About the Child Safe Standards

Organisations that provide services or facilities for children must comply with the Child Safe Standards to protect them from abuse.

There are 11 Child Safe Standards in Victoria. These Standards are mandatory for your organisation if it fits a certain category and you:

• work with children
• provide a program or service that children can access
• provide a space or location that children can attend
• employ children as workers or volunteers.

The 11 Child Safe Standards work together to ensure organisations take active steps to keep children safe.

Find out more about each of the 11 Child Safe Standards.

Who do the Child Safe Standards apply to

Schedule 1 of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 sets out the categories of organisations and businesses that need to comply with the Child Safe Standards. A summary is provided below, and you should check the legislation to confirm the situation for your organisation.

The categories of organisations and businesses that have to comply with the Child Safe Standards are:

• registered schools (government and non-government)
• schools other than registered schools, such as language schools. Excludes home schooling
• residential facilities of boarding schools and student hostels
• organisations registered or accredited to provide senior secondary education and training
• registered overseas student exchange organisations
• approved education and training organisations providing courses to students from overseas
• approved education and care services (e.g. kindergartens, after-hours-care services)
• children’s services (e.g. occasional care providers)
• post-secondary school education institutions and providers, including TAFE institutes and universities
• coaching or tuition services for children
• an organisation that provides early therapeutic intervention specifically for children with a disability, additional needs or developmental delay
• maternal and child health centres
• public and denominational hospitals, public health services, private hospitals, multipurpose services, day procedure centres and registered community health services
• drug or alcohol treatment services
• designated mental health services and publicly funded mental health community support services
• counselling or other support services for children
• organisations that provide disability services including both organisations that are, and are not, disability service providers within the meaning Disability Act 2006
• out-of-home-care services
• child protection services
• family violence or sexual assault services
• housing services and homeless services
• youth services
• youth organisations (such as Scouts or Girl Guides)
• support services for parents and families
• Victorian government departments
• organisations created by legislation that have functions of a public nature
• local councils
• publicly funded or commercial transport services specifically for children
• religious bodies, including churches
• charities and not-for-profit organisations
• cultural, sport or recreation services specifically for children
• entertainment or party services specifically for children
• gym or play facilities specifically for children
• photography services specifically for children
• talent or beauty competitions in which children participate
• overnight camps for children
• professional babysitting services
• organisations that employ a child and that are required to hold a licence issued under the Child Employment Act 2003 for that employment.

The SSR works as one of five co-regulators to ensure organisations that provide services to children and young people comply with the Child Safe Standards. Find out more about which co-regulator regulates the Child Safe Standards for your organisation below.

Other information about who must comply with the Child Safe Standards

If an organisation or business comes within one of the above categories, it is required to comply with the Child Safe Standards unless it does not do any of the following:

• provide any services specifically for children, or
• provide any facilities specifically for use by children who are under the organisation’s supervision, or
• engage (whether paid or unpaid) a child as a contractor, employee or volunteer to assist the organisation in providing services or facilities or in producing or providing goods.

If an organisation or business is required to comply with the Reportable Conduct Scheme it is required to comply with the Child Safe Standards regardless of the above exemptions.

Providing services “specifically for children” does not mean providing services solely for children. It means that some or all of the services or programs the organisation provides must be particularly directed at or offered for children or have a special application to children in the manner of form in which they are provided.

Providing facilities “specifically for use by children under the organisation’s supervision”, does not mean that the organisation would need to provide facilities only to children. It means that some or all of the facilities it provides are particularly directed at children or have particular or special application to children in the manner of form in which they are provided.

Organisations or businesses that fall within the above categories and are incorporated or unincorporated bodies or associations have to comply with the Child Safe Standards. Sole traders (individuals who carry on a business) also have to comply with the Child Safe Standards if they engage any contractors, employees or volunteers (of any age) as part of providing their services, facilities or producing or providing goods.

Child means anyone under 18 years of age.

For those required to comply, it is important to remember that the Child Safe Standards are not voluntary – they are law in Victoria. Organisations and businesses must comply with all aspects of the Child Safe Standards at all times and there can be legal consequences for non-compliance. The SSR has a range of enforcement powers it can use in instances where organisations and businesses fail to comply with their obligations.

Organisations and business that must comply with the Child Safe Standards may also need to comply with the Reportable Conduct Scheme.

Who regulates the Child Safe Standards

There are five co-regulators responsible for regulation of the Child Safe Standards across different sectors, including:

• Department of Health – health services
• Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) – schools and education providers
• Victorian Early Childhood Regulation Authority (VECRA) – early childhood education and care
• Workforce Inspectorate Victoria – employers of children
• Social Services Regulator – all other Victorian organisations, including social services

Get help or raise a concern under the Child Safe Standards or a social service providing services to children

If you have an enquiry or concern regarding the Child Safe Standards, including about a social service provider or something you have seen at an organisation providing care or services to children, you can contact us at ChildSafeOrgs@ssr.vic.gov.au. If you are unable to email us, you can call 1300 310 778.

Visit our Get help or raise a concern page for more ways to contact the Social Services Regulator and other organisations.

To report a concern or allegation under the Reportable Conduct Scheme go directly to the secure webform.

Understanding Victoria’s child safety laws

Child safety laws in Victoria protect children from harm and abuse. These laws include the Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme.

We oversee these laws to make sure children and young people are protected from harm and abuse.

The Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme exist to improve the way we prevent and respond to child safety risks.

Reportable Conduct Scheme

The Reportable Conduct Scheme requires certain organisations to notify us of alleged child abuse by their workers or volunteers. They must also investigate those allegations.

Allegations you must report to us include:

• sexual offences committed against, with or in the presence of a child
• sexual misconduct committed against, with or in the presence of a child
• physical violence against, with or in the presence of a child
• any behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child
• significant neglect of a child.

Learn more about the five types of reportable conduct.

How these laws work together

The Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme complement each other.

Meeting both the Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme helps you to:

• prioritise child safety
• prevent child abuse
• properly respond to allegations of child abuse.

We all have a role to play in protecting children and young people and we know that children are safer when we all work together. Applying these child safety laws in your organisation is an important step in protecting children from harm.

Resources

From 23 February 2026, the Social Services Regulator will assume the Commission for Children and Young People’s responsibilities for overseeing regulation of the Child Safe Standards. For Child Safe Standards resources relating to organisations other than social services, visit the Commission for Children and Young People’s website.