This page lists our annual statements of compliance with the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework. Our Secretary has authorised these statements.
2023 Commonwealth Child Safe Framework compliance statement
We are committed to promoting and maintaining a culture that does not permit or tolerate child abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
We recognise the role we play in protecting the safety of children and continue to embed child safety and wellbeing into our leadership, governance, and culture.
The department’s Child Safety Policy addresses all 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. We require staff in identified child-safe positions, or undertaking child-related work, to complete Child Safe training modules.
During the 2022-23 financial year, we acted to further strengthen our compliance with the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework and to minimise key risks, including:
- reviewing and updating the Department's internal child-safety online training module
- continuing to work with portfolio agencies to promote compliance with the Framework
- distributing departmental communications aimed at supporting greater awareness and understanding of our obligations under the Framework.
Through our divisional business and risk planning process we did an annual risk assessment regarding the level of direct or indirect contact with children across our department. Our overall aggregate risk rating is medium, with all risks identified within tolerance.
In continuing to comply with the Framework and 10 National Principles, while leveraging the outcome of our annual risk assessment, our key initiatives include:
- improving staff awareness of the department’s Child Safety Policy and their obligations under the policy
- our senior executive continuing to support the application of the Child Safety Policy across our department
- ensuring child safe clauses are included in grants or procurement documents for funded third parties where required
- developing documents for children that are easy to understand
- ensuring relevant staff complete required training and get and/or maintain relevant checks.