The Andrews Labor Government is doing more to protect children from harm with the expansion of its Reportable Conduct Scheme.
Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos announced that from today the scheme will apply to religious bodies, boarding schools, services that provide overnight camps, disability services, and hospitals.
Under the Reportable Conduct Scheme, organisations providing services to children are required to report any allegations of child abuse and misconduct to the Commission for Children and Young People, ensuring individuals who pose a risk to children can be excluded from working with children, even if they don’t have a criminal record.
Reportable conduct includes a sexual offence or misconduct, physical violence, significant emotional or psychological harm, or neglect.
Introduced in July 2017, the scheme already applies to out-of-home care services, government departments and schools.
It builds on other measures introduced by the Labor Government such as new Child Safe Standards, new duty of care requirements and tougher child sex offence laws.
The introduction of the Reportable Conduct Scheme was part of the Labor Government’s commitment to implement recommendations from the Betrayal of Trust Inquiry – to better respond to allegations of abuse and misconduct.
The scheme will also form part of the Labor Government’s response to recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
For more information on the Reportable Conduct Scheme, visit the Commission for Children and Young People’s website at ccyp.vic.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos
“Child safety is everyone’s responsibility – we need to do everything we can to protect children from abuse and make it a part of everyday thinking and practice for those who work with them.”
“The Reportable Conduct Scheme places a clear onus on organisations to respond to allegations of abuse by reporting them to the appropriate authorities.”
“We’re driving cultural change in organisations across the state to make Victoria safer for all children.”
