Every organisation has a responsibility to keep children and young people safe. Monitoring the care, safety and outcomes of services for children and young people is critical to ensuring their wellbeing.
In Western Australia there are a number of existing oversight bodies carrying out a range of functions across various services provided to children and young people, each with diverse powers and distinct mandates.
For an overview of existing oversight bodies, measured against best practice principles, and recommendations regarding possible further work to develop independent oversight in Western Australia, please refer to the Commissioner for Children and Young People’s Oversight of services for children and young people in Western Australia report.
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Read more from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Oversight and implementation of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations in Western Australia
The Department of Communities is working with other government agencies, the community services sector, peak bodies and other jurisdictions to drive the implementation of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (National Principles) through administrative and legislative levers and existing regulatory mechanisms. WA Government departments that engage with children and young people are also taking steps to become child safe organisations.
The Department of the Premier and Cabinet is leading the policy work to develop an Independent Oversight System, which includes the monitoring and enforcement of the National Principles.
The Commissioner for Children and Young People (CCYP) also promotes and supports child safe principles and practices across all types of organisations. CCYP provides tools and resources to help leaders, staff and volunteers within organisations to place the safety of children and young people at the forefront of their activities. They also encourage parents and carers to seek information and ask questions about the child safe strategies used in places their children are attending.
The Supporting Communities Forum has a Child Safe Organisations Working Group, with membership from government and the community sector, to build the capacity of Western Australian organisations to implement the National Principles.
Statement of Commitment to Child Safety and Wellbeing
The WA Government has released a Statement of Commitment to Child Safety and Wellbeing which outlines the shared commitment and responsibility of government agencies involved in child-related work to support all children and young people to be safe within organisations.
Community sector consultation
The Department of Communities undertook a two-phased consultation project in 2020-2021 to assess the community sector’s readiness, capacity and progress towards implementing the National Principles.
A full consultation report with key findings arising from the consultation is available: National Principles for Child Safe Organisations Community Sector Organisations Consultation Report.
Local government consultation
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommended that local governments designate child safety officers to promote child safety within the organisations in their community and support smaller local organisations to develop capacity to create child safe environments.
A Child Safe Awareness Policy template for local government was developed in consultation with the local government sector and other key stakeholders. This policy aims to support local governments to introduce and integrate the recommended child safety functions into existing roles, as an alternative to establishing a designated position.
The following papers relate to consultation undertaken in 2021 by the Department of Communities and the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries:
