Child Safe Organisations Act 2024

In response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Queensland’s Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 (the Act) was introduced to improve the safety and wellbeing of children in Queensland organisations.

The Act establishes an integrated child safe organisations system in Queensland that includes:

• mandatory Child Safe Standards (CSS) and a Universal Principle for cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
• a nationally consistent Reportable Conduct Scheme (RCS) that requires heads of in-scope organisations to report and investigate reportable conduct allegations, and
• the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) as the independent oversight body responsible for overseeing the child safe organisations system.

Under the Act, CSS and Universal Principle obligations commence in phases from 1 October 2025, followed by the RCS from 1 July 2026.

The Minister for Families, Seniors and Disability Services and Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence is responsible for administration of the Act.

Implementation

The QFCC is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the operation of the child safe organisations system under the Act.

On the QFCC website you can find a wide variety of information, including training programs, resources and frequently asked questions.

For questions relating to compliance, or to report alleged non‑compliance with the child safe standards or Universal Principle, please email enquiries@qfcc.qld.gov.au.

Find out more about our department’s implementation of the child safe organisations system.

Regulatory impact analysis

On 16 October 2025, the Legislative Assembly passed amendments to the Act to bring forward full commencement of the reportable conduct scheme to 1 July 2026. The Amendments for early commencement of the reportable conduct scheme summary impact analysis statement (PDF, 489KB) outlines the exemption from regulatory impact analysis provided by the Queensland Government for these amendments.

A comprehensive regulatory impact analysis was conducted from 2023 to 2024 in developing the child safe organisations model under the Act, including:

• development of the Growing child safe organisations in Queensland consultation regulatory impact statement (DOCX, 3.2MB) (CRIS) to seek feedback on options for child safe organisations implementation in Queensland—the CRIS was published on 10 August 2023
• to assist consultation, supplementary materials were also developed and published alongside the CRIS including
  
  • Overview guide to the CRIS (DOCX, 125KB)
  • Embedding cultural safety (DOCX, 84KB)
  • Scope for CSS and RCS (DOCX, 82KB)
  • Options for CSS (DOCX, 273KB)
  • Overview for RCS (DOCX, 81KB)
  • CRIS FAQs (DOCX, 64KB)
• in response to feedback during the consultation, the Growing child safe organisations summary impact analysis statement (PDF, 395KB) (DOCX, 1.1MB) (Summary IAS) and the Growing child safe organisations decision impact analysis statement (DOCX, 4.2MB) (DIAS) were developed—the DIAS recommended establishment of an integrated child safe organisations system, which is the model included in the Act.

Consultation in 2021

Following targeted consultation in 2021, the Growing child safe organisations in Queensland consultation report (April 2021) (DOCX,409KB) was published on 10 August 2023.

Support services and resources

If a life is in danger, phone Triple Zero (000).

If you need support, you can contact one of the following organisations:

• Lifeline provides Australians who are experiencing emotional distress access to free 24/7 telephone and online crisis support, suicide prevention, mental health, and domestic and family violence prevention services. Phone 13 11 14.
• Blue Knot supports adult survivors of complex trauma, as well as those who support them. Phone 1300 657 380.
• Kids Helpline offers a free 24/7 telephone and online counselling service for children and young people aged between 5 and 25 years. Phone 1800 551 800.
• MensLine Australia is a free 24/7 telephone and online counselling support service for Australian men with concerns about mental health, relationships, anger management, family violence (using and experiencing), stress and suicidal thoughts. Phone 1300 789 978.
• WellMob provides culturally relevant online resources for frontline health and wellbeing workers that are made by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.