Here at Care Opinion, we understand that some individuals are more vulnerable than others and as such, have safeguarding processes in place to protect them as best we can.
This page details some of these processes.
Automatic email notifications
When a person submits a story to the Care Opinion platform, they receive an automatic email advising that:
- we are not a service provider or help line
- stories are not monitored outside of business hours (AEST)
- to contact 000 if in an emergency or Lifeline if immediate support is required (with relevant contact details provided).
Daily queue scanning
When a story is submitted to the platform, it enters a moderation queue. Each morning, the moderation queue is scanned to identify any storytellers indicating that they or another person is in crisis or at-risk based on the story content. Appropriate action is then taken according to the individual need.
Escalation process
When an organisation partners with Care Opinion, they are asked to complete a form outlining the safeguarding and service escalation process for Care Opinion staff to take where urgent action or escalation is required to safeguard vulnerable individuals. These individuals may come to our attention through phone stories stories submitted to the platform.
Signposting
Where stories (submitted online or via phone or leaflet) indicate that a person is vulnerable and in need of support, we signpost them to supporting services appropriate to their circumstances and location.
Please note that a storyteller's personal details will only shared with a service provider or the emergency services if we have reason to believe that there is an immediate risk of serious harm or loss of life to an individual(s), staff or members of the public.