About Child Safe Standards
Victoria’s Child Safe Standards were put in place in 2016 to protect children and young people from harm and abuse.
On this page
- New regulatory framework
- Child Safe Standard regulators
- Child Safe Standards effective from 1 July 2022
- More information about the Child Safe Standards
Since their introduction, the Child Safe Standards (the Standards) have increased the safety of children and young people in organisations that provide services for them.
Changes have been made to the Standards to increase protection for children and young people and provide clarity for organisations that must comply with the Standards.
New regulatory framework
A new regulatory framework for the Child Safe Standards started on 1 January 2023.
The framework provides regulators of the Standards with:
- contemporary graduated monitoring and enforcement powers
- improved information sharing powers.
This aids regulators to respond to risks of child abuse and breaches of the Standards.
Child Safe Standard regulators
Open all
- Social Services Regulator
- A disability service provider within the meaning of the Disability Act 2006
- An applicable entity, other than a disability service provider within the meaning of the Disability Act 2006, that providers disability services
- An applicable entity that receives funding under a state contract to provide services in relation to family violence or sexual assault
- An applicable entity that receives funding under a state contract to provide support services for parents and families
- An applicable entity that receives funding under a state contract to provide housing services or other assistance to homeless persons
- An applicable entity that receives funding under a state contract to provide child protection services
- An out of home care service within the meaning of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
- An applicable entity that receives funding under a state contract to provide early therapeutic intervention specifically for children with a disability, additional needs or developmental delay
- Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.
- Department of Health
- A hospital listed in Schedule 1 to the Health Services Act 1988 as a public hospital
- A hospital listed in Schedule 2 to the Health Services Act 1988 as a denominational hospital
- An applicable entity that operates a private hospital within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1988
- A public health service within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1988
- An applicable entity that operates a day procedure centre within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1988
- A multipurpose service within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1988
- A registered community health centre within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1988
- A mental health service within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 2014
- An applicable entity that operates a Maternal and Child Health Centre
- An applicable entity that receives funding under a State contract to provide drug or alcohol treatment services
- Department of Education
- An approved provider of an approved education and care service within the meaning of the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) located in Victoria
- An approved provider of an approved children’s service within the meaning of the Children’s Services Act 1996.
- Wage Inspectorate Victoria
- An applicable entity that employs a child and that is required to hold a child employment permit under the Child Employment Act 2003 for that employment (or a licence from 1 July 2023)
- Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority
- An applicable entity that operates a registered school within the meaning of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006
- An applicable entity registered under Division 3 of Part 4.3 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 in respect of accredited senior secondary courses, registered senior secondary qualifications, accredited foundation secondary courses and registered foundation secondary qualifications
- An applicable entity that is approved, under section 4.5.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, to provide a specified course to students from overseas
- An applicable entity that is approved, under section 4.5A.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, as suitable to operate a student exchange program
- A relevant entity that is a provider of school boarding services at a registered school boarding premises within the meaning of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006
- A relevant entity referred to in item 7 or 8 of Schedule 1 of the amending Act that is a Registered Training Organisation within the meaning of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006.
- Commission for Children and Young People
The Commission is established in the Act as the default regulator where no other regulator is allocated. The following entities have not been allocated to another regulator and are therefore regulated by the Commission.
- An applicable entity that operates a school other than— (a) a registered school within the meaning of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006; or (b) a place at which home schooling takes place in accordance with a registration under section 4.3.9 of that Act (e.g. swimming schools, dance schools)
- A post-secondary education institution/provider, within the meaning of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, except for Registered Training Organisations within the meaning of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006
- An applicable entity that provides coaching or tuition services specifically for children
- An applicable entity that provides counselling or other support services specifically for children
- A youth organisation (for example, the Girl Guides and Boy Scouts)
- An applicable entity that provides cultural, sporting or recreational services specifically for children
- An applicable entity that provides gym or play facilities specifically for children
- An applicable entity that runs talent or beauty competitions in which children participate
- An applicable entity that provides overnight camps for children
- An applicable entity that provides photography services specifically for children
- An applicable entity that provides professional babysitting services
- An applicable entity that provides, on a publicly funded or commercial basis, a transport service specifically for children
- An applicable entity that provides entertainment and party services specifically for children
- An applicable entity that receives funding under a State contract to provide youth services
- A religious body within the meaning of section 81 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010
- A charity
- A non-profit body within the meaning of the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000
- A department within the meaning of the Public Administration Act 2004 (except the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing)
- An applicable entity that is constituted by or under any Act and that has functions of a public nature (e.g. Lifesaving Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria, Melbourne Museum, Melbourne Zoo)
- A council
Child Safe Standards effective from 1 July 2022
Eleven Standards replaced the previous seven and include requirements to:
- involve families and communities in organisations’ efforts to keep children and young people safe
- provide greater focus on safety for Aboriginal children and young people
- manage the risk of child abuse in online environments.
The new Standards provide greater clarity and practical steps for each Standard. They outline what action organisations need to take to keep children and young people safe.
If your organisation or group provides services or facilities for children or engages a child as a contractor, employee or volunteer, you have a legal obligation to comply with the Child Safe Standards.
More information about the Child Safe Standards
The Commission for Children and Young People (the Commission) is one of the Standards regulators. They have information about:
Funded agencies
Agencies funded by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing can find information about the Child Safe Standards on the Providers website.
Education
Visit Child Safe Standards for education providers.
Early childhood education and care
Updated 26 March 2026
Related links
About the VIC Government
- The Premier and ministers
- Find a Vic Gov department, agency or service
- Strategies and policies
- Inquiries and royal commissions
Grants and programs
Jobs and careers
Arts, culture and heritage
Business and the workplace
- Mentally Healthy Workplaces Framework
- Portable Long Service Authority
- Victoria’s racing industry
- Workforce Inspectorate Victoria
- Liquor licensing, sale and supply
Communities
- Children
- First Peoples - State Relations
- Finding records
- Gender equality & women’s leadership
- LGBTIQA+ equality
- Multicultural communities
- Seniors Online
- Veterans support and commemoration
- Volunteering in Victoria
- Youth Central
Education and training
- Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority
- Early childhood education – information for professionals
- Kinder: Best Start, Best Life
- Education – information for parents
- Schools.Vic - information for schools
- Education grants, programs, awards and events
- PROTECT
- TAFE, training and universities sector
- TAFE Victoria
- Victorian Skills Authority
- Apprenticeships Victoria
- Learn Local
Environment, water and energy
Finance and economy
Health and social support
- Family violence reform
- NDIS Worker Screening Check
- NDIS and disability services and support in Victoria
- Patient Review Panel
- Transforming Trauma Victoria
Housing and property
Law and justice
- Adoption
- Births, deaths and marriages
- Honorary justices
- Machete ban
- Safeguarding Victorians against terrorism
- Stolen Generations Reparations Package
- Victims of Crime
- Victorian Racing Tribunal
Safety and emergencies
- Emergency Recovery Victoria
- Victorian Emergency Relief and Recovery Foundation
- Emergency Recovery Resource Portal
- How well do you know fire
- Fire Services Reform
- Water safety
- Marine Search and Rescue
Science and technology
- Data sharing and open data
- Data.vic - discover and access Vic Gov open data
- Developer.Vic - portal for API developers
- Go.vic URL shortener
- Vic Gov IT project dashboard
- Victoria’s free public wi-fi network
- Cyber security in the Victorian Government
Sport and recreation
Traffic and transport
- Cameras Save Lives
- Transport Fines
- Getting Around
- Transport Planning
- Transport Future
- Climate Change and transport
- Future Directions For Transport
- Transport projects
- Ports and Freight
Working in the Victorian Government
- Single Digital Presence home
- Accommodation and Library Services
- Executive employment in the Victorian public sector
- Budget, procurement and funding
- Careers in the Victorian Government
- Council and Regulator Toolkit
- Guidelines for working in government
- Join a government network
- Standards and guidelines
- VicFleet CarPool
- Victorian Government style guide