All organisations in Victoria that provide services or facilities for children are required to comply with Child Safe Standards, to ensure that the safety of children is promoted, child abuse is prevented, and allegations of child abuse are properly responded to.

The Child Safe Standards are minimum compulsory standards for all organisations that interact with children and young people. The Standards aim to prevent abuse through a focus on cultural change and help to protect children from the risks of abuse.

On 1 July 2021 the Victorian Government announced new Child Safe Standards to more closely align with the National Child Safe Principles.

The New Standards come into effect on 1 July 2022.

Contact the Commission for Children and Young People for more information and to view the new Standards, or email

The Commission for Children and Young People is the independent statutory body who oversees the Victorian Child Safe Standards and the National Redress Scheme.

Commission for Children and Young People promotes development of and improvement to policies and practices to protect children and young people from harm. They have a range of free resources available to support community sport and recreation clubs.

Vicsport is the peak body for sport and active recreation in the Victoria. They work closely with the Victorian Government to promote sport and active recreation, and support the sector across a range of areas including:

• participation
• industry development
• advocacy
• safe, fair and inclusive sport.

Vicsport are experts in child safe sport. Their Child Safety in Sport webpage offers a huge number of resources designed for use by clubs, associations, leagues, state sport associations, regional sports assemblies, local governments and other sport or recreation organisations.

Vicsport also provide a Child Safe Sport Help Desk that can be utilised by sport and recreation organisations for support in any child safe related matter.

Vicsport Child Safe Help Desk

• p: 03) 9698 8100
• e: admin@vicsport.com.au

Sport Integirty Australia was established on 1 July 2020 to protect all aspects of Australian sport. They provide a range of information including policies, resources, education and support services, including assistance with issues regarding the safeguarding of children.

Sport Integrity Australia are committed to embedding child safety measures across all levels of sport, from grassroots through to high performance. Their National Integrity Framework highlights safeguarding children as a key priority and outlines the zero tolerance approach for any behaviour that puts the wellbeing of children and young people at risk.

Play by the Rules is a free online platform that provides information, resources, tools and free online training to increase the capacity and capability of all people involved in community sport.

Play by the Rules focusses on preventing and dealing with discrimination, harassment, child safety, inclusion and integrity issues in sport.

Play by the Rules offers a free and interactive online Child Protection Course for players, volunteers, officials, coaches and administrators of sport. The course provides information on child protection laws, how the laws apply to sporting organisations and individuals, where, when and how to report incidents and how to establish welcoming and inclusive child safe environments.

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing has two distinct roles in relation to the Child Safe Standards. It is both an entity that must comply with the Standards and a regulator that supports department funded and/or regulated organisations to comply with the Standards.

The Working with Children Check was introduced in 2006 by the Victorian Government to help protect children under 18 years of age from physical or sexual harm by preventing those who pose a risk to their safety from working with them. The program is managed by the Department of Justice and Community Safety. The Working with Children Check enforces a mandatory minimum checking standard for people who work with children in either a paid or volunteer capacity.

• Current Victorian Child Safe Standards
• New Child Safe Standards (from 1 July 2022)
• Commission for Children and Young People
• Vicsport
• Play by the Rules
• Sport Integrity Australia
• Australian Government - National Office for Child Safety
• National Redress Scheme
• Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
• Working with Children Checks or the Department of Justice and Community Safety