New laws introduced to boost protection for Queensland’s children

Up to 40,000 organisations – including those in early childhood education and care (ECEC) – will have to meet new child safe standards under the Child Safe Organisations Bill which was recently passed by Parliament. 

 

The new legislation mandates child safe standards and introduces a reportable conduct scheme for organisations working with children, simplifies blue card requirements and strengthens eligibility assessments to work with children.

 

The blue card reforms mean more children will be able to be cared for by their families, supporting their connection to family, kin, community and culture, while the child safe standards will apply to a range of organisations including schools, ECEC, child protection and youth justice services, health and disability services, arts, and sport and recreation groups.

 

An integrated child-safe organisations system will be established under the Bill, made up of 10 new child safe standards and a nationally consistent reportable conduct scheme, which will be implemented by the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC).

 

QFCC will guide and support organisations to meet their new responsibilities and full implementation is expected by July 2027.

 

“Queensland’s blue card system is one of the strongest in the country and these new laws will help better protect children and sustain trust in the system,” Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Yvette D’Ath said. 

 

“The new laws also support the implementation of several recommendations from the QFCC report on the blue card review,” she continued.

 

“We have prioritised the delivery of these recommendations in consultation with stakeholders and a dedicated implementation group made up of government and non-government agencies.”

 

Relevant organisations will also be required to comply with a Universal Principle to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with environments that promote and uphold their right to cultural safety. 

 

Specifically, the Bill will remove the requirement for kinship carers and their adult household members to hold a blue card before being approved to care for children who are kin, which will hopefully allow more First Nations children to be cared for by their families, supporting their connection to family, kin, community and culture.

 

Kinship carers and adult members of their household will still need a blue card while a new, fit-for-purpose screening framework is designed.

 

The Queensland Parliament has also passed the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024.

 

This Bill will put in place the recommendations from two QFCC reports, The new laws will also enable a blue card to be suspended if there is a risk to a child while an assessment is underway.

 

“Queensland children deserve every protection from child abuse and exploitation, and I am so incredibly pleased to see Queensland legislate a child-safe organisations system,” Queensland Family and Child Commission principal commissioner Luke Twyford said.