Victoria has a Reportable Conduct Scheme to oversee allegations of child abuse and misconduct
The Victorian Reportable Conduct Scheme seeks to improve organisations’ responses to allegations of child abuse and neglect by their workers and volunteers. The scheme is established by the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (the Act).
The Commission for Children and Young People is responsible for administering the scheme and their role includes:
- supporting and guiding organisations that receive allegations in order to promote fair, effective, timely and appropriate responses
- independently overseeing, monitoring and, where appropriate, making recommendations to improve the responses of those organisations.
The Reportable Conduct Scheme has been designed to ensure that the Commission will be aware of every allegation of certain types of misconduct involving children in relevant organisations that exercise care, supervision and authority over children.
The Commission will also be able to share information where appropriate, including with the Working with Children Check Unit, relevant regulators and Victoria Police, to better prevent and protect children from abuse.
Importantly, a finding that a person has engaged in reportable conduct can trigger an assessment of whether that person is suitable to continue to work or volunteer with children. In turn, this may lead the Working with Children Check Unit to revoke a person’s Working with Children Check card.
The Reportable Conduct Scheme imposes new obligations on heads of organisations that are within the scheme. This includes requirements to:
- have in place systems to prevent child abuse and, if child abuse is alleged, to ensure allegations can be brought to the attention of appropriate persons for investigation and response
- ensure that the Commission is notified and given updates on the organisation’s response to an allegation.
The Reportable Conduct Scheme does not replace the need to report allegations of child abuse, including criminal conduct and family violence to Victoria Police.
For more information regarding the Reportable Conduct Scheme and our obligations as an organisation that cares for children please refer to the link below
https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/reportable-conduct-scheme/about-the-reportable-conduct-scheme/