“This is a national vow. We have already helped over 68,943 children by turning ‘I think something is wrong’ into ‘I know how to help’.”

"This isn’t an experiment. It is a national vow. We have already helped over 67,420 children by turning ‘I think something is wrong’ into ‘I know how to help’."

Ruby O'Rourke and David Salajan
Founders

Core Team

Angela
White
Child
Protection
Alex
Doyle
National Rollout -
Early Childhood Sector
Ruby O'Rourke
Founder & CEO
Lived Experience
David
Salajan
Founder
Sciences
Benn
Lim
Ikigai
Coach
Darren
Mort
Family Court
Barrister
Marian
Simms
CEO 
Delegate
Julietta
Vaca Rossi
Story

"This isn't an experiment. It is a national vow. We have already helped over 67,420 children by turning 'I think something is wrong' into 'I know how to help."

Ruby O'Rourke, CEO

A decade of contributors

SAFE was not created overnight.
Government policy. Research. Real-world childcare services. Child protection agencies. Sociologists. Data scientists.
SAFE has been shaped at the intersection of all six - over more than a decade.

Its early development went through years of input, research, pilots, technology work, funding support, and child-protection practice expertise across government, research, early childhood, technology and community-sector environments.

Built by experts

SAFE was born from gaps identified by Commonwealth and State governments - where agencies and families engage around children,
but critical information is lost. This led to joint Commonwealth and Victorian Government investment - to bring information back to the child
as the single source of truth.

Co-designed with NICTA, CSIRO, Queensland University of Technology, Commonwealth Department of Industry, Victorian Government Innovation, Commonwealth Department of Education, Family Day Care Australia, Community Child Care Cooperative NSW, ACA (Australian Childcare Alliance), Commonwealth Bank, Telstra Health, Westpac, child protection experts, In Safe Hands, Raising Children Network (Murdoch Institute) and CAPS (Child Abuse Prevention Services). The result is the world’s first early warning system for child safety.

Built through a long development ecosystem.

Development History

The organisations that shaped SAFE - across policy, build, data, delivery and practice.

Government & policy
Research & technology
Sector & child-safety
INSTITUTIONAL
People who shaped SAFE
In Memoriam
Cathy Bavage
Co-designer, creative force and founding inspiration in SAFE’s development journey. A personal friend to Ruby through shared lived experience and love for children's rights. Cathy Bavage worked tirelessly in child protection for many years.
In Memoriam
The Hon Fiona Richardson MP
Historical mentor and early contributor to SAFE’s development thinking. Fiona’s work in women’s safety and family violence prevention helped shape the broader purpose behind SAFE.
Foundational Mentor
Lucy Turnbull AO
Mentor to Ruby O’Rourke during SAFE's development journey. Lucy tirelessly supported Ruby across complex government  mandates.
The individuals acknowledged here contributed to SAFE’s development history through inspiration, mentorship, design input, encouragement or strategic support at different stages. Their inclusion recognises historical contribution only and does not imply any current role, partnership, endorsement, sponsorship, governance position or ongoing affiliation unless expressly stated.

Questions about partnerships or implementation?

We're here to help.

Email

For enquiries
hello@safe.inc

Office

Level 13, 477 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Get directions