Frequently asked questions about the new Child Safe Scheme and how it affects statutory out-of-home care and adoption service providers.
About the Child Safe Scheme
The Child Safe Scheme requires certain child-related organisations ('child safe organisations') to implement the 10 Child Safe Standards recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse through their systems, policies, and procedures.
The Child Safe Scheme section of our website provides more information.
All organisations that deliver services to children should implement the Child Safe Standards regardless of whether they are in scope of the Child Safe Scheme. However, implementing the Child Safe Standards is mandatory for some child-related organisations.
More information on which organisations must implement the Child Safe Standards.
Are statutory out-of-home care or adoption service providers included in the Child Safe Scheme?
Yes.
Designated agencies and adoption service providers were brought into the Child Safe Scheme in September 2022 after extensive consultation.
The 10 Child Safe Standards have been embedded into the accreditation criteria, the Code of Practice.
This means if designated agencies and adoption services are compliant with the Code of Practice, they are also compliant with the Child Safe Standards.
What if our organisation provides other child-related services as well as out-of-home care or adoption?
Larger organisations that deliver a range of child-related services in addition to statutory out-of-home care or adoption services must implement the Child Safe Standards for the services that are in the scope of the Child Safe Scheme.
This means that organisations that provide other child-related services – for example, early childhood services, health or education – must ensure that their policies, procedures and processes in these programs reflect the 10 Child Safe Standards.
What if our organisation provides other child-related services as well as out-of-home care or adoption?
Larger organisations that deliver a range of child-related services in addition to statutory out-of-home care or adoption services must implement the Child Safe Standards for the services that are in the scope of the Child Safe Scheme.
This means that organisations that provide other child-related services – for example, early childhood services, health or education – must ensure that their policies, procedures and processes in these programs reflect the 10 Child Safe Standards.
How are the Child Safe Standards enforced?
For designated agencies and adoption services, they are assessed and regulated against the Code of Practice. There is no additional assessment or regulation of the Child Safe Standards as they are embeded in the Code of Practice.
For child-related services in the scope of the Child Safe Scheme, enforcement provisions commenced in February 2023.
Our approach to compliance and enforcement of the Child Safe Standards.
Support
We have the Code of Practice implementation handbook (PDF, 5.19MB) and the Code of Practice resources to support designated agencies and adoption services.
For other organisations, we offer a range of child safe resources and free training to to help them review policies, procedures and practices.
