Child Safety & Safeguarding Services in New South Wales
We help organisations in New South Wales (NSW) prevent, comply with, and respond to child safety and safeguarding challenges with expert legal support.
Access Expert Guidance
Legal expertise with up-to-date education allows your organisation to adeptly navigate mandatory reporting obligations.
Flexible Delivery
Comprehensive in-person and online training that suits your organisation’s budget, ensuring hassle-free compliance with mandatory training requirements.
Compliance Assurance
Stay ahead of mandatory reporting requirements with our training programs, guaranteeing that your organisation consistently meets compliance standards.
Your Free Consultation
We invite you to contact Safe Space Legal to book a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your orgainsation's safeguarding needs
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Understanding Your Child Safety Obligations In New South Wales
New South Wales has comprehensive child safety legislation designed to protect children and young people. Key legislation includes the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (creating mandatory reporting obligations and the Reportable Conduct Scheme), the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 (governing Working with Children Checks), the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (establishing the Office of the Children’s Guardian and Child Safe Standards), and the Crimes Act 1900 (including failure to protect and concealing child abuse offences).
From 2024, the NSW Child Safe Standards apply to organisations working with children, requiring them to embed child safety in leadership and governance, empower children, involve families and communities, ensure equity, implement robust human resources practices, handle complaints effectively, manage physical and online environments, implement continuous improvement, and regularly review policies and procedures.
Our Child Safety & Safeguarding Services in New South Wales
Safe Space Legal offers comprehensive support across three key areas:
Prevention
We help NSW organisations develop robust child safe systems through Child Safe Standards implementation, policy development, risk assessment, recruitment procedures including Working with Children Check compliance, and governance support to ensure child safety is embedded throughout your organisation.
Compliance & Training
We provide expert guidance on NSW mandatory reporting requirements and deliver comprehensive training for teachers, early childhood professionals, healthcare workers, police, and other mandated professionals. Our training covers recognising risk of significant harm indicators, reporting obligations to the Child Protection Helpline, the Reportable Conduct Scheme, creating child safe cultures, and responding appropriately to disclosures and concerns.
Response
When child safety concerns emerge, we provide immediate incident response guidance, investigation support, Reportable Conduct Scheme compliance including notifications to the Office of the Children’s Guardian, regulatory response assistance, and crisis management to help your organisation respond appropriately, meet legal obligations, and strengthen systems to prevent future incidents.
New South Wales Sectors We Support
We work with organisations across all sectors including:
- Aged Care
- Children & Young People
- Disability
- Day Care Centres/Early Childhood
- Schools
- Educational Institutes
- Out of Home/Youth Services
- Religious Organisations
- Sports and Recreation Associations
- Private Therapy and Counselling Practices
- Accommodation or Residential Services
- Child Protection Services
- Commercial Services for Children
- Justice or Detention Services
- Transport Services
- Corporate Workplaces
- Community Organisations
- Health Services
- NDIS Providers
- Government Organisations
Mandatory Reporting in New South Wales
NSW has broad mandatory reporting requirements. Mandatory reporters include persons who provide children’s health services, children’s welfare services, or children’s education and care services. This covers teachers, principals, early childhood educators, medical practitioners, nurses, midwives, police, psychologists, school counsellors, and many other professionals. Mandatory reporters must report if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is at risk of significant harm. Our training ensures you understand when and how to report to the Child Protection Helpline.
Working with Children Check (WWCC)
Under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012, anyone engaged in child-related work in NSW requires a valid Working with Children Check clearance. This includes employees, volunteers, contractors, and students on placement. Organisations must verify WWCC clearances before engagement and maintain systems to monitor ongoing validity and respond to clearance changes or barred status.
We help organisations establish compliant WWCC systems, understand child-related work definitions, implement verification procedures, maintain record-keeping requirements, and respond appropriately to interim bars, risk assessments, or clearance cancellations.
The Reportable Conduct Scheme
NSW’s Reportable Conduct Scheme requires certain organisations to notify the Office of the Children’s Guardian about allegations of reportable conduct or reportable convictions involving their employees. Reportable conduct includes sexual offences, sexual misconduct, ill-treatment of a child, neglect of a child, assault against a child, and behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm. Organisations must investigate allegations and provide entity reports to the OCG.
We assist NSW organisations in understanding their Reportable Conduct Scheme obligations, making timely notifications, conducting compliant investigations, managing natural justice considerations, liaising with the OCG, and implementing recommendations to strengthen child protection systems.
NSW Child Safe Standards
The NSW Child Safe Standards apply to organisations providing services to children. The 10 standards require organisations to demonstrate commitment through leadership and governance, empowerment of children, family and community involvement, equity in policies and practices, robust human resources management, effective complaint handling, safe physical and online environments, regular review and continuous improvement, implementing each standard in policy and practice, and appropriate regulation and oversight.
We provide comprehensive support to help NSW organisations implement all 10 Child Safe Standards through gap analysis, policy development, training programs, governance support, and ongoing compliance monitoring tailored to your sector and regulatory requirements.
Our Services
Child Safety Policies
Developing child safety policies, procedures, codes of conduct, and complaints handling processes
Child Safety Investigations
Child safety investigations compliant with Reportable Conduct Schemes
Audits
Audits against Child Safety Standards with practical safeguarding advice
Child Safety Training
Tailored child safety training, including training compliant with the child safe standards and Ministerial Order 1359
Legal Advice
Expert safeguarding legal advice and representation for Early Childhood and Day Care Centres
Incident Management
Root cause analyses of critical child safety incidents and assistance with crisis management
Contact Information
Take the first step and schedule your free 30-minute consultation. We cater to organisations across Australia, providing in-person and online assistance tailored to your requirements. Get in touch today to learn more about how to get started with our Mandatory Reporting Training module.
Contact us
office@safespacelegal.com.au
We're here to help
Get started on strengthening your organisation's compliance and increasing your team's skills and knowledge with our Mandatory Reporting Training. Safe Space Legal invites you to connect with our team for a complimentary 30-minute consultation to discuss how our training can meet your organisation's needs.
Discover Frequently Asked Questions about Our Victorian Child Safety and Safeguarding Services
The Reportable Conduct Scheme requires certain NSW organisations to notify the Office of the Children’s Guardian about allegations of reportable conduct or reportable convictions involving their employees. Reportable conduct includes sexual offences, sexual misconduct, ill-treatment, neglect, assault, and behaviour causing significant emotional or psychological harm. Organisations must investigate and report findings to the OCG.
A Working with Children Check (WWCC) is a screening process for people who work or volunteer with children in NSW. Anyone engaged in child-related work needs WWCC clearance. This includes employees, volunteers, contractors, and students in education, childcare, health, religious services, coaching, clubs, and many other roles involving direct contact with children.
If your organisation provides services to children in NSW, you must comply with the Child Safe Standards. This includes schools, early childhood services, sporting organisations, religious organisations, health services, out-of-home care providers, and many other organisations. Different standards apply to different sectors, and we can help assess your specific obligations.
Mandatory reporting requires certain professionals to report suspected risk of significant harm to children to the Child Protection Helpline. The Reportable Conduct Scheme requires organisations to notify the Office of the Children’s Guardian about allegations against their employees. Both obligations may apply to the same incident, and compliance with both is required.