[{"document_url": "https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/childcare-news/victorian-educators-mandatory-to-report-child-abuse", "unformatted_src": "/templates/auschildnet/images/aussiechildcarenetwork.png", "src": "https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/templates/auschildnet/images/aussiechildcarenetwork.png", "formatted_filename": "aussiechildcarenetwork", "alt_text": "Aussie Childcare Network", "rendered_width": 390, "rendered_height": 67}, null, {"document_url": "https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/childcare-news/victorian-educators-mandatory-to-report-child-abuse", "unformatted_src": "/media/k2/items/cache/f59e5e3530c2c45e61d5a0c945f954cb_M.jpg", "src": "https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/media/k2/items/cache/f59e5e3530c2c45e61d5a0c945f954cb_M.jpg", "formatted_filename": "f e e c c e d a c f cb M", "alt_text": "Victorian Educators - Mandatory To Report Child Abuse"}, null, null]


Victorian Educators - Mandatory To Report Child Abuse 

It is now mandatory for Educators in Victoria to report suspicions of sexual abuse as part of Victoria's government's response to the child sex abuse royal commision.

As a mandatory reporter, if you believe on reasonable grounds that a child has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm as a result of physical injury or sexual abuse, you have a legal obligation to report.

For Victorian mandate reporters, it is a criminal offence failing to report any reasonable belief that a child under 16 has been sexually abused.

A ‘reasonable belief’ is not the same as having proof. A ‘reasonable belief’ is formed if a reasonable person in the same position would have formed the belief on the same grounds.

For example, a ‘reasonable belief’ might be formed when:

A person will not be guilty of the offence if he or she has a reasonable excuse for not disclosing the information. A reasonable excuse includes:

The maximum penalty for failing to disclose child sexual abuse is 3 years imprisonment.

The planned new rules on Educators and other people working with children are part of a raft of government responses to the federal government’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which was set-up in 2013 and published its final report in December 2017.

Towell, Noel and Cunnigham Melissa "Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting For Victorian Childcare Workers", The Age, 10th July 2018
"What Does Mandatory Reporting Mean For Early Child Care Workers", Meridian Lawyers Australia
"State Legislation and Reporting - Victoria", Child Wise
"Betrayal of Trust - Factsheet", Failure To Disclose, Victoria State Government

Last modified on Friday, July 13, 2018


More in this category: « Indigenous Language Song Competition For Children   ||   Product Safety Recall - ALDI Train Set and Sabiha Teething Products »