WA has new reporting laws aimed at eliminating child sexual abuse

Eight new mandatory reporter groups have been implemented as part of a staggered approach to addressing recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission).

Mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse in Western Australia has been expanded to include school counsellors and psychologists as part of new laws introduced by the West Australian State Government that came into effect on the first of May.

Over the next 12 months, mandatory reporter groups in Western Australia will be further expanded to include early childhood workers from November 2024 and youth justice workers from May 2025.

“The expansion of mandatory reporting means that more individuals who work with children will be obligated to report child sexual abuse,” Child Protection Minister Sabine Winton explained. 

“The safety of children must always come first and providing a legal requirement to report child sexual abuse removes any doubt regarding that obligation. The safety of children and young people is a shared responsibility.”

Staggered implementation of the new mandatory reporter groups commenced in 2022 to enable each new reporter group to receive the necessary training and support to understand their new legal obligations.

Failure to make a mandatory report is an offence with a maximum penalty of $6,000.

The Western Australian Government has invested $1.7 million to support expansion of mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse in Western Australia and a further $2 million to support compliance with mandatory reporting, with new enforcement powers in the Children and Community Services Act 2004.

For more information see here.