The state government has introduced landmark legislation to overhaul the child safety system.
The Social Services Regular will be expanded to bring the Working with Children Check (WWCC), Reportable Conduct Scheme and Child Safe Standards under one roof by early 2026.
The regulator will have the authority to act swiftly and decisively and the power to immediately re-assess, refuse, suspend or revoke a WWCC when credible information is received.
This will be backed by a new Intelligence and Risk Assessment Unit, giving the Regulator access to evidence-based tools to assess risk and ensure consistent and robust decision making.
Mandatory child safety training and testing will be introduced for all WWCC applicants, and employers and volunteer organisations will be required to notify the Regulator when they engage a WWCC holder – ensuring real-time oversight and accountability.
In line with Recommendation 6.2 of the Rapid Review, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) will no longer review WWCC decisions. Instead, an expert panel with specialist skills will ensure decisions are made by those with the knowledge and experience to protect children.
The Rapid Review highlighted that children with disability may be at higher risk of abuse.
In addition to these reforms, the state government is bringing the Disability Services Commissioner, Victorian Disability Worker Commission and the Disability Worker Registration Board into the expanded Regulator.
A new complaints function will also be established, giving people with disabilities, other social service users and their families a clear, dedicated pathway to raise concerns.
“With the Working with Children Check, Reportable Conduct Scheme and Child Safety Standards operating side-by-side, the Social Services Regulator will have a wide lens over the sector and the ability to take immediate action to weed out predators,” Children and Disability Minister Lizzie Blandthorn said.
The state government is also building on the introduced legislation to create the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA), which will replace the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD); operating independently from the Department of Education as recommended by the Rapid Child Safety Review.
VECRA will be a nation-leading statutory authority that will begin operations on 1 January, led by a dedicated Early Childhood Regulator. It will more than double compliance checks across services, giving parents confidence that their children are safe and well-cared for.
The new regulator will also oversee the early childhood worker register established in July this year, which already includes more than 68,000 staff working in services that receive kindergarten funding.
All states and territories have agreed to reforms to the National Law that ensure the safety and quality of early childhood education across the country.
The Victorian government will put legislation into Parliament this week on behalf of the states and territories to reform the National Law – and the state government are also including additional powers that will apply only in Victoria, going further than the national agreement.
Changes to the National Law include:
– Introducing a statutory duty to make the safety, rights and best interests of children the paramount consideration for those who work in early childhood
– Mandatory child protection and safety training in all services
– Enhancing the regulatory tools available to address individual worker conduct
– Increasing penalties and extra powers for regulators to take action against providers
In addition to this, the additional powers in Victoria include increased penalties for large providers with 25 or more services, as well as a requirement that regulatory action taken by VECRA is transparent and visible for parents.
“The safety, welfare and wellbeing of our children continues to be a critical focus and we will not stop doing everything in our power to prevent harm to children,” Ms Blandthorn said.
