About Sarah Lim
Drawing on extensive experience in child protection, disability, family violence and organisational leadership, Sarah uses powerful real-world stories to bring safeguarding to life.
Sarah’s practical, engaging approach helps audiences understand both the impact of effective safeguarding and the risks when systems and cultures fall short. By translating complex concepts into meaningful, actionable insights, she guides leaders to create lasting cultural change.
This experience gives Sarah a clear view of what is at stake when safeguarding falls short, and a practical, hopeful view of what it takes to get it right. Her focus is prevention: helping organisations move beyond ticking boxes to build everyday cultures of safety.
Trained as a lawyer, Sarah held strategic social policy leadership roles in the Queensland Government. At a large community services provider she was Child Safe Lead and led strategic policy and advocacy. She has led Royal Commission response work and currently serves as national redress lead for a major church organisation.
As CEO of BBSafe, Sarah works with boards, management committees, family and community services, aged care providers, businesses, sports clubs, parents and communities using the Building Blocks of Safeguarding Culture Framework.
Her culture-driven approach cuts through the complexity of safeguarding, so that everyone understands their role in keeping people safe from harm and abuse.
As the founder of a profit-for-purpose organisation, Sarah also brings a unique perspective on leadership, entrepreneurship and impact. She understands the realities of balancing business growth, executive leadership, family responsibilities and personal wellbeing, and is passionate about supporting and championing other women in leadership. Through sharing her own experiences, she encourages leaders to lead with confidence, authenticity and purpose.
Why organisations work with Sarah
Sarah brings a rounded view of safeguarding for children and vulnerable adults, informed by time spent listening to lived experience and grounded in an evidence-informed approach. Her warm and trauma-informed approach prompts honest and sensitive discussion.
- Law and policy: Sarah has a Master of Laws and more than a decade shaping Queensland Government policy in child protection, youth justice and domestic and family violence.
- Governance: A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an experienced company secretary who knows how boards work, and what they need to hear.
- Learning from the past: Years of Royal Commission response and redress work inform a practical focus on prevention, and keep lived experience at the centre, so organisations can act early and with confidence.
- Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
- Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice; admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland
- Master of Laws
- Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)
- Graduate Certificate in Leadership
- Certificate IV in Investigations
- Blue Knot Foundation training in working with people with complex trauma
- Founder, CEO and Lead Safeguarding Consultant, BBSafe
- National Director/CEO and Company Secretary, national redress body for a major church organisation
- Company Secretary and Governance Consultant, National community services provider network
- Director, Office of the CEO, Child Safe Lead and Strategic Policy and Advocacy Lead, large community services provider
- Strategic Policy Director, Queensland Government
- Chair, Board of Advice, Forde Foundation
Book Sarah as a speaker
Sarah speaks with boards, leaders, staff, volunteers and families about how to make safe cultures a priority. Her sessions are clear, practical and grounded in real experience, and she approaches difficult subject matter with care.
Presentation topics
- What Working with Survivors Has Taught Me About Safeguarding: Lessons from listening to lived experience
- Beyond Compliance: Building a Culture of Safeguarding: Why policies alone don’t keep people safe and what leaders must do instead
- Safeguarding is Everyone’s Business: Embedding accountability, awareness and action across an organisation, from boardroom to frontline
- The Leadership Imperative: Creating Safer Organisations: The critical role boards and leaders play in shaping culture and preventing harm
- The Board’s Role in Keeping People Safe: The questions every director should be asking
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults: Practical lessons for disability, aged care and community services
- The Building Blocks of Safeguarding Culture: An interactive workshop for teams, clubs and volunteers
- What parents and caregivers need to know: Questions to ask organisations you entrust with care of your loved ones
- Governance that Enables, Not Restricts: Creating accountability while fostering innovation and trust
- Turning Legislative Requirements into Meaningful Practice: Bridging the gap between compliance and culture when applying child safe standards
- Culture is the Strategy: Why organisational culture is more important any policy, plan or framework in safeguarding
- Leading with Integrity: How vulnerability and values-driven leadership build trust and influence
- The Power of Values-Based Leadership: Why the best leaders lead from purpose, not position
- Trauma-Informed Leadership: What every leader should know about how trauma can affect staff and workplaces
- Building a Profit-for-Purpose Business: Growing a successful organisation while staying true to a social mission
- You Don’t Have to Lead Like Everyone Else: Embracing authentic leadership as a woman in business
- Lifting as We Climb: The importance of mentoring, championing and supporting other women leaders
- Women Leading Change: Breaking barriers, backing yourself and creating opportunities for others
Boards and management committees, not-for-profit and community organisations, government agencies, schools, sports clubs and associations, disability and aged care providers, businesses, women in business and leadership networks, and parents and carers.
Audiences leave Sarah’s presentations with:
- A practical framework for embedding safeguarding into organisational culture.
- Greater confidence in governance and leadership responsibilities.
- Strategies to recognise and respond to organisational risk.
- A clearer understanding of how to move beyond compliance to meaningful cultural change.
- Practical actions they can implement immediately.
- Keynote presentations
- Conference sessions
- Leadership forums
- Board and executive workshops or briefings
- Panel discussions
- Facilitated conversations
- Professional development events
- Workshops and masterclasses
- Webinars and online sessions
- Community awareness sessions
- Media interviews
- Podcasts and vodcasts
Sarah is based in Brisbane and presents in person around Australia and online.
Get in touch to talk about your context, goals and how Sarah can customise her talk to fit your audience.