It is one of society’s great shames that our most vulnerable individuals are often open to abuse by those entrusted with their care. However, it is somewhat edifying to know that stringent legal and regulatory measures are in place in Australia to ensure that employers and others act quickly when allegations arise of abuse in […]
In the event of an allegation of child sexual abuse in the workplace, it is essential that immediate steps are taken to ensure the safety of any child allegedly involved. Following from this crucial first response, mandatory reports need to be made to the relevant statutory child protection authorities and subject to any police […]
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 […]
The thought that some of the most vulnerable in our society – the elderly – might be at risk of harm in residential aged care facilities is abhorrent. But even with the best of intentions and the proper guidelines in place, there is still potential for abuse and assault to occur. Abuse allegations in […]
If there’s one thing that’s been made clear from the recent Royal Commission, it’s that the protection of children and the reporting procedures around child abuse need to be improved. In August 2016, largely in response to the commission, the ACT Government passed legislation designed to cast a ‘wider net’ when it comes to the […]
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 […]
When vulnerable individuals in our society are subjected to abuse by their carers, our response as a community is understandably one of outrage. It seems beyond belief that this could happen. But the sad reality is that some individuals within aged care facilities, disability care contexts, at home or in childcare centres can face abuse […]
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. […]