Changes to the Children’s Protection Act

The Children’s Protection Act (external link)1993 (the Act) has been amended, and now includes changes relating to child safe environments, criminal history checks, as well as mandatory reporting.

Child safe environments: Government and non-government organisations that provide health, welfare, education, sporting or recreational, religious or spiritual, childcare or residential services wholly or partly for children will be required to develop their child safe organisations policy, code of conduct and standards that appropriately reflect the policies and standards as established by the South Australian Department for Education and Child Development(external link).

Criminal history checks: Government organisations and schools (including their contractors and subcontractors) are required to undertake criminal history checks on people who work (in close proximity or who have regular contact) with children or their records. Checks must be done as soon as practicable.

Mandatory notification: Changes to the Act also extend the responsibility of mandatory notification of suspected instances of child abuse to volunteers in the organisations that provide services wholly or partly for children.

Further information:

• Download Child Safe/Child Protection Policy template — (84 kb PDF)
  Download this policy template specially developed by the Office for Volunteers in partnership with the Department for Education and Child Development for use by community organisations.
  NB - Organisations are advised that the policy should only be used as a template and not be simply adopted by an organisation. In developing a policy, organisations are advised to firstly undertake a risk and safety assessment, considering the principles set out in the Child Safe Environments Principles of Good Practice (see pages 13-15) and develop their policy (see page 16) having regard to their organisation's specific circumstances.

• Download Child Safe Environments Online Training Course brochure — (84 kb PDF)
  Justice Studies, TAFE SA in collaboration with the Department for Education and Child Development, has developed a new Child-Safe Environments - Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect online training course — (450 kb PDF). This online course is best suited to people who have minor contact with children, through their work or volunteering, or who have difficulty accessing the Child Safe Environments - Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect face-to-face full day training course. People who have significant interaction with children, are recommended to attend the face-to-face full day training course.
  

• Visit Child Safe Environments website (external link)
  Features information about child safe policy, code of conduct and standards, as well as training courses and workshops.

• Resource Sheet: Australian Institute of Family Studies — (160 kb PDF)
  Features information about pre-employment screening
  working with children checks and police checks

• Download Child Safe Environments: Sample Presentation
  Developed by the Department for Education and Child Development to assist organisations in articulating to employees and volunteers their obligations under the Act, this presentation has been designed so that it can be modified by organisations to meet their needs and reflect their practices.

• Visit Office for Recreation and Sport website (external link)
  Features information about child safe environments, including madatory reporting.

• Download 'Keeping Children Safe In Recreation and Sport' brochure — (400 kb PDF)
  Developed by the Office for Recreation and Sport, this brochure provides information relevant to a range of organisations - not just sporting clubs.

• View relevant sections of the Act — (37 kb PDF)