Organisations that must implement the Child Safe Standards must ensure that people working with children and young people are suitable and supported to provide for the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.[1]

This article explores this obligation in detail, reflecting on the practices that should be adopted during the recruitment process, and throughout the time that the employee or volunteer is employed or engaged by the organisation.

Obviously, the nature of the organisation, the role and responsibilities of the employee or volunteer, and the nature of the services being provided, may mean that some of these practices may be inappropriate. Organisations should use their discretion in adopting these strategies or obtain independent legal advice about their specific obligations.

Recruitment

Organisations must ensure that recruitment, including advertising, referee checks and staff and volunteer pre-employment screening, emphasize child safety and wellbeing.[2]

Job description

The job description and advertising should include:

• the job requirements
• the specific duties and responsibilities that relate to child safety and wellbeing
• skills, attributes and experience required to perform the role, particularly those related to child safety and wellbeing
• essential and relevant qualifications.[3]

Interview

The interview should explore the following concepts with each candidate:

• the person’s history of working or volunteering with children and young people
• their motivation to work or volunteer with children and young people
• their understanding of:
  • children’s physical and emotional needs
  • professional boundaries between adults and children
  • children’s rights
  • inclusive practices for all children and their families.[4]

Pre-employment screening

The organisation should conduct rigorous pre-employment screening to ensure that the person is suitable to work or volunteer with children and young people. This should consist of the following:

The organisation should conduct a minimum of two reference checks. One of the referees should be a manager or supervisor from the current or most recent employer. Reference checks should explore the following information:

• the person’s experience working with children and young people
• any observations of the person interacting with children and young people
• any concerns about the person working with children and young people or being left alone with them
• whether the person has been subject to any complaints, investigations or disciplinary action.[5]

The pre-employment screening should also include viewing, verifying and recording the person’s identity. This is usually done by sighting original government-issued photo identification documents such as a drivers’ license or passport.

It will also be important to view, verify and record the person’s qualifications and when they expire (if relevant). This may include tertiary qualifications such as a Bachelor of Teaching, as well as specific training or skills such as First Aid, CPR, sports coaching, swimming instruction, anaphylaxis management, asthma management, diabetes management, and Mental Health First Aid.

It is also extremely important that the organisation view and verify the person’s professional registration and makes a record of when it expires. For example:

• School teachers and early childhood teachers must be registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT). An organisation can check whether a person is currently registered as a teacher or early childhood teacher in Victoria by searching their name on the Register of Teachers at vit.vic.edu.au/search-the-register
• Health practitioners must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA). An organisation can check whether a person is currently registered as a health practitioner in Australia by searching their name on the Register of Health Practitioners at ahpra.gov.au/registration/registers-of-practitioners.aspx
• Some disability workers may elect to be registered with the Victorian Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria, although it is not compulsory to be registered.[6] An organisation can check whether a person is currently registered as a disability worker in Victoria by searching their name on the Register of Disability Workers at vdwc.vic.gov.au/registration/find-a-registered-disability-worker

The organisation must also view, verify and record the person’s Working with Children Clearance, and when it expires (unless they are exempted from this requirement).[7] An organisation can verify a person’s Working with Children Clearance by searching their name on the Working with Children Check status checker at www.service.vic.gov.au/services/working-with-children-check-status-checker/home

If the person is subsequently employed or engaged by the organisation, the organisation should also require the person to:

• notify Working with Children Check Victoria of their employment or engagement with the organisation; and
• provide evidence to the organisation that they have done this.

This will ensure that if the person’s Working with Children Clearance is subsequently suspended or cancelled due to concerns about their suitability to work with children and young people, Working with Children Check Victoria will notify the organisation of this change.[8]

The organisation may also wish to conduct a Nationally Co-ordinated Criminal History Check. This will provide further information about whether the person has been found guilty of criminal offences in Victoria, in another state or territory, or under a Commonwealth law. It is important to note that there are some findings of guilt that may not be disclosed – these are known as spent convictions. In any event, this additional check can help determine whether the person has engaged in any criminal conduct that may make them unsuitable to work with children and young people, and/or to perform the role in the organisation.[9]

The organisation should also check publicly available information to determine whether the person has been the subject of any disciplinary action by a regulator, including whether they are precluded from working in a particular profession. For example:

• Some disciplinary action taken by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) against current and formerly registered teachers and early childhood teachers is recorded on the Register of Disciplinary Action (RODA). An organisation can search the RODA using the following link: vit.vic.edu.au/conduct/roda.
• The VIT also publishes some of the panel decisions that have been made to determine whether a person has engaged in misconduct, and whether they are suitable to continue to be registered as a teacher in Victoria. An organisation can search the panel decisions using the following link: https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/conduct/decisions.
• The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency maintains a register of cancelled, disqualified or prohibited health practitioners. However, not all decisions are published on this register. An organisation can search this Register using the following link: ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registers-of-Practitioners/Cancelled-Health-Practitioners.aspx#
• The Victorian Disability Worker Commission can make prohibition orders that stop a person from being able to practise as a disability worker. These orders are made if the Commission is satisfied that it is necessary to avoid a serious risk to the life, health, safety or welfare of any person. An organisation can check whether a person is the subject of a prohibition order by using the following link: vdwc.vic.gov.au/prohibition-orders
• The Social Services Regulator is responsible for the Worker and Carer Exclusion Scheme. It seeks to protect children and young people in out of home care by maintaining a register of workers or carers that are excluded from working in the sector, or that are currently under investigation. These may include foster carers, and workers and carers that provide residential out of home care services or secure welfare services. An out of home care service provider can check the register by contacting the Social Services Regulator. More information about these checks can be found using the following link: https://www.vic.gov.au/worker-and-carer-exclusion-scheme

The organisation may also wish to conduct an online search of the person to check whether:

• the person has been the subject of any media attention, particularly in relation to any criminal charges or disciplinary action taken as a result of their conduct towards children and young people.
• the person has made comments or engaged in conduct online that is incompatible with the organisation’s values and/or working with children and young people.

Code of Conduct

Organisations that must comply with the Child Safe Standards must have a Code of Conduct that provides guidelines for employees and volunteers on expected standards of behaviour and their respective responsibilities.[10]

The Code of Conduct should set out acceptable behaviours. These may include the following:

• Treat all children and young people with respect regardless of their race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, nationality, cultural background, disability or other characteristics.
• Listen to children and young people, take their disclosures or concerns of harm or abuse seriously, and support them if they feel unsafe.
• Value children and young people’s ideas and opinions.
• Report unacceptable behaviour by children, young people, employees, volunteers, parents and carers, and others in the community to the relevant manager or leader in the organisation.
• Comply with mandatory reporting and other reporting obligations such as:
  • reporting alleged criminal conduct to the Victoria Police
  • reporting a child who may be in need of protection to the Department of Families Fairness and Housing (Child Protection)
  • reporting certain incidents to relevant regulators such as the Department of Education (Quality and Regulation Division) and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.[11]

The Code of Conduct should also set out unacceptable and concerning behaviours. These may include:

• physical violence committed against or in the presence of a child or young person such as:
  • hitting, punching, kicking or slapping
  • dragging or pushing
  • threatening to hurt someone through words or gestures.
• sexual misconduct against or in the presence of a child or young person such as:
  • touching of a sexual nature
  • sharing explicit material with a child or young person
  • communicating romantic, intimate or sexual feelings for a child or young person
  • using a camera to record:
    • a child or young person’s intimate parts of the body
    • when a child or young person is dressing, showering or using the bathroom
  • grooming a child or young person
  • develop a special relationship, show favouritism, or provide unnecessary attention to a specific child or young person
  • engage in behaviour that causes emotional harm to a child or young person such as teasing, yelling or persistently criticising the child or young person
  • neglect a child or young person such as:
    • depriving them of food or drink, medical care or other necessities
    • failing to protect the child or young person from abuse
    • exposing a child or young person to a harmful environment
    • failing to adequately supervise a child or young person resulting in injury or harm
  • engage in unnecessary physical contact with a child or young person such as:
    • massages, hugs and kisses
    • wrestling and tickling
    • performing tasks of a personal nature that the child can do for themselves e.g. changing clothes, feeding, personal grooming or toileting
  • be alone with a child or young person when there is no professional reason for doing so
  • have unauthorised contact with a child or young person online, on social media, or by telephone
  • take photographs or video of a child or young person without specific permission and authorisation by the organisation
  • ignore or disregard concerns, suspicions, complaints or disclosures of child abuse or harm
  • offer a child or young person alcohol, cigarettes or drugs.[12]

Induction and Onboarding

All new employees and volunteers must receive appropriate induction and onboarding to the organisation. This should include providing them with information and helping them to understand all of the following:

• their specific responsibilities to children and young people
• any specific roles or responsibilities that have been assigned to them (e.g. Child Safety Officer, First Aid Officer, Complaints Officer etc.)
• how to implement the organisation’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and any associated policies and procedures
• the expected standards of behaviour, and what is considered unacceptable and concerning behaviour, as set out in the organisation’s Code of Conduct
• what to do if they have a concern about the safety and wellbeing of any child or young person
• reporting obligations within the organisation, and to external bodies such as the Victoria Police and Child Protection
• the policies and procedures for managing different types of complaints and concerns, particularly those related to child abuse
• their privacy and information sharing obligations
• their recording keeping obligations.[13]

Ongoing Training and Professional Development

In addition to induction and onboarding, organisations that must comply with the Child Safe Standards must provide their employees and volunteers with regular and ongoing education and training.[14] This ongoing education and training should include the following:

Child safe culture

Employees and volunteers should receive training and information on how help create a child safe culture.

This includes understanding the different communication needs and preferences of children and young people depending on:

• their ages
• their capabilities
• their stages of development
• any physical, sensory or intellectual disabilities
• whether they come from linguistically diverse backgrounds.[15]

This also includes empowering children and young people to:

• understand their rights
• be aware of personal safety
• know how adults in the organisation should behave
• understand the organisation’s complaints process and how to raise concerns for themselves, their friends or their peers
• know about support services that are available for children and young people.

It also includes supporting children and young people to:

• participate in the activities of the organisation
• identify and express their views
• participate in making decisions that affect them
• raise specific concerns with the organisation.[16]

This also includes supporting and encouraging employees and volunteers to be responsive to the input from children and young people.[17]

Culturally safe environments

Employees and volunteers should also receive training and information on how to build culturally safe environments for children and young people.[18]

This includes supporting employees and volunteers to:

• understand and appreciate the strengths of Aboriginal culture and its importance to the wellbeing and safety of Aboriginal children and young people
• create a culturally safe and inclusive environment for Aboriginal children and young people, and their families, and facilitate their participation and inclusion in the organisation
• meet the needs of Aboriginal children and young people, and their families
• enable, encourage and support children and young people to express their culture and enjoy their cultural rights.[19]

It also includes helping employees and volunteers to understand and support children and young people who come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Equitable and inclusive practices

Employees and volunteers should also receive training and information on equitable and inclusive practices.

This includes understanding children and young people’s personal characteristics, diverse circumstances, life experiences and backgrounds and how to support them.[20]

It also includes identifying and responding to the needs of vulnerable children and young people, particularly:

• children and young people with disability
• children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• those who are unable to live at home
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children and young people
• Aboriginal children and young people.[21]

It also includes understanding the impact of trauma and how to engage in trauma informed practices.[22]

Engaging with parents, carers and families

Employees and volunteers should also receive training and support on how to engage and involve parents, carers and families in the organisation.

This includes strategies on how to:

• make parents, carers and families to feel welcome in the organisation.
• build and maintain inclusive, respectful, trusting and transparent relationships
• support parents and carers to:
  • understand child safety and wellbeing
  • how to protect their child from abuse and harm
  • participate in decisions affecting their child
  • raise specific concerns or complaints with the organisation.[23]

Risk management

Employees and volunteers must also be supported to prevent, identify and manage risks to children and young people, including the risks of child abuse and harm.

This means educating employees and volunteers about the different types of risks including risks associated with:

• the nature of the organisation
• the services being provided
• the specific events, programs and activities organised by the organisation
• the people involved in the organisation including employees, volunteers, contractors, children and young people, parents and carers, family members or others in the community
• the engagement of contactors or third parties
• the level of supervision
• the level of interaction between adults and children, including whether there is any physical contact or situations where a child may be alone with an adult
• the physical environment
• the online environment such as:
  • unwanted or unsupervised contact between adults and children
  • inappropriate, abusive or bullying conduct
  • exposure to inappropriate, illicit or explicit content or imagery
  • access to content that is not age appropriate
  • scams targeting children and young people.[24]

It also includes supporting employees and volunteers to understand that some children and young people are more vulnerable to abuse and/or may be more reluctant to report abuse. These include children and young people that:

• are Aboriginal
• come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• are relatively new to Australia
• have a disability or mental health issues
• have a history of drug or alcohol dependence
• are unable to live at home including those who are homeless or living in foster, residential or kinship care
• identify as LGBTIQ or are non-binary or gender diverse or are questioning their sexuality or gender
• have had previous experiences of trauma, abuse or neglect
• have previously been the victim of bullying, harassment, abuse or maltreatment
• have encountered racism, sexism, homophobia or other forms of discrimination
• have experienced stress, worry and challenges that negatively impact their physical and emotional health, hopefulness and wellbeing
• are socially isolated
• come from families facing poverty and lacking support.[25]

Indicators of child abuse and harm

Employees and volunteers should also receive training and information on how to recognise indicators of child harm including harm caused by other children and young people, and what to do in these situations.[26]

Supporting others to raise concerns or make complaints

Employees and volunteers should also receive training and information on how to support others who disclose harm to a child or young person.[27]

This includes providing guidance and support on how to manage a disclosure of abuse or harm made by a child or young person.

Mandatory reporting and other reporting obligations

Organisations that must comply with the Child Safe Standards should also ensure that employees and volunteers understand their mandatory reporting and other reporting obligations. These include:

• internal reporting obligations
• mandatory reporting obligations to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (Child Protection) by the following professionals:
  • registered teachers and school principals
  • school counsellors
  • early childhood teachers and workers
  • approved providers, nominated supervisors and certain other employees and volunteers of education and care services and children’s services
  • police officers
  • out of home care workers
  • youth justice workers
  • registered medical practitioners
  • nurse and midwives
  • registered psychologists
  • people in religious ministry
• obligations to report certain sexual offences against children to Victoria Police (failure to disclose offence)
• obligations for the head of the organisation to report reportable allegations to the Commission for Children and Young People
• other reporting obligations such as the following:
  • approved providers of education and care services must report certain incidents to the Department of Education (Quality Assessment and Regulation Division)
  • disability services regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission must report certain incidents to the Commission
  • registered social service providers must report certain incidents to the Social Services Regulator.

Managing specific child safety and wellbeing issues

Staff and volunteer should also receive training and information on how to respond effectively to issues of child safety and wellbeing.[28] These include incidents of racism,[29] discrimination, bullying and cyber-bullying.

Ongoing Participation and Involvement

Throughout their employment or engagement with an organisation, employees and volunteers should be encouraged and supported to be involved and participate in the ongoing implementation of the Child Safe Standards. This includes:

• creating a child safe culture and a culturally safe environment
• engaging in equitable and inclusive practices
• implementing the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy, and all other child safe policies and procedures
• complying with the Code of Conduct
• identifying, reporting and helping to manage risks to safety and wellbeing of children and young people
• supporting children, young people and their families to participate and to be involved in the organisation
• supporting children, young people and their families to raise concerns or make complaints
• supporting other employees or volunteers who disclose abuse or harm to a child or young person
• complying with mandatory reporting and other reporting obligations
• managing specific child safety and wellbeing issues
• contributing to the review of child safety and wellbeing policies and procedures.

Supervision

Organisations that must comply with the Child Safe Standards must provide ongoing supervision, mentoring and support to employees and volunteers that is focused on child safety and wellbeing practices.[30]

This means that leaders and managers should observe employees and volunteers’ interactions with children and young people, and the way in which they perform their roles and responsibilities.

It also means that managers or supervisors should regularly meet with each employee and volunteer to:

• discuss the person’s role and responsibilities and provide them with feedback about their performance
• discuss the organisation’s policies and procedures and whether the person understands how to implement them
• discuss the Code of Conduct, and raise any concerns about their behaviour or interactions with children and young people
• identify, assess and manage any risks to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people
• discuss any specific incidents, concerns or complaints that relate to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

Ongoing Monitoring

It is also extremely important that organisations that must comply with the Child Safe Standards have systems and procedures in place to:

• conduct regular checks with Working with Children Check Victoria to ensure that every employee and volunteer has a current Working with Children clearance, and that it has not expired, been suspended, revoked or cancelled
• conduct regular checks with professional regulators to ensure that every employee and volunteers has a current professional registration, and that it has not expired, been suspended, revoked or cancelled
• identify when an employee or volunteer’s Working with Children Clearance and/or professional registration is due to expire
• request, view, verify and record when an employee has renewed their clearance and/or professional registration.[31]

The organisation should keep a record of these checks.

Managing Performance

Managers and supervisors need to take action if they believe that an employee or volunteer has not complied with:

• the Code of Conduct
• the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• any other child safe policy or procedure.

They must also follow up any circumstances in which it is alleged that an employee or volunteer has abused or caused harm to a child.

Many organisations that comply with the Child Safe Standards are also required to comply with the Reportable Conduct Scheme. It is therefore important that these organisations also have systems and procedures in place to comply with these obligations.

Reportable conduct scheme

The purpose of the Reportable Conduct Scheme is to help ensure that reportable allegations are identified, reported, and properly investigated.

Reportable allegations include allegations that an employee or volunteer that is at least 18 years of age has engaged in any of the following conduct:

• sexual offence committed against, with, or in the presence of a child
• sexual misconduct committed against, with, or in the presence of a child
• physical violence committed against, with, or in the presence of a child
• any behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child
• significant neglect of a child.[32]

Organisations that must comply with the Reportable Conduct Scheme have the following legal obligations:

• Systems – The head of an entity must have systems in place to report, investigate and respond to reportable allegations, and to prevent reportable conduct.[33]
• 3 day notification – Within 3 business days of becoming aware of a reportable allegation, the head of the entity must report the reportable allegation and other relevant information to the CCYP.[34]
• Investigation – The head of entity must investigate the reportable allegation and provide the CCYP with the details of the person who will be conducting the investigation.[35]
• 30 day report – Within 30 days, the head of the entity must provide more detailed information to the CCYP. This includes further details about the reportable allegation, any written submissions made by the subject of allegation, and any disciplinary action or other action that has been taken in response to the reportable allegation.[36]
• Final report – At the end of the investigation, the head of the entity must provide the CCYP with the findings of the investigation, the reasons for those findings, details of any disciplinary or other action that will be taken in response to those findings (if any), and the reasons for those.[37]

The Child Safe Standards require organisations to:

• recruit suitable employees and volunteers
• support employees and volunteers to provide for the safety and wellbeing of children and young people
• act on any concerns about the conduct of an employee or volunteer.

Please feel free to contact Safety Quality & Care Legal Services to discuss how we can support you in your safety, quality and care journey.

 

 

Elena Totino

Founder, Director & Principal Lawyer

Safety Quality & Care Legal Services

 

February 2025

 

[1] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 6

[2] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 6.1

[3] State of Victoria, Ministerial Order No. 1359 – Implementing the Child Safe Standards – Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools and School Boarding Premises, cl. 10.2(a)

[4] Commission for Children and Young People, Practical guide to choosing, supervising and developing suitable staff and volunteers, p. 1; and Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, April 2023, p. 120

[5] Commission for Children and Young People, Practical guide to choosing, supervising and developing suitable staff and volunteers, pp. 2-3; and Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, April 2023, pp. 120-121

[6] State of Victoria, Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, April 2023, p. 123

[7] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 6.2; and State of Victoria, Ministerial Order No. 1359 – Implementing the Child Safe Standards – Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools and School Boarding Premises, cl. 10.2(d) & 10.2(e)

[8] State of Victoria, Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, April 2023, p. 122

[9] State of Victoria, Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, April 2023, p. 123

[10] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 2.4

[11] State of New South Wales, Office of the Children’s Guardian, Codes of Conduct: a guide to developing child safe Codes of Conduct, 2020, pp. 14-20

[12] State of New South Wales, Office of the Children’s Guardian, Codes of Conduct: a guide to developing child safe Codes of Conduct, 2020, pp. 14-20, 27-29

[13] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 2.6, 6.3, 7.1-7.2, 8.1, 11.5; and State of Victoria, Ministerial Order No. 1359 – Implementing the Child Safe Standards – Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools and School Boarding Premises, cl. 10.2(c), 10.4(a); and Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, Victoria, April 2023, p. 124

[14] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 8

[15] Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, Victoria, April 2023, p. 100

[16] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 2.2, 3.1, 3.4-3.6; and Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, Victoria, April 2023, pp. 61-62

[17] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 3.5-3.6

[18] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 8.4

[19] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 1.1-1.5

[20] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 5.1

[21] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 5.1, 5.3-5.4

[22] Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, Victoria, April 2023, pp. 99, 153

[23] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 4.1; and Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, Victoria, April 2023, pp. 78-79

[24] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 2.5, 9.1; and Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, Victoria, April 2023, pp. 164-173

[25] Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, Victoria, April 2023, pp. 99, 165

[26] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 3.4, 8.2

[27] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 8.3

[28] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 8.3

[29] State of Victoria, Ministerial Order No. 1359 – Implementing the Child Safe Standards – Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools and School Boarding Premises, cl. 5.2(c)

[30] State of Victoria, Victorian Government Gazette, G26, 1 July 2021, Child Safe Standard 6.4

[31] Commission for Children and Young People, A guide for creating a Child Safe Organisation, Victoria, April 2023, p. 116

[32] Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic), s. 3

[33] Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic), s. 16K

[34] Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic), s. 16M(1)(a)

[35] Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic), s. 16N(1)

[36] Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic), s. 16M(1)(b)

[37] Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic), s. 16N(3)