Child safety and reporting
QA2, QA5, QA6, and QA7
Reporting Harm, Child Safety Concerns, And Reportable Conduct
Staff must respond to concerns promptly, follow the relevant NERPSA child safety pathway, and keep children’s safety, wellbeing, dignity, rights, and best interests paramount.
Reporting Responsibilities
Reporting Is Part Of Keeping Children Safe
Child safety concerns must be taken seriously. Concerns may come from something a child says, something a child does, a change in behaviour, an injury, a family concern, a staff observation, a disclosure, an incident, unsafe practice, or concerning conduct by an adult.
Staff do not need to investigate or prove that harm has occurred before reporting a concern. The staff role is to respond safely, record factually, and report through the relevant NERPSA child safety pathway, such as the Nominated Supervisor, Responsible Person, Education Manager, NERPSA Manager, HR, child safety reporting process, Reportable Conduct process, or emergency services if there is immediate danger.
Child Protection Law Awareness
Child Protection Law Awareness
NERPSA advises staff, volunteers, and students who work with children of the existence and application of current child protection law and any obligations they may have under that law.
This includes understanding that concerns about a child’s safety, wellbeing, abuse, neglect, family violence, disclosure, unexplained injury, or risk of harm must be taken seriously and reported through the relevant NERPSA child safety pathway.
Staff are not expected to manage child protection concerns alone. If you are unsure whether a matter requires a child protection report, seek guidance immediately through NERPSA’s child safety pathway.
Regulation 84 requires approved providers to ensure nominated supervisors, staff members, volunteers, and students at the service who work with children are advised of the existence and application of current child protection law and any obligations they may have.
Urgent Action
If There Is Immediate Danger, Call 000 First
If a child is in immediate danger, needs urgent medical help, or emergency services are required, call 000 first.
Notice
Be Alert
Pay attention to children’s words, behaviour, injuries, interactions, changes in presentation, family information, adult conduct, and environmental risks.
Respond
Act Calmly
Stay calm, keep the child safe, listen respectfully, avoid asking leading questions, and seek guidance through the relevant NERPSA reporting pathway.
Report
Do Not Wait
Report concerns promptly. Delays can place children at risk and may affect NERPSA’s legal, regulatory, and child safety obligations.
What Needs To Be Reported?
Immediate Risk Or Emergency
If there is immediate danger, call 000 first.
Child Safety Concern
Any concern about a child’s safety, wellbeing, harm, abuse, neglect, disclosure, unexplained injury, family violence, or risk of harm must be reported promptly.
Unsafe Practice
Concerns about supervision, ratios, unsafe environments, privacy breaches, digital safety, inappropriate behaviour, or poor practice must be reported early.
Concerning Adult Conduct
Conduct by a staff member, volunteer, student, contractor, visitor, family member, or other adult that may place a child at risk must be reported.
If A Child Tells You Something
Responding To A Disclosure
Listen, Reassure, And Report
If a child tells you something that raises a safety concern, stay calm and listen. Reassure the child that they have done the right thing by telling you. Do not promise secrecy.
Do not investigate, confront the person involved, or ask detailed leading questions. Record the child’s words as accurately as possible, including the date, time, context, who was present, and what you observed. Report through NERPSA’s child safety pathway as soon as possible.
Notice, Listen, And Respond
Safe Practice Starts With Paying Attention
Reporting responsibilities begin with everyday awareness. Staff need to notice changes, listen respectfully, respond calmly, record factually, and report concerns promptly through the relevant NERPSA child safety pathway.
NERPSA Reporting Pathway
1
Make The Child Safe
Respond to immediate safety needs first. If there is immediate danger, call 000 first. If medical attention is required, follow emergency and incident procedures.
2
Report Internally Promptly
Follow NERPSA’s child safety reporting pathway and notify the appropriate service or organisational leader as soon as possible. Child safety matters must not be left until a routine meeting, newsletter, handover note, or informal conversation.
3
Record Clearly
Use NERPSA’s required record, form, incident process, or concern documentation. Keep records factual, objective, timely, and confidential.
4
Follow Direction And Maintain Confidentiality
Follow NERPSA direction about next steps. Information must only be shared with people who need it for child safety, legal, regulatory, reporting, investigation, service management, or support purposes.
Important
Do Not Investigate Or Manage Serious Concerns Alone
Staff must not investigate allegations, interview children or adults, confront a person who is the subject of a concern, or decide that a concern is not serious enough to report.
Staff are responsible for responding safely, reporting promptly, recording factually, and following NERPSA’s child safety and reporting processes.
Reportable Conduct
Reportable Conduct Scheme
Allegations Against Workers Or Volunteers
The Reportable Conduct Scheme applies to allegations of certain conduct by workers or volunteers involving a child or young person. Reportable conduct can include sexual offences, sexual misconduct, physical violence, behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm, and significant neglect.
Staff do not decide alone whether an allegation meets the reportable conduct threshold. If you become aware of concerning conduct by a staff member, volunteer, student, contractor, visitor, or other adult connected to the service, report it promptly through NERPSA’s child safety pathway.
SSR Notification
NERPSA’s External Notification Responsibilities
The Social Services Regulator receives reportable conduct notifications in Victoria. Organisations must notify the Social Services Regulator within three business days of the head of organisation becoming aware of a reportable allegation.
Within 30 calendar days after becoming aware of a reportable allegation, the head of organisation must provide the Social Services Regulator with detailed information about the allegation, any disciplinary or other action undertaken, and the response of the worker or volunteer to the allegation.
At NERPSA, staff must report concerns internally promptly so the organisation can assess and meet any external reporting, notification, investigation, or risk management obligations.
SSR Webform
Before A Reportable Conduct Notification Is Submitted
The Social Services Regulator notification is made through the secure webform. The webform should be completed in one session and cannot be saved to submit later.
Information should be gathered before starting the webform. The latest version of Google Chrome is recommended. If a copy of the notification is required, a copy should be printed before submitting.
Staff are not expected to complete the Social Services Regulator notification themselves unless they have been specifically authorised to do so. Staff should report concerns internally through NERPSA’s child safety pathway.
Mandatory Reporting, Information Sharing, And Family Violence
Mandatory Reporting
Mandatory Reporting
Some roles have mandatory reporting obligations. Even where a staff member is not a mandatory reporter, child safety concerns must still be taken seriously and reported through NERPSA’s child safety pathway.
If you are unsure whether a matter requires a child protection report, seek guidance immediately through NERPSA’s child safety pathway. If there is immediate danger, call 000 first.
Information Sharing
CISS And FVISS
The Child Information Sharing Scheme and Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme support appropriate information sharing to promote child wellbeing and safety and to assess or manage family violence risk.
Staff must not share sensitive information informally. Follow NERPSA procedures and seek guidance where information sharing may be required for child safety, wellbeing, or family violence risk.
Internal Reporting
Mandatory Reporting Does Not Replace Internal Reporting
Some roles have mandatory reporting obligations. NERPSA’s internal reporting pathway still applies because it helps the organisation meet child safety, regulatory, record keeping, reportable conduct, risk management, family communication, and support responsibilities.
Privacy, Confidentiality, And Records
Record Keeping
Records Must Be Factual And Confidential
Records about child safety concerns, incidents, disclosures, injuries, supervision concerns, adult conduct, or family information must be factual, timely, accurate, and kept confidential.
Use the relevant NERPSA form, incident process, record, or reporting pathway. Avoid opinions, assumptions, blame, or unnecessary detail. Record what was seen, heard, said, reported, and done.
Child safety information must only be shared with people who need to know for child safety, legal, regulatory, reporting, investigation, service management, or support purposes.
If This Content Feels Heavy
Child safety, family violence, abuse, and reportable conduct content can be confronting. Staff can pause and access support if needed.
NERPSA’s Employee Assistance Program information is available on the Staff Resources website and the NERPSA App. Staff wellbeing and EAP support are covered further in the wellbeing section of this induction.
NERPSA Policies Connected To Reporting
Policy Connection
Policies That Support Reporting
Key connected policies include Child Safe Environment and Wellbeing, Code of Conduct, Compliments and Complaints, Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness, Supervision of Children, Determining Responsible Person, Privacy and Confidentiality, Safe Use of Digital Technologies and Online Environments, Inclusion and Equity, and Participation of Volunteers and Students.
Use the current policy links on the main NERPSA website. If a concern involves a child’s safety, wellbeing, harm, unsafe adult conduct, or immediate risk, follow the reporting pathway rather than waiting to check every policy first.
Useful Resources
PROTECT Guidance
Victorian guidance for child protection and child safety in early childhood.
Open ResourceCISS And FVISS
Victorian information sharing schemes for child wellbeing, safety, and family violence risk.
Open Resource
Required Induction Activity
Know Your First Step If You Are Worried About A Child
Think about what you would do if you were worried about a child’s safety, wellbeing, injury, behaviour, disclosure, family situation, or an adult’s conduct. Identify your first action, who you would report to, and how you would keep the child safe while following the relevant NERPSA child safety pathway.
Report Concerns Promptly
Staff are not expected to investigate or decide the outcome. Staff are expected to respond safely, report promptly, record factually, maintain confidentiality, and keep children’s safety, wellbeing, dignity, rights, and best interests paramount.