The National Office for Child Safety was established on 1 July 2018. The National Office sits within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and reports to the Prime Minister.
The National Office leads the development and implementation of national priorities recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission), including the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, Australian Government child safety policies (Commonwealth Child Safe Framework), a National Strategy to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse, and improvements to information to improve child safety. Key institutions which appeared before the Royal Commission also report annually in December on their progress in implementing Royal Commission recommendations.
- https://pmc.gov.au/domestic-policy/national-office-child-safety
- https://pmc.gov.au/domestic-policy/national-office-child-safety/national-principles-child-safe-organisations
Child Safe Sector Leadership Group
To inform the National Office’s approach to national initiatives, including the implementation of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and development of a National Strategy to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse, a Child Safe Sectors Leadership Group has been established.
As part of the Child Safe Organisations project, in 2017 the Australian Government asked the National Children’s Commissioner to lead the development of National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
The Australian Government also commissioned the Australian Human Rights Commission to develop practical tools to help organisations implement the National Principles.
The National Principles reflect the ten child safe standards recommended by the Royal Commission, with a broader scope that goes beyond child sexual abuse to cover other forms of harm to children and young people.
In June 2018, the Australian Government tabled its response to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. As one element of its response, the Australian Government established the National Office for Child Safety in July 2018. The key activities of the National Office include leading national coordination and implementation of the National Principles, working with the National Children’s Commissioner, states and territories and the non-government sector.
- https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/childrens-rights/projects/child-safe-organisations
- https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/childrens-rights
The eSafety Commissioner (eSafety) is Australia’s national independent regulator for online safety, leading and coordinating online safety efforts across government, industry and the community. eSafety investigates complaints about cyber bullying of children, image-based abuse and illegal online content, to help get the harmful content taken down from the internet. eSafety also provides online safety information and guidance through their website and offers educational resources and training to help parents and schools.
SNAICC (Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care) is the national voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. SNAICC – National Voice for our Children exists to see all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children thrive – growing up in nurturing environments, with loving and supporting families, adequate food and housing, and rich with our culture – to live their dreams.
The strategic focuses of SNAICC are to focus on being outcomes oriented, public facing, evidence based, collective, transformative, and sustainable.
SNAICC have been commissioned by the National office for Child Safety to engage in this work.
