The initial response to a concern about child abuse in relation to an adult worker of an organisation is critical.
Risks to the safety of children and young people who are engaging with the organisation should be identified and managed as soon as possible.
This page is intended to provide high-level guidance for leaders of organisations, but may be useful for others.
You may become aware of concerns about reportable conduct through:
- a child, or young person, or their family
- an employee or volunteer
- a member of the public
- advice received from the Independent Regulator
- another organisation
- your own observations
- an anonymous report.
What you should do upon becoming aware of a concern about reportable conduct:
- Assess and immediately address any risks to the child or young person directly involved, as well as any others in the organisation
- assess if the concern constitutes a criminal offence
- consider reporting to external authorities such as police or professional regulators
- assess if the allegation constitutes ‘reportable conduct’ and, if so, notify the Independent Regulator within three business days.
In responding to concerns, you should also:
- clarify the details in a child-centred way (e.g. in a way that doesn’t involve ‘interrogating’ the child or young person who has experienced the harm)
- take thorough notes and storing evidence securely
- consider who else may need to know alongside information-sharing provisions
- identify risks to children involved and other children the worker might have contact with and minimise those risks.
All reportable concerns must be reported to the Independent Regulator by you as the leader of the organisation (or your delegate). If the person raising the reportable concern reasonably suspects the conduct to have occurred, this is enough for it to be reported. It is not relevant whether you also hold that suspicion.
“So many trauma victims, they usually have their abuse invalidated and told it’s not ‘that big a deal’, or have the person brush it off.”
- Advice from a young Tasmanian with lived experience of sexual abuse or violence
You should clarify and record:
- contact details of the person reporting the concern, the witness(es) and the worker against whom the concern has been made
- the date of the alleged conduct and date the report was made to the organisation
- a description of the allegation against the worker
- when and where the alleged incident or incidents occurred
- the child(ren) or young person(s) involved.
You should offer support services to:
- the child(ren) and/or young person(s) who are the alleged victims of the alleged conduct
- the worker who is the subject of the allegation; and
- other relevant parties (this may include parents or carers of the child, other children or other employees affected by the allegation.
You should take reasonable steps to refer affected persons to relevant services such as advocacy, support, or therapeutic treatment services.
Assessing risk after a concern is raised, and while an organisational response is taking place:
- identify risks to children involved and other children the worker might have contact with
- minimise those risks.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Is immediate medical assistance needed?
- Are there immediate risks to the safety or well-being of a child(ren) or others?
- What evidence must be immediately secured or kept confidential?
- How serious, complicated, or urgent are the issues raised in the allegation?
- Should the worker who is the subject of the alleged conduct remain in their current position?
- Should contact between the accused worker and the child who is the alleged victim of and any other children be stopped?
- What measures are required to manage risks throughout the investigation?
- Have support services been offered to affected people including the child or children the allegation involves?
- Do other parties beyond those directly involved in allegation need to be informed such as the child’s parent or guardian?
- What measures should be taken to prevent further harm or risk?
“Child-focused means believing the child. That moment shapes how they disclose to anyone else potentially for the rest of their lives.”
- From a victim-survivor of child sexual abuse in a Tasmanian institution:
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| Most children who has been sexually abused will tell someone about the abuse. | Often children will not tell anyone immediately, or may disclose over months or years following the abuse. Children may also disclose indirectly through behaviours or actions. |
| Sometimes children are to blame for their abuse. | Children should never be blamed for the abuse they suffer. Adults are responsible for their own behaviour and no matter how children behave, an adult never has any right to harm a child. |
| Organisations that receive few or no allegations of reportable conduct are child safe. | Receiving few or no concerns about reportable conduct is not necessarily a sign of success. It may be a sign your organisation is failing to provide children and young people and others connected to the organisation the opportunity to raise concerns. |
| Children that disclose to a trusted adult are believed, safeguarded, and supported. | Research suggest more education is needed to ensure disclosures from children are believed and responded to appropriately. A national community attitude tracking study conducted in 2021 found that children only have a 1 in 3 chance of finding an adult who will believe them if they tell them they are being abused or violated. |
Ask yourself: Does my organisation have processes for keeping and securely storing records, so they can be accessed in the future and in line with regulatory requirements?
Useful resources:
| Link | Description |
|---|---|
| Complaint Handling Guide: Upholding the rights of children and young people | This resource was developed by the National Office for Child Safety to help organisations build their capacity in handling complaints involving children and young people. The guide is accompanied by a short reference guide and a fact sheet. |
| Responding to Children and young people’s disclosures of abuse | This resource was developed by the Australian Institute of Family Studies to help family, friends, professionals, and other adults respond to a child's disclosure of abuse. |
| National Office for Child Safety Risk Management Resources | This resource was developed by the National Office for Child Safety to help organisations understand how to appropriately manage child safety risks. The Child Safety Risk Management Guide is supported by a checklist and a quick reference guide. |
| Risk Management following a reportable allegation (Fact Sheet 3) | This resource is a fact sheet developed by the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian to help organisations identify and respond to risks following a reportable allegation being made. |
| Understanding risk animated explainer video | This five-minute video is an animated explainer resource developed by the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian and the NSW Office of Sport to educate organisations on types of risks. |
| Risk Management Handbook 1: Responding and Risk Management Handbook 2: Identifying | These resources provide organisations with detailed guidance on how to identify and manage child safety risks within the organisation. |
The Independent Regulator is distinct from the Strong Families Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line.
The Independent Regulator provides regulatory oversight of organisational responses to concerns about adult worker conduct towards a child.
If you have concerns about the welfare of a child, you should contact the Strong Families Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line on 1800 000 123.
It is possible that you may need to contact the Strong Families Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line and the Independent Regulator.
To help you determine who needs to be contacted, read the Reporting Pathways A3 poster resource.