What are the Child Safe Standards?
Child-related organisations have a responsibility to provide safe environments for children and young people. The 10 Child Safe Standards provide a framework to help organisations ensure children are safe, respected, and protected from harm.
The Standards were established following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which identified 10 key elements necessary to create child safe environments.
These Standards are reflected in the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, developed in 2017 and endorsed by all Australian governments to support a nationally consistent approach to child safety.
Regulation of the Child Safe Standards and the National Principles
Each State and Territory Government is responsible for implementing legislation to embed and/or monitor compliance of the Child Safe Standards and/or the National Principles. We provide a summary of the regulatory frameworks in each State and Territory below (as of 20 April 2026).
- Australian Capital Territory: The Child Safe Standards are regulated under the Human Rights Commission Act 2005 (ACT). Organisations are expected to implement the National Principles through their policies, procedures, and practices, with monitoring and oversight by the Human Rights Commission.
- Victoria: The Victorian 11 Child Safe Standards are regulated by the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic). Child-related organisations in Victoria are required, by law, to implement all of the 11 Standards, which includes an additional standard focusing on the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
- New South Wales: The Child Safe Standards are regulated under the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (NSW). Child-related organisations are required to embed the Standards through systems, policies, and processes.
- South Australia: The National Principles are regulated under the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 (SA). Under the regulation, all organisations that develop child safe policies and procedures are required to align these policies and procedures with the National Principles. In SA, all organisations providing services to children and young people must lodge a compliance statement with the Department of Human Services.
- Queensland: The 10 Child Safe Standards and the Universal Principle (Cultural Safety) is regulated under the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 (QLD).
- Tasmania: Organisations that engage with children and young people are required to implement the 10 Child and Youth Safe Standards, in accordance with the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023 (Tas).
What is happening in the other States and Territories?
Western Australia and the Northern Territory are in the process of developing a regulatory scheme to monitor compliance with the Child Safe Standards.
What are your organisation’s obligations?
Child-related organisations should now be implementing the Child Safe Standards to:
- Reduce the risk of harm to children and young people.
- Strengthen the capacity to respond to child abuse incidents.
- Build trust and strengthen relationships with customers and the community
- Comply with child safety legislation and government regulations.
Practical Steps to Implement the Child Safe Standards
To effectively implement the Child Safe Standards, organisations should take a structured and proactive approach:
- Establish strong leadership and governance
Ensure leaders demonstrate a clear commitment to child safety, with defined roles, responsibilities, and accountability across all levels of the organisation. - Empower children and young people
Create opportunities for children to participate, be heard, and raise concerns. Ensure information is accessible and age-appropriate. - Engage families and communities
Communicate your organisation’s commitment to child safety and involve families and communities in strengthening child safe practices. - Cater to Diverse Needs
Ensure child safe practices are inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of children and young people.
- Implement safe recruitment and screening practices
Implement robust recruitment processes, including WorkingWith Children Checks, reference checks, and structured interview processes that address child safety. - Establish clear reporting and response processes
Implement procedures for reporting, responding to, and managing child safety concerns, including compliance with legal reporting obligations. - Provide training and ongoing education
Provide staff and volunteers with regular, role-specific training on child safety. - Implement a Child Safe Risk Management Framework
Ensure your organisation’s risk management approach includes tools and processes to identify, assess, and mitigate risks to children across all services and programs, including physical and online settings. - Monitor, review, and continuously improve
Regularly evaluate child safe practices, seek feedback, and update systems to ensure ongoing compliance and effectiveness. - Implement Child Safe Policies and Procedures
Develop and implement child safe policies and procedures that align with the Child Safe Standards and relevant child safety legislation.
How can Child Safeguard help?
Child Safeguard is an award-winning firm that helps organisations prevent harm to children. Our experts advise organisations on how to build a Child Safe Organisation and how to implement Best Practice in Child Safety. We provide consultancy, training, and legal services tailored to child-related organisations.
Child Safeguard helps child-related organisations implement the Child Safe Standards and National Principles.
If you would like to find out more about how Child Safeguard can help your organisation, get in touch by email monique.frendo@childsafeguard.com.au or visit our website https://www.childsafeguard.com.au/