This page lists our annual statements of compliance with the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework. Our Secretary has authorised these statements.
2026 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 2025-26 financial year, we completed the following actions to further strengthen our compliance with the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework and to minimise key risks:
- reviewed and updating the Department's Child Safety Policy
- reviewed child safety risks and controls identified during annual departmental risk assessment processes
- reviewed the department’s child safety training arrangements.
Our divisional business and risk planning process requires departmental staff undertaking those processes to identify and address any risks associated with direct or indirect contact with children across our department.
Our overall aggregate risk rating is low-medium.
Our activities in 2026-27 will be informed by our risk assessment. To ensure we continue to comply with the Framework and 10 National Principles we will:
- undertake a major review of the annual risk assessment process for determining the department’s compliance with the Framework
- review the Department's Child Safety Policy against best practice examples from other Commonwealth agencies
- continue to improve staff awareness of the department’s Child Safety Policy and their obligations under the policy
- ensure child safe clauses are included in grants and procurement documents for funded third parties where required
- ensure relevant staff complete required training and get and/or maintain relevant checks where required.