Mandatory Reporting - Changes to the Children’s Protection Act
The Children’s Protection Act 1993 (external link) (the Act) has been amended, and from the 31 December 2006, the Act includes changes relating to child safe environments, criminal history checks as well as mandatory reporting.
The Department for Families and Communities recently presented an overview of the legislation to the Volunteer Ministerial Advisory Group which can be viewed here — (150 kb PDF).
The Office for Recreation and Sport recently released a new publication: Keeping Children Safe In Recreation and Sport — (724 kb PDF). It provides some excellent information which is likely to be relevant to a range of organisations - not just sporting clubs.
Child Safe Organisations
Under the changes to the Act, 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 over the next 12
months to begin to develop policies and standards
that appropriately reflect the policies and standards
as established by the South Australian Department
for Families and Communities (DFC). By 1 January
2008, organisations must have initiated their
child safe organisations policy, code of conduct
and standards.
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
(as specified above).
The Office for Recreation and Sport (external link) is developing short courses for volunteers. Whilst these courses are not mandatory, they are recommended for volunteers in prescribed positions of authority i.e. positions such as coach, executive officer, CEO and public officer. Also, short information sessions about child safe environments including mandatory reporting will soon be available through the Office for Recreation and Sport (external link).
The Office for Volunteers will advise when training and information sessions are happening through our State of Volunteering On-line fortnightly E-Bulletin (you can join here ) — (70 kb PDF).
For more information follow the link to Child Safe Environments - Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (external link) on the Department for Families and Communities website. This site contains detailed information about child safe environments, training information, information sheets and guidelines.
