Child safe standards and reportable conduct by state

Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. Each row is checked against the state or territory source linked in it, on 9 November 2026. Child safety law is changing quickly; confirm with the body named before relying on a date.

Quick answer

Every state except the Northern Territory now has a legislated child safe scheme that applies to childcare, on top of the National Law. NSW (Child Safe Scheme), Victoria (11 Child Safe Standards), Queensland (10 standards from 1 January 2026), Tasmania (Child and Youth Safe Standards from 1 January 2024) and the ACT (from 1 August 2024) have binding standards; South Australia requires a child safe environments policy and a compliance statement lodged with DHS; WA is building an oversight scheme under the Ombudsman. Reportable conduct schemes now operate in every state and the ACT. Nationally, the 2026 NQF changes (child safety training, the inappropriate conduct offence and the personal device rules) apply everywhere.

A one-page map of the child safe standards and reportable conduct scheme in each state and territory, who oversees them, and where to find the detail.

State and territory summary

Jurisdiction	Child safe standards for childcare	Reportable conduct
NSW	Child Safe Scheme: 10 Child Safe Standards. See the NSW guide	Office of the Children’s Guardian
Victoria	11 Child Safe Standards since 1 July 2022; administered by the Social Services Regulator since February 2026, enforced for early childhood services by VECRA. See the Victorian guide	Social Services Regulator (since February 2026)
Queensland	Child Safe Organisations Act 2024: 10 standards and the universal principle, applying to early childhood services from 1 January 2026. See the Queensland guide	Queensland Family and Child Commission, from 1 July 2026
Tasmania	Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023: Child and Youth Safe Standards and a universal principle; the framework took effect on 1 January 2024, overseen by the Independent Regulator (OIR, Tas Government)	Independent Regulator, from 1 January 2024 (DRC progress report)
ACT	ACT Child Safe Standards Scheme under the Human Rights Commission Act 2005, reflecting the National Principles, mandatory from 1 August 2024 (ACT Human Rights Commission)	ACT Ombudsman; covers education and care providers including after school care (ACT Ombudsman)
South Australia	Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017: a child safe environments policy (s 114), reviewed at least every 5 years (s 115), and a compliance statement lodged with the Department of Human Services (Education Standards Board; DHS)	Check with SA authorities; not covered here
Western Australia	In October 2025 the Ombudsman was announced as the independent oversight body for child safe standards based on the National Principles, and is developing the scheme (Ombudsman WA)	Ombudsman WA, since 1 January 2023; covers approved education and care and family day care services (Ombudsman WA)
Northern Territory	No territory child safe standards scheme identified; the National Principles are the benchmark	Not yet legislated; further work required (DRC progress report 2025)

What applies everywhere under the National Law

A child safe environment policy under regulation 168(2)(h). See the child safe environment policy.
Child protection and child safety training for staff and volunteers. See child protection requirements.
The inappropriate conduct offence in section 166A from 27 February 2026, and the personal device rules (ACECQA information sheets). See the 2026 child safety reforms.
Notifying the education and care regulator of serious incidents and allegations of abuse. See serious incident notification.

If you operate in more than one state

Keep one national child safe policy and add a short state annex for each jurisdiction’s standards, regulator and reportable conduct deadlines.
Name a “head” for reportable conduct in each state where a scheme applies, and train them on that state’s notification timeframe.
Track renewals and lodgements, such as South Australia’s compliance statement after each policy review.

Frequently asked questions

Which states have child safe standards for childcare?

NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT have legislated child safe standards that apply to childcare. South Australia requires a child safe environments policy and a compliance statement lodged with DHS. Western Australia is developing an oversight scheme under the Ombudsman.

Which states have a reportable conduct scheme covering childcare?

NSW, Victoria, Queensland (from 1 July 2026), Western Australia, Tasmania and the ACT. The Northern Territory has not yet legislated one.

Do the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations apply to childcare?

They are not directly enforceable under the National Law, but state schemes are built on them, and South Australian child safe policies must align with them.

What must South Australian childcare services lodge?

A child safe environments compliance statement with the Department of Human Services, setting out their child safe environment policies, which must be reviewed at least every 5 years.

Ask the question in your own words

WIDEN Law answers National Quality Framework questions with inline citations to the National Law, the Regulations and the NQS, so you can check the source provision yourself.

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This page is a research summary, not legal or compliance advice. It is written in our own words from the sources linked on the page; confirm the position with your regulatory authority before relying on it for a compliance decision.