The Reportable Conduct Scheme aims to improve oversight of how organisations respond to allegations of child abuse and child-related misconduct.
The benefits of the Reportable Conduct Scheme include:
- Identifying individuals who pose a risk to children, but do not have criminal records, and enabling them to be excluded from working with children
- Independent oversight of responses to allegations of child abuse and child-related misconduct against workers and volunteers connected to organisations
- Building the capacity of organisations to respond appropriately and effectively to allegations of child abuse and child-related misconduct.
Since 1 July 2017, allegations of reportable conduct must be notified to the Commission for Children and Young People by relevant in-scope organisations.
What does an organisation need to do?
The Reportable Conduct Scheme requires certain organisations with a high level of responsibility for children to:
- Ensure that the person in a relevant position of authority (such as the Chief Executive Officer) in the organisation is made aware of and reports any allegation of reportable conduct made against a worker or volunteer to the Commission for Children and Young People. In all circumstances, allegations of criminal conduct must be reported to Victoria Police as the first priority.
- Ensure appropriate investigation of the allegation. For example, for regulated organisations, the investigation may be undertaken by a government department or statutory body. For other organisations, the investigation may be in accordance with existing workplace investigation practices used to determine whether a worker should continue to be employed at the organisation.
- Report any findings and the reasons for the outcome of an investigation to the Commission for Children and Young People at the conclusion of the investigation.
For more information about the scheme, including how to report and the types of abuse to which scheme applies, see the Commission for Children and Young People website.
Allegations of criminal conduct
The Reportable Conduct Scheme requires all allegations of suspected criminal conduct to be reported to Victoria Police as the first priority. The scheme maintains the primacy of an investigation by Victoria Police of any allegations of criminal misconduct.
For more information on Reporting criminal abuse of children and vulnerable people in organisations guidelines, see the Victoria Police website.
Child protection matters
For concerns about the safety of a child or young person who may be at risk of harm, see Child Protection contact numbers on our Services website.
Commission for Children and Young People
The Reportable Conduct Scheme is administered by the Commission for Children and Young People. For more information about the Commission’s role and regulatory approach, see the About the Commission page on their website.
Human Services Regulator
Under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing is a ‘regulator’ of its funded and/or regulated organisations that are in scope of the Reportable Conduct. The Human Services Regulator undertakes this role on behalf of the department and supports in-scope organisations to comply with their legislated reporting requirements and the Child Safe Standards.
Client Incident Management System (CIMS) and Reportable Conduct Scheme investigations (RCS)
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing and the Commission for Children and Young People have developed guidance material for service providers on undertaking streamlined CIMS and RCS investigations to meet the requirements of both schemes.
Further guidance is available on the Incident and Investigations page of the Department of Families Fairness and Housing website.