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The Child Safe Standards

The NSW Child Safe Scheme, enacted in the Children's Guardian Act 2019, includes 10 Child Safe Standards (CSS, or Standards) (PDF, 453.3 KB) to guide child safe practices in organisations in NSW.

The NSW Government took action in response to the Royal Commission by introducing the Child Safe Scheme. While the Royal Commission focused on sexual abuse, the NSW Child Safe Scheme aims to prevent all kinds of abuse that children may experience.

The Office of the Children’s Guardian is responsible for regulating organisations that must comply with the Child Safe Scheme. They make sure that these organisations are implementing and meeting the Child Safe Standards to keep children safe.

All child safe organisations have a responsibility to make sure that they are using child safe systems, policies and processes.  But more broadly, the Child Safe Standards represent best practice in terms of keeping children safe and any organisation can choose to adopt them, even if not required by law to do so.

The Office of the Children's Guardian (OCG) has developed a Guide to the Standards which offers detailed guidance for creating cultures and adopting strategies in NSW organisations that put children first and keep them safe from harm.

The Standards are:

Standard Core Component
Standard 1 - Child safety is embedded in
organisational leadership, governance and culture
  • The organisation publicly commits to child safety and leaders champion a child safe culture
  • Child safety is a shared responsibility at all levels of the organisation
  • Risk management strategies focus on preventing, identifying and mitigating risks to children
  • Staff and volunteers comply with a code of conduct that sets clear behavioural standards towards children
  • Staff and volunteers understand their obligations on information sharing and record keeping
Standard 2 - Children participate in decisions
affecting them and are taken seriously
  • Children are able to express their views and are provided opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their lives
  • The importance of friendships is recognised and support from peers is encouraged, helping children feel safe and be less isolated
  • Children can access abuse prevention programs and information
  • Staff and volunteers are attuned to signs of harm and facilitate child-friendly ways for children to communicate and raise their concerns
Standard 3 - Families and communities are informed and involved
  • Families have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of their child and participate in decisions affecting their child
  • The organisation engages in open, two-way communication with families and communities about its child safety approach and relevant information is accessible
  • Families and communities have a say in the organisation’s policies and practices
  • Families and communities are informed about the organisation’s operations and governance
Standard 4 - Equity is upheld and diverse
needs are taken into account
  • The organisation actively anticipates children’s diverse circumstances and responds effectively to those with additional vulnerabilities
  • All children have access to information, support and complaints processes
  • The organisation pays particular attention to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children with disability, and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Standard 5 - People working with children
are suitable and supported
  • Recruitment, including advertising and screening, emphasises child safety
  • Relevant staff and volunteers have Working With Children Checks
  • All staff and volunteers receive an appropriate induction and are aware of their child safety responsibilities, including reporting obligations
  • Supervision and people management have a child safety focus
Standard 6 - Processes to respond to complaints
of child sexual abuse are child- focused
  • The organisation has a child-focused complaint-handling system that is understood by children, staff, volunteers and families
  • The organisation has an effective complaint-handling policy and procedure which clearly outline roles and responsibilities, approaches to dealing with different types of complaints and obligations to act and report
  • Complaints are taken seriously, responded to promptly and thoroughly, and reporting, privacy and employment law obligations are met
Standard 7 - Staff are equipped with the knowledge,
skills and awareness to keep children safe through
continual education and training 
  • Relevant staff and volunteers receive training on the nature and indicators of child maltreatment, particularly organisational child abuse
  • Staff and volunteers receive training on the organisation’s child safe practices and child protection
  • Relevant staff and volunteers are supported to develop practical skills in protecting children and responding to disclosures
Standard 8 - Physical and online environments
minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur 
  • Risks in the online and physical environments are identified and mitigated without compromising a child’s right to privacy and healthy development
  • The online environment is used in accordance with the organisation’s code of conduct and relevant policies
Standard 9 - Implementation of the Child Safe
Standards is continuously reviewed and
improved
  • The organisation regularly reviews and improves child safe practices
  • The organisation analyses complaints to identify causes and systemic failures to inform continuous improvement
Standard 10 - Policies and procedures document
how the organisation is child safe 
  • Policies and procedures address all Child Safe Standards
  • Policies and procedures are accessible and easy to understand
  • Best practice models and stakeholder consultation inform the development of policies and procedures
  • Leaders champion and model compliance with policies and procedures
  • Staff understand and implement the policies and procedures


The Standards aim to create a safer environment for children in all organisations that work with or for them. They emphasise the importance of a holistic approach to child safety, involving leadership, community engagement, and continuous improvement. If you need more details or specific resources related to these Standards, feel free to send us an email at childsafescheme@dcj.nsw.gov.au

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