With the conclusion of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australian organisations are now on notice in relation to their ongoing child protection reporting obligations. Mandatory reporting of particular conduct or convictions is a strong means of ensuring that those who care for the most vulnerable in our community, do […]
No employer likes to think that one of their staff members might deal inappropriately with a client, or even could possibly commit a criminal act. But all employers need to be aware of the potential for professional boundaries to be crossed in these ways. This is particularly important for organisations that work directly with […]
A wrap-up of the Children, Justice and Communication Conference at Portsmouth University, May 2017. Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Children, Justice and Communication Conference at Portsmouth in the UK. The conference is hosted by some of the world’s leading academics and practitioners working in the areas of child sexual exploitation, […]
Every year billions of Australian dollars are provided to fund aid projects overseas. The money is targeted to assist developing countries with education, housing, health and community projects. Naturally children are a prime target group for these aid programs. The majority of these organisations are funded by the Australian public via donations and government funding […]
As the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has painfully revealed, our most trusted institutions have at times mishandled some of the worst cases of child abuse imaginable. It is becoming clear to us as a nation that the trust given by children and other vulnerable people to individuals in positions of […]
There is no doubt that the sobering outcomes of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Sexual Abuse have caused Australian organisations to take stock of their child protection strategies. Investigating and preventing abuse in care has become a non-negotiable priority issue for many citizens and institutions across the nation. So what is the current […]
Volunteer organisations have a special place in the heart of every community. The vital work that they carry out most often involves providing assistance to those who are in need. Issues of poverty, homelessness, abuse, infirmity and mental illness are just some of the challenging aspects within the day-to-day operations of many volunteer groups. Volunteering […]
Child protection and child abuse are issues of such a serious nature that they’re currently the subject of their own Royal Commission. But a recent decision of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) seems to fly in the face of the Royal Commission’s recommendations, as well as the advances in reportable conduct legislation in NSW. […]
Jill McMahon – Wednesday, March 23, 2016 This month the NSW Ombudsman hosted a forum reflecting on the past 16 years of Reportable Conduct legislation in NSW. With over 800 attendees, the gathering represented an exceptional group of people with a wealth of expertise in this sensitive and tricky area. Key messages from the […]
A recent decision of the Victorian Supreme Court in the case of a Melbourne teacher who was sacked for having a relationship with a student after she left school raises some serious questions about child protection, and shows how discrimination laws worked against a school that was acting to enforce child protection principles. […]