Commission for Children and Young People
Children have a right to feel safe and be safe. Organisations have a responsibility to protect children from harm.
About the Commission
The Commission for Children and Young People (the Commission) promotes the safety, wellbeing, and rights of Victorian children and young people. We have a unique bird’s-eye view of the systems that work to support children and young people.
We provide independent scrutiny and oversight of services such as out-of-home care, child protection and youth justice. We advocate for best practice policy, program, and service responses that meet the needs of children and young people
We also administer the Child Safe Standards (the Standards) and Reportable Conduct Scheme (the Scheme). Victoria introduced the child safe standards in 2016 and reportable conduct scheme in 2017, after the Victorian Parliament’s Betrayal of Trust Inquiry revealed devastating accounts of children experiencing abuse and harm in organisational settings.
Schools and early childhood providers must both comply with both the Standards and the Scheme.
Reportable Conduct Scheme
The Scheme requires certain organisations to notify the Commission of alleged child abuse by their workers or volunteers and for them to then investigate those allegations.
Reportable conduct allegations include:
- sexual offences committed against, with or in the presence of a child
- sexual misconduct committed against, with or in the presence of a child
- physical violence against, with or in the presence of a child
- any behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child
- significant neglect of a child.
You can find out more about the Scheme by visiting our website.
Child Safe Standards
The Standards ensure organisations have systems, policies, and practices in place to keep children safe from abuse and harm. A set of new, more prescriptive Standards came into effect on 1 July 2022.
The Standards apply to most organisations that provide services or facilities to children and young people, for example:
- schools and outside school hours care
- kindergartens and early learning centres
- sporting clubs and recreational groups
- coaching or tuition services.
Regulators provide information and guidance to organisations to help them comply with the Standards. They also have legal powers to hold organisations to account if they are not complying with their obligations.
There are 6 regulators – including the Commission – who are responsible for overseeing and promoting compliance with the Standards. The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority is the regulator for schools and education providers, and the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division, Department of Education, for early childhood services.
If your concerns regarding the Standards relate to other organisations, you can contact the Commission – this includes concerns regarding sporting clubs, dance schools, religious organisations, tutoring businesses, youth services, overnight camps, photography services, government departments and local councils.
You can find out more about the Standards by visiting our website.
Why our work is so important
The abuse of children and young people in organisations is still a threat.
Since 2017, the Commission has been notified of over 10,832 reportable conduct allegations. In 2021–22, the highest number of allegations came from:
- out-of-home care providers (39%)
- education sector (23%)
- early childhood education providers (23%).
Source: Commission for Children and Young People Annual Report 2021-22
What can you do as a parent or carer
You can act if you are concerned that an organisation is not keeping your child or other children safe.
As a first step, you might choose to talk to someone senior at the organisation. Tell them what you are worried about and try to find a solution together.
If the organisation does not address your concerns, contact their regulator.
Find out more by downloading our parent and carer information sheet.
The Commission has developed a set of information sheets designed for children that can be used to have discussions with your child about child safety laws.
Contacting the Commission
You can contact the Commission if you have any questions or concerns via:
- email: [email protected]
- phone: 1300 78 29 78
You may also like to subscribe to our e-newsletter to receive updates on the Standards and Scheme.
