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Child Safe Standards
The implementation of the Child Safe Standards in Queensland will commence from 1 October 2025. It will occur in a staged approach.
Phase 1
Child Safe Standards compliance commences 1 October 2025.
Child protection
- a departmental or licensed care service under the Child Protection Act 1999
- entity providing services related to child protection
- support services for parents and families relating to child protection
- family support and wellbeing services
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation with a prescribed delegate under the Child Protection Act 1999
Services for children with a disability
- a provider of disability services under the Disability Services Act 2006 (s12) e.g. accommodation support, respite services, community support services etc.
- NDIS service providers under the Disability Services Act 2006 (s15)
Justice or detention services
- youth detention/remand centres
- legal or other advocacy services e.g. community legal centre, court support services
- organisation providing programs and services mentioned in the Youth Justice Act 1992 (s302)
- community justice group under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities (Justice, Land and other matters) Act 1984
- organisation providing diversionary, interventionist or rehabilitation services e.g. a graffiti removal program under the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 (s379a) or bail support services
Government organisations
- public sector organisations under the Public Sector Act 2022 (s8)
- Queensland Police Service
- Local Government
Phase 2
Child Safe Standards compliance commences 1 January 2026.
Accommodation & Residential Services
- housing and accommodation services (supported accommodation, community or social housing)
- Domestic & Family Violence services (e.g. emergency accommodation)
- camps or excursions with overnight stays
- school boarding facilities, student hostels, student residential colleges
Education Services
- state educational institution under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006
- a non-state school under the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2017
- a not-for-profit organisation that holds student exchange approval under the Education (Overseas Students) Act 2018
- TAFE Queensland
- a dual sector Organisation under the TAFE Queensland Act 2013 (s57)
- a registered training organisation under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Cwlth)
- a University
- another organisation that provides training or professional development programs or services
Health Services
- a Hospital and Health Service
- Queensland Ambulance Service
- private health facility under the Private Health Facilities Act 1999
- provides mental health services including treatment, assessment or rehab services/programs
- alcohol or other drug related treatment
- counselling or support services including regulated services providing health, counselling and support services under the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000
- a health service provider under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (QLD)
Early childhood education, care and child-minding services
- approved provider under the Education and Care Services National Law (QLD)
- approved provider or stand alone service under the Education and Care Services Act 2013
- provides adjunct care within the meaning of the Education and Care Services Act 2013
- kindergarten or distance education kindergarten program under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006
- provides childcare including nanny, baby sitting or in-home care services
Community Services
- provides community service for children including neighbourhood centre or youth support service
Phase 3
Child Safe Standards compliance commences 1 April 2026.
Commercial services for children
- an organisation providing general services or facilities specifically for children on a commercial basis including gym or play facilities, talent or beauty competitions, modelling services, photography services, entertainment services or party services
Transport services provided specifically for children
- organisation providing transport or transport related services e,g, school crossing supervisors under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995
- an organisation providing driver training services by trainers accredited under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995
Religious bodies
- provides community or support services e.g. chaplaincy service or children's recreation service
- activities or services - church services, youth groups
Services or activities provided primarily for children
- a club or Association e.g Scouts, Girl Guides or a sporting club
- cultural, sporting or recreational services e.g. an art or performing arts program, swimming school
- coaching, tutoring or private teaching services including regulated organisations providing private teaching, coaching or tutoring under the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000
Reportable Conduct Scheme
The implementation of the Reportable Conduct Scheme will commence from 1 July 2026. There are some differences between the child safe organisations who have a legal obligation under the Reportable Conduct Scheme. Any child organisation listed under the Reportable Conduct Scheme is required to implement the Child Safe Standards.
Phase 1
Reportable Conduct Scheme compliance commences 1 July 2026.
Child protection
- a departmental or licensed care service under the Child Protection Act 1999 e.g. residential care, foster and kinship care
- organisations providing services related to child protection
- support services for parents and families relating to child protection
- family support and wellbeing services
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation with a prescribed delegate under the Child Protection Act 1999.
Services for children with a disability
- a provider of disability services under the Disability Services Act 2006 (s12) e.g. accommodation support, respite services, community support services etc.
- NDIS service providers under the Disability Services Act 2006 (s15)
Justice or detention services
- youth detention/remand centres
- organisations providing programs and services mentioned in the Youth Justice Act 1992 (s302) such as early intervention and diversion programs, court support services, custody support transition to community programs and rehabilitation services
- community justice group under the Bail Act 1980 (s6), other than a community justice group mentioned in that section (definition community justice group, paragraph C)
Government organisations
- public sector organisations under the Public Sector Act 2022 (s8)
- Queensland Police Service
- local Government
Phase 2
Reportable Conduct Scheme compliance commences 1 January 2027.
Accommodation & Residential Services
- supported accommodation services for persons who are at risk of homelessness and provide overnight beds e.g. social housing, crisis accommodation or Domestic Family Violence services with temporary supported accommodation
- provides camps or excursions that include overnight stays
- residential facility for a boarding school
- a student hostel established under the Education (General provisions) Act 2006 (s15) or operated under an allowance paid under section 368(1)(e) of that Act.
Education Services
- state educational institution under the Education (General provisions) Act 2006
- a non-state school under the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2017
- a not-for-profit organisation that holds student exchange approval under the Education (Overseas Students) Act 2018
- TAFE Queensland
- a dual sector organisation under the TAFE Queensland Act 2013 (s57)
- a registered training organisation under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Cwlth)
- a University
Health Services
- a Hospital and Health Service
- Queensland Ambulance Service
- private health facility under the Private Health Facilities Act 1999
- authorised mental health service under the Mental Health Act 2016
- provides mental health services that includes inpatient treatment for children
- alcohol or other drug related treatment that includes inpatient treatment for children
Phase 3
Reportable Conduct Scheme compliance commences 1 July 2027.
Early childhood education, care and child-minding services
- an approved provider under the Education and Care Services National Law (QLD) e.g. long day care, outside hours school care and family day care
- a Queensland approved provider under the Education and Care Services Act 2013 e.g occasional care
- kindergarten
Religious bodies
- religious body that provides activities, facilities, programs and services in which adults interact with children including churches and other congregational environments of religious and faith-based organisations
- community services and support services
- chaplaincy services
- church youth groups
- bible study groups
- religious retreats and overnight camps
- Sunday school programs and recreational services affiliated with a religious body
Engagement model
Every organisation in Queensland will be at a different stage of its journey to becoming child safe, and each will require an individual approach to ensure the safety, wellbeing and best interests of the children it interacts with.
Sectors know best how their organisations operate and how the Child Safe Standards, Universal Principle and Reportable Conduct Scheme need to be implemented so that organisations meet their obligations. Given this, we will empower and equip sectors to lead the implementation of the legislation in a way that best enables their organisations to create a culture of safety and wellbeing for all children.
This involves empowering the lead regulators, funders and governing bodies of each sector to work with organisations to become child safe. In most cases, these sector leads will be Queensland Government agencies. These sector leads may leverage established relationships with peak and representative bodies to connect with organisations.
We will oversee the implementation, and we will collaborate with sector leads to ensure they are equipped to effectively create a child safe culture.
The below images represent our engagement approach and the roles of each group.
Oversight
- Become a Child Safe Organisation
- Raise awareness in Queensland of Child Safe Organisations System
- Collaborate with sector leads on implementation
- Equip and empower the sector to create child safe cultures
- Quality assure resources
- Connect organisations with their relevant sector lead
- Oversee information sharing, monitoring and reporting mechanisms
Regulators and Governing and Funding bodies
- Become a Child Safe Organisation (where relevant)
- Align child safe legislative requirements within existing governance and quality frameworks
- Prepare and provide resources appropriate for their sector and consult with QFCC
- Ensure their sector is implementing requirements
- Work with peak and representative bodies and child safe entities to implement requirements
- Report implementation progress to QFCC as oversight body
- Work with QFCC on establishing information sharing, monitoring and reporting mechanisms
- Engage children and families in their work
Peak and representative bodies
- Become a Child Safe Organisation (where relevant)
- Prepare and provide resources appropriate for their sector and consult with sector leads
- Consult with organisations on needs and seek support from sector leads and QFCC
- Contribute to collaboration on insights, lessons learned and child safe practices from child safe implementation
- Enable organisations to implement requirements
- Engage children and families in their work
*Representative bodies cover groups such as committees, reference groups, networks, associations, memberships and such, that aren’t considered ‘peak’ but hold significant influence.
Queensland Organisations
- Become a Child Safe Organisation
- Build a culture of safety and wellbeing for all children
- Provide input to development of sector specific resources through existing governance, peak and representative bodies
- Work with sector leads and enablers to implement requirements
- Contribute to collaboration on insights, lessons learned and child safe practices from child safe implementation
- Seek support from sector leads and enablers where needed
- Engage children and families in their work
