongoing review processes, including mid-cycle assessment, the program supports organisations to continually strengthen safeguarding systems, practices and culture over time.”

‍This milestone demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations committed to service quality and safeguarding work together with accreditation bodies committed to strengthening standards for the wider sector.

City Mission and QIP hope this achievement will build greater awareness of the importance of contemporary safeguarding frameworks and encourage ongoing leadership in this space across community services and beyond.