Victoria:
All Victorian Affiliates are required to respond to allegations of child abuse or other child-related misconduct made against any of their workers, volunteers, and appointed leaders in line with the Victorian Reportable Conduct Scheme.
This means Affiliates are required to
- have systems in place to prevent child abuse,
- if child abuse is alleged, ensure allegations can be brought to the attention of appropriate persons for investigation and response, and
- make sure a proper investigation and response is made (if it involves criminal conduct, police will advise when to proceed).
Allegations can be made about the conduct of people even if
- they do not have direct contact with children, or
- the conduct occurred outside of their roles at the church or agency.
There are 5 types of ‘reportable conduct’.
- 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; and
- significant neglect of a child.
The Head of Entity (in most cases the Chair of the Board) must notify the Commission for Children & Young People of any allegations within 3 days of becoming aware of them. If you need assistance in determining who is the head of your organisation, we recommend that you review your structure and governance, which may include seeking legal advice, and contact the CCVT Safe Places Coordinator or the Commission for clarification and guidance.
For more information or to notify or update the CCYP of an allegation, contact:
Commission for Children and Young People
Level 18, 570 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 8601 5281
Email: childsafestandards@ccyp.vic.gov.au
Web: ccyp.vic.gov.au
CCVT is here to assist all Affiliates with any matters related to the Reportable Conduct Scheme. Please contact us at safeplaces@churchesofchrist.org.au or on (03) 9488 8800.
Tasmania:
All Tasmanian Affiliates are required to respond to allegations of child abuse or child-related misconduct made against any of their workers, volunteers, or appointed leaders in line with the Tasmanian Reportable Conduct Scheme, established under the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023.
This means Affiliates are required to:
- have systems in place to prevent child abuse;
- ensure that if child abuse or reportable conduct is alleged, the allegation can be brought to the attention of appropriate persons for investigation and response; and
- ensure a proper investigation and response is made (if it involves criminal conduct, the police will advise when to proceed).
Allegations can be made about the conduct of people even if:
- they do not have direct contact with children; or
- the conduct occurred outside of their roles at the church or agency.
There are seven types of reportable conduct under the Tasmanian Scheme:
- 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;
- behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child; and
- significant neglect of a child.
- Grooming
- Relevant offences such as failing to report child abuse and female genital mutilation.
The Head of Entity (in most cases, the Chair of the Board or equivalent) must:
- notify the Independent Regulator in writing (via their website) within three business days of becoming aware of a reportable allegation or reportable conviction against a worker of the organisation;
- commence an investigation (or appoint an independent investigator) as soon as reasonably practicable;
- provide an update to the Regulator within 30 days outlining the investigation’s progress, actions taken, and any submissions; and
- report the findings and any actions taken to the Regulator at the conclusion of the investigation.
If you need assistance in determining who is the head of your organisation, we recommend reviewing your governance structure and, if necessary, seeking legal advice or contacting the Tasmanian Independent Regulator for clarification.
For more information, or to notify or update the Regulator of an allegation contact:
Office of the Independent Regulator
Level 9/144 Macquarie St, Hobart TAS 7000
Phone: 1800 754 728
Email: exec.officer@oir.tas.gov.au
Web: https://www.oir.tas.gov.au/home
CCVT is here to assist all Affiliates with any matters related to the Reportable Conduct Scheme. Please contact us at safeplaces@churchesofchrist.org.au or on (03) 9488 8800.
Links:
Child and Youth Safe Standards
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