Frequently asked questions about the new Child Safe Scheme and how it affects statutory out-of-home care and adoption service providers.
About the Child Safe Scheme
The Child Safe Scheme requires certain child-related organisations ('child safe organisations') to implement the 10 Child Safe Standards recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse through their systems, policies, and procedures.
The Child Safe Scheme section of our website provides more information.
All organisations that deliver services to children should implement the Child Safe Standards regardless of whether they are in scope of the Child Safe Scheme. However, implementing the Child Safe Standards is mandatory for some child-related organisations.
More information on which organisations must implement the Child Safe Standards.
Are statutory out-of-home care or adoption service providers included in the Child Safe Scheme?
No.
Designated agencies and adoption service providers are not currently included in the Child Safe Scheme because they are already regulated by the Children’s Guardian under the NSW Child Safe Standards for Permanent Care. Those Standards are broadly consistent with the Child Safe Standards.
We are reviewing the way we accredit and monitor agencies that provide statutory out-of-home care and adoption services. Our consultations with the sector identified benefits to bringing these agencies into the Child Safe Scheme and incorporating the 10 Child Safe Standards into the accreditation criteria.
More information on the review of accreditation and monitoring processes.
What do designated agencies or adoption service providers need to do?
Statutory out-of-home care and adoption service providers should continue to comply with the permanent care standards.
We will continue to make accreditation decisions based on agencies’ compliance with the permanent care standards.
When the changes to accreditation criteria are finalised, we will write to all statutory out-of-home care and adoption service providers about the transition to the changed criteria.
More information on the review of accreditation and monitoring processes.
What if our organisation provides other child-related services as well as out-of-home care or adoption?
Larger organisations that deliver a range of child-related services in addition to statutory out-of-home care or adoption services must implement the Child Safe Standards for the services that are in the scope of the Child Safe Scheme.
This means that organisations that provide other child-related services – for example, early childhood services, health or education – must ensure that their policies, procedures and processes in these programs reflect the 10 Child Safe Standards.
How are the Child Safe Standards enforced?
For child-related services in the scope of the Child Safe Scheme, enforcement provisions commenced in February 2023.
Our approach to compliance and enforcement of the Child Safe Standards.
Support
We offer a range of child safe resources and free training to organisations to help them review policies, procedures and practices.
