Queensland Reportable Conduct Scheme for Child-Related Organisations

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Under Queensland’s Child Safe Organisations Act 2024, certain organisations must have strong systems in place to prevent harm to children and to respond quickly and transparently when concerns arise.

The Act introduces two key components that work together to keep children safe:

• Child Safe Standards – setting out what organisations must do to create environments that prioritise children’s safety and wellbeing.
   
• Reportable Conduct Scheme – ensuring serious concerns about child abuse or child-related misconduct by workers and volunteers are properly reported, investigated and managed.
   

The Reportable Conduct Scheme requires organisations to notify the regulator (QFCC) and investigate any allegations or convictions of child abuse or child-related misconduct involving their staff, contractors or volunteers. This includes conduct both inside and, in some cases, outside the organisation where it raises concerns about children's safety.

The Scheme responds to recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, aiming to improve how organisations across Australia manage risk, respond to allegations of harm, and maintain consistent, transparent standards of child safety.

Reportable conduct includes:

• a child sexual offence
• sexual misconduct committed in relation to, or in the presence of a child
• ill-treatment of a child
• significant neglect of a child
• physical violence committed in relation to, or in the presence of a child, or
• behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child.

Reportable conduct may occur once or repeatedly. Conduct may be reportable if it occurs outside the workplace. The Reportable Conduct Scheme applies even when the conduct does not result in criminal charges.