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- Frequently Asked Questions
What is a child safe entity?
A child safe entity is an organisation that provides activities, programs and/or services specifically for children or facilities specifically for use by children who are supervised by the organisation. The list of sectors included is provided in Schedule 1 of the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024.
An individual is not considered a Child Safe Organisation unless they carry out a business that provides services specifically for children or facilities specifically for use by children who are supervised by the individual.
Do similar schemes operate in other states?
Yes - most other Australian States and Territories have required organisations working with children to implement the National Principles or Child Safe Standards. The way the standards are implemented vary between jurisdictions.
Victoria introduced Child Safe Standards in 2016. In 2020, the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian introduced the NSW Child Safe Standards framework, similar to the National Principles.
What’s the age range of children covered by the Child Safe Standards and Reportable Conduct Scheme obligations?
The Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 states that a child is any person aged under 18 years.
Do the Child Safe Standards only apply to interactions between adults and children?
No - the Child Safe Standards require organisations to consider how they protect children from harm and maintain their wellbeing and cultural safety whether that harm is caused by an adult or another child.
If our staff already have blue cards does this mean we’re already a Child Safe Organisation?
Blue Card is only one small component of being a Child Safe Organisation.
How organisations recruit and screen employees or volunteers to provide services, lead activities, work with or supervise children is only one part of creating a child safe organisation.
The 10 Child Safe Standards and the Universal Principle require organisations to employ a child safety, wellbeing and cultural safety lens to assess and improve:
- their policies and procedures
- how they work with children and families
- the opportunities provided to children to contribute their perspectives to influence decisions
- the equity and inclusive nature of their practices and programs
- their physical and online environments
- complaints handling mechanisms
- staff training and development
- the accountability of all staff and volunteers
- how they will review and continuously improve
How do you know if your organisation is child safe?
We are developing resources to help organisations conduct a self-assessment of their current level of compliance with the Child Safe Standards to help them understand what they currently have in place and what they may need to develop or implement.
In addition to the self-assessment tool, we will be developing resources to help support organisations to become child safe.
Can we get a certificate to show we are a Child Safe Organisation?
There is no intention to implement a Child Safe Organisation certificate or accreditation for an organisation to display. We will develop information for children, families and the broader community to educate them on what they can expect to see, hear and feel if an organisation is operating in a child safe way. This means that the consumers of the service will help keep organisations faithful to the Child Safe Standards and any concerns or issues they raise should be used by organisations as part of their continuous improvement processes.
Will the QFCC be reviewing organisations to show they are child safe?
We will have the power to request organisations to conduct a review or can require them to undertake a review if there are concerns that they are not upholding the standards.
How reviews may be conducted is under development. We will work with the co-regulators to determine the best way to manage reviews with organisations who come under their regulatory schemes.
Can our organisation be audited against the Child Safe Standards?
Under the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024, we can request a Child Safe Organisation conduct a self-assessment and provide a report on their current level of compliance and actions being taken to improve how the organisation is implementing the standards.
How audits may be conducted is under development. We will work with the co-regulators to determine the best way to manage audits with organisations who come under their regulatory schemes.
