Queensland is stepping up the fight against child sex predators with a swathe of proposed new measures to further protect children from abuse and better detect paedophiles in organisations working with children.
Thousands of organisations across the state from schools to churches and sports clubs are being asked for public input on a proposal to implement nationally-consistent Child Safe Standards and a Reportable Conduct Scheme in Queensland.
Child Safety Minister Craig Crawford today publicly released the 140-page “Growing Child Safe Organisations in Queensland” report and consultation paper for feedback on the impact of the proposed regulation.
Under the preferred model, a single, independent oversight body would be established to help organisations implement 10 new child safe standards and handle child abuse complaints and allegations as part of a reportable conduct scheme.
It comes with the tabling of the Queensland Government’s fifth and final annual report on the implementation of recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Quotes attributable to Child Safety Minister Craig Crawford:
“Queensland is home to more than one million children and young people under the age of 18.
“Parents expect when their child goes to school, sport or church that they are in a safe place.
“These proposed measures tie in with efforts nationally to fix gaps and create consistency with child safe standards.
“They’d reduce the risk of potential offenders moving between sectors to evade detection.
“And it’d lead to better sharing of intelligence with other regulators, authorities and jurisdictions.
“The impact of maltreatment on every child is unique, but what is clear is every case has an enormous toll on victims, families and communities.”
Queenslanders can provide their feedback on the consultation paper which can be found at www.qld.gov.au/growing-child-safe-organisations
This is the link to the https://www.dcssds.qld.gov.au/royal-commission-institutional-responses-child-sexual-abuse
