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Independent Oversight of Child Safe Organisations
We are dedicated to creating a safer future for children and young people in Western Australia. As announced by State Government, we are developing a new child safety scheme. The new scheme is called the Child Safe Standards Scheme.
Overview of the Child Safe Standards
Keeping children safe is everyone’s job. The Child Safe Standards offer a practical guide for organisations working with children. They help organisations build a culture where children feel safe, valued, and empowered. This means embedding safety into leadership, policies, and daily practices.
A Royal Commission recommended the child safe standards. The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations were endorsed nationally in 2019 and support the implementation of the standards.
The Royal Commission also called for strong, independent oversight. This would make sure organisations prevent child abuse and harm.
Our Role
We are the independent oversight body. We are creating the Child Safe Standards Scheme to improve child safety across the state. This new role builds upon our existing work to protect children, which includes:
- Reportable Conduct Scheme: organisations must notify us of abuse allegations against employees. We oversee their investigations.
- Child Death Reviews: We review these tragic events. We identify big-picture improvements and prevent future harm.
Together, these three functions create a strong child safe system. We focus on preventing harm, holding groups accountable, and driving continuous improvement.
Working Together for Safer Organisations
True protection comes from a strong system. Organisations should work with families and communities to keep children safe. We are designing a model tailored for Western Australia. This builds on existing good child safety practice. We will focus on where we need to make practices stronger.
Stay Connected
We will share regular updates, resources, and education. This will support families and organisations.
If you have questions, please email our Independent Oversight team: