Ms. Beard questions the delay in mandating child sexual abuse reporting for early childhood workers, referencing the Children and Community Services Amendment Act 2021 and recent allegations. The Attorney General responds by stating the government will legislate to give full effect to the recommendations of the national royal commission into child sexual abuse.

AnsweredQoN 824Legislative Assembly
Asked
8 November 2023
Portfolio
Attorney General

QuestionView source ↗

CHILD PROTECTION — MANDATORY REPORTING
824. Ms M. BEARD to the Attorney General:
I refer to the introduction of
mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse as part of the Children and Community
Services Amendment Act 2021 and disturbing allegations about a childcare centre
raised in the media recently.
(1) Given the
high level of contact and interaction with young children in early learning
centres, why are early childhood workers not being forced to report child
sexual abuse until November 2024, three years after the act was passed?
(2) Why are early childhood workers one of the last
cohorts to be required to report this abuse as part of these changes?

AnswerView source ↗

(1)–(2) The royal commission recently reported on the
requirement and the target of compulsory reporting of all child sexual
offences—all—and this government will be legislating to give
full effect to the recommendations of the
national royal commission into child sexual abuse. I can assure the member of
that.

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