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Identify student-to-student abuse

Guidance for identifying child abuse by another student in the school.

Schools

As soon as you believe that a student has been, or is at risk of being abused by another student, you must act.

4 CRITICAL ACTIONS

⬣ Identify ▲ Report ● Support ■ Refer

The steps you take depend on the source of abuse. If you selected the wrong source, go to determine the source.

On this page

Content warning: This page includes descriptions of abuse and may be distressing to read. Information on how to access support for any issues it may raise for you is available at wellbeing support for school staff.

Note: This page is for non-family violence incidents. When student-to-student abuse is defined as family violence (intimate partner relationships and siblings), see identify abuse in the family.

Identify student-to-student abuse

As a school staff member, you may be the only adult in a position to identify student-to-student child abuse.

Student-to-student abuse can take many forms:

There are other ways that a child can experience abuse, including crimes related to exposure to violent extremism.

Multiple types of abuse can occur at the same time.

See types of child abuse and what to look for.

How to identify abuse

You can identify student-to-student child abuse in many ways. You can:

Often, physical or behavioural signs may be the only indication that a child is being abused. It is critical that you can recognise these signs. There are signs to look out for in both students who are victim of abuse and students who are committing abuse.

See types of child abuse and what to look for.

If you form a reasonable belief of student-to-student abuse, continue the 4 Critical Actions. Start by making a report to Victoria Police, if you believe a crime against a child has been committed.

Other actions you can take

You only need to collect enough information to form a reasonable belief or inform your next steps. Collect information in a safe, reasonable and appropriate way.

For example, do not do anything that increases the risk to the student’s safety or wellbeing, and do not do anything that may compromise a police investigation.

You can use this information to:

Open all

Engage school staff with information sharing responsibilities to request information from other ISEs.

ISEs include services that work with children, young people and families, such as:

If you are not already aware of services the child is connected to, engage school staff who are Child Link Users. They can access Child Link to review the child’s participation in key early childhood and education services.

Child Link can also show key family relationships and whether the child or their sibling has a past or current child protection order. This information helps you recognise which ISEs are best to contact.

To share information safely and appropriately, follow the guidance at staff who use CISS and FVISS.

To access and use Child Link safely and appropriately, follow the guidance at Child Link.

Ask for advice for matters involving harmful sexual behaviour

If you need advice about harmful sexual behaviour, contact your local sexual assault or harmful sexual behaviour service.

They will provide advice and support to help manage incidents between students.

Next steps

Continue the 4 Critical Actions

If you identify student-to-student abuse, including harmful sexual behaviour, continue to report.

⬣ Identify ▲ Report ● Support ■ Refer

To identify abuse from a different source, see:

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Updated 1 April 2026

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Throughout the 4 Critical Actions, you must:

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