Child Safety in Victoria: Insights from the CCYP Annual Report 2024-25

Child Safety in Victoria: Insights from the CCYP Annual Report
2024-25

The Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP) is the regulator of the Child Safe Standards (CSS) and Reportable Conduct Scheme (RCS) in Victoria. The CCYP Annual Report for the 2024 – 2025 year was released on 28 October 2025 and provides a snapshot of the work that the CCYP has conducted throughout the year, including CCYP’s role in supporting and regulating child-safe organisations.

A Year of Record Reports

With record numbers of reportable conduct notifications and a notable increase in enforcement activity under the CSS, the CCYP is signalling that education and awareness alone are no longer enough. Compliance now requires tangible action.

This year’s data underscores both progress and persistent gaps in how organisations protect children and young people.

Record Numbers Under the Reportable Conduct Scheme

The RCS continues to expand in reach and impact. In 2024-25, the CCYP received 2,232 notifications of reportable allegations. An 18% increase from the previous year and a 178% jump since the Scheme began. These notifications covered 4,534 individual allegations, bringing the total to more than 26,000 since the Scheme’s inception.

Key findings include:

• Physical violence remains the most common allegation type (36%);
• Sexual misconduct dominates in the education sector, representing 72% of all such allegations across sectors;
• 9% of alleged victims were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children, a deeply concerning over representation given this group makes up only around 2% of Victoria’s under-18 population;
• Substantiation rates are climbing: 36% of allegations were proven in 2024-25, the highest since the Scheme began.

These figures tell two stories: that reporting systems are working, more concerns are being raised, but also that many organisations are still failing to prevent misconduct before it occurs.

Stronger Enforcement Under the Child Safe Standards

Alongside the rise in reportable conduct, the CCYP has stepped up compliance and enforcement activity under the CSS.

In 2024-25 alone, the Commission has taken the following steps:

• Initiated compliance action with 140 organisations suspected of non-compliance;
• Conducted 29 compliance assessments involving 26 organisations;
• Issued 8 notices to produce documents, 8 notices to comply, and 4 official warnings;
  and
• Carried out two onsite inspections.

These actions demonstrate that the CCYP is using its statutory powers and will escalate when organisations fail to act.

Common areas of non-compliance include:

• Failing to manage risks posed by individuals under investigation;
• Inadequate screening of staff, leaders, and volunteers;
• Weak or outdated child safety frameworks and complaint handling systems.

In many cases, the CCYP’s interventions prompted major organisational reforms, from new Codes of Conduct and child safety policies to improved screening and complaints processes.

The CCYP emphasises a graduated approach: starting with education and advice but moving to enforcement where risks are serious or organisations are uncooperative. This means the regulator expects progress. Organisations that repeatedly fall short or fail to act on feedback can expect more formal measures such as notices to comply and/or official warnings.

Importantly, the CCYP continues to work alongside co-regulators including the Department of Education, the VRQA, the Social Services Regulator, and the Wage Inspectorate Victoria. This collaborative model broadens the oversight net across sectors such as education, health, social services and sport.

What This Means for Organisations

If your organisation works with children, may it be in education, sport, disability support or faith-based settings, the message is clear: child safety compliance is non-negotiable.

To meet your obligations under the CSS and the RCS, your organisation should:

• Review internal reporting systems to ensure allegations are escalated and notified to the CCYP within required timeframes (3 days for initial notice, 30 days for updates);
• Audit screening and recruitment practices. This remains a key area of risk and
  enforcement focus;
• Update child safety and wellbeing policies to reflect recent changes in the law and best practice;
• Train leaders and staff to recognise and respond to reportable conduct;
• Embed cultural safety practices, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children;
• Document everything. Your organisation’s response must be transparent, consistent, and well-evidenced.

With more allegations being reported and higher rates of substantiation, the expectations on boards, CEOs and service leaders are greater than ever. Those that act early, reviewing policies, upskilling staff and strengthening accountability, will not only avoid regulatory risk but, more importantly, help protect the children and young people in their care.

How Can Safe Space Legal Help?

The team at Safe Space Legal have extensive safeguarding experience. We have worked with many organisations across Australia to ensure they are meeting their legal obligations and frequently conduct independent safeguarding investigations. We work with organisations to help build a culture of safety and accountability.

Safe Space Legal provides the following services to ensure organisations meet their legal obligations:

• Drafting legally sound policies, procedures, and codes of conduct;
• Providing policy audits and developing safeguarding policies, procedures, and
  complaint handing processes;
• Providing root cause analysis to identify gaps in policy and/or practice which put organisations at risk of non-compliance with their sector-specific obligations;
• Delivering training to workplaces to ensure they are aware of their legal obligations;
• Conducting safeguarding investigations which are compliant with relevant state and territory legislation and regulations;
• Delivering safeguarding training to ensure organisations are aware of their sector-specific requirements and obligations;
•  Ensuring that complaints handling and reporting processes are compliant with legal obligations;
• Assistance and support to respond to allegations of workplace misconduct;
• Provide sound legal advice on risk mitigation.

Contact office@safespacelegal.com.au or call (03) 9124 7321 to organise a
complementary discussion in relation to your organisation’s child safety and safeguarding needs.