Child Safe Organisation

The National Principles give effect to the child-safe standards recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

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(the Royal Commission). The National Principles set out a nationally consistent approach to creating organisational cultures and practices that promote the safety and well-being of children in Australia. The National Principles include information on how to implement them in practice through key actions and performance measures.

National Principles for Child-Safe Organisations

1. Child safety and well-being is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.

2. Children and young people are informed about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

3. Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

4. Equity is upheld, and diverse needs are respected in policy and practice.

5. People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and well-being values in practice.

6. Processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused.

7. Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.

8. Physical and online environments promote safety and well-being while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.

9. Implementation of the national child safe principles is regularly reviewed and improved. 10. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.

What is a child-safe organisation?

A child-safe organisation puts the best interests of children and young people first.

Children can gain great benefits from being involved with organisations of various kinds – such as local sports clubs, pre-schools, schools or youth centers. Organisations can enable children to meet friends, learn new skills and be active participants in their community.

The vast majority of organisations, staff and volunteers are motivated to do what is best for children and young people. Many organisations are already working to ensure child safety and wellbeing, for example, by having a child safety and wellbeing policy or screening workers for suitability to work with children.

The Australian community should be confident that all organisations working with children and young people provide safe environments where their rights, needs and interests are met.

A child-safe organisation consciously and systematically:

• Creates an environment where children’s safety and well-being are at the center of thought, values and actions.
• Places emphasis genuine engagement with and valuing of children and young people.
• Creates conditions that reduce the likelihood of harm to children and young people.
• Creates conditions that increase the likelihood of identifying any harm.
• Responds to any concerns, disclosures, allegations or suspicions of harm.

There are a number of practical tools and resources that can help organisations implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, and help parents and carers learn about child safety organisations.

Child safety and wellbeing links and resources

The websites and bodies linked below provide information and resources on children’s rights, child safety and well-being at the international, national and state/territory levels.

For links to support services and resources on responding to children’s disclosures of abuse, see our Support page.

International

• Convention on the Rights of the Child
• UNICEF child-friendly version of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

National

• Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Children's rights work
  • Children's rights video
  • Children's safety and wellbeing
  • Guidelines for the inclusion of transgender and gender-diverse people in sport
• National Office for Child Safety
• National Principles for Child Safe Organisations advisory group member websites
• Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
• Australian Institute of Family Studies
• Child Family Community Australia
• National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009–2020
• National Quality Framework (Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority)
• NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework
• National Safe Schools Framework
• National Standards for out-of-home care
• Office of the eSafety Commissioner

State/Territory

Many organisations engaging with children and young people are regulated through state or territory legislative requirements, including working with children checks.

For information about state and territory requirements, see these resource sheets developed by the Australian Institute of Family Studies:

• Resource sheet on requirements for working with children checks and police checks in each state and territory
• Resource sheet on mandatory reporting requirements in each state and territory
• Resource sheet on reporting suspected child abuse or neglect to state and territory departments responsible for protecting children

The links below provide information about child safety requirements, initiatives and resources in each state and territory.

Australian Capital Territory

• ACT Children and Young People Commissioner
• ACT Working with Vulnerable People Checks
• ACT Reportable Conduct Scheme

New South Wales

• NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian
• NSW Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People
• NSW Reportable Conduct Scheme

Northern Territory

• Office of the Children’s Commissioner Northern Territory
• NT Working with Children Clearance

Queensland

• Queensland Family and Child Commission
• Office of the Public Guardian
• Queensland Working with Children Check

South Australia

• South Australia Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People
• South Australia Working with Children Check

Tasmania

• Commissioner for Children and Young People Tasmania
• Tasmania Working with Vulnerable People Registration

Victoria

• Victoria Commission for Children and Young People
• Victoria Reportable Conduct Scheme
• Victoria Working with Children Check

Western Australia

• Commissioner for Children and Young People Western Australia
• Western Australia Working with Children Check