When someone is looking after your children, you have the right to feel they are safe. Likewise, when you or your child has concerns about an adult workers conduct, you have the right to be heard and respected.
Tasmania’s Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework is a law to keep your children safe. The Framework includes the Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme.
The Child and Youth Safe Standards create:
- 10 things organisations must do to respect children and young people’s rights
- a Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety
- accountability in preventing harm to children and young people.
Under the Reportable Conduct Scheme:
- organisations must report concerns about an adult worker's behaviour towards children and young people
- organisations must investigate these concerns
- reports and updates are made to the Independent Regulator.
The Framework covers many organisations that you may be a part of including:
- accommodation and residential services for children
- faith-based groups
- child care and commercial babysitting services
- child protection services and out-of-home care
- health services for children
- disability support services
- justice and detention services for children
- education services for children
- Tasmanian Government and Local Government
- Tasmanian Parliament
- Government House
- a club, association or cadet organisation for children
- coaching or tuition services
- commercial services for children (not included in the Reportable Conduct Scheme)
- transport services for children (not included in the Reportable Conduct Scheme)
- neighbourhood Houses (not included in the Reportable Conduct Scheme).
What can you do to help make organisations safer?
Listed below are actions that you could take to help create a culture of accountability:
- Ask your child's organisation if they have heard about Tasmania’s Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework
- Point them towards this website to see if they must comply with the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework
- Ask what they are doing already to create a culture of safety, you may want to point out the Child and Youth Safe Standards
- Ask what their reporting process is and how they respond to concerns, you may want to point out the Reportable Conduct Scheme
- Talk to your children about their rights and what to do if they have concerns
Do you have concerns about a workers conduct?
If there is an emergency, or you or someone else is in danger, then call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
If you have concerns about an adult worker’s conduct, you should tell the leader of the organisation. In this context, worker also means volunteer or contractor.
You can also report a concern to us.
Learn more about:
Seeking help?
We encourage anyone affected by, or with concerns about, child sexual abuse or other types of child abuse to access advice and support.
Tasmania:
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For information about child wellbeing and safety, contact
Strong Families, Safe Kids Advice and Referral Line:- Phone: 1800 000 123
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For free and confidential support for people who have been affected by sexual violence, contact the Tasmanian Sexual Assault Support Line (24 hour response state-wide):
- Phone: 1800 697 877
- This line is run by the Sexual Assault Support Service in the South, and Laurel House in the North West.
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For information and support for children, young people and adults affected by family violence, contact
Family Violence Counselling and Support Service:- Phone: 1800 608 122
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For free and confidential support for people impacted by crime, contact Victims of Crime Service:
- Phone: 1300 300 238
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For support for relationships and to live positive lives, contact Relationships Australia Tasmania:
- Phone: 1300 364 277
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For culturally appropriate, trauma-informed legal and non-legal services and assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims/survivors of family violence and sexual assault, contact SIS.
- Phone: 1800 747 827
National:
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For domestic, family, and sexual violence counselling and support, contact
1800RESPECT:- Phone: 1800 737 732
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For short-term support if you are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping or staying safe, contact Lifeline:
- Phone: 13 11 14
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For free professional phone and online counselling for anyone affected by suicide living in Australia, contact Suicide Call Back Service:
- Phone: 1300 659 467
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For information and support for anxiety, depression and suicide prevention for everyone in Australia, contact Beyond Blue:
- Phone: 1300 224 636
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For information and support for anyone who is affected by complex trauma, contact
Blue Knot Foundation:- Phone: 1300 657 380
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For counselling and support for Australian men, contact MensLine Australia:
- Phone: 1300 789 978
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For advice for men about family violence, contact Men's Referral Service:
- Phone: 1300 766 491
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For free 24/7, confidential and private counselling service specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years, contact Kids Helpline:
- Phone: 1800 55 1800