Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: NSW releases fifth and final Annual Progress Report

13 Jan 2023

The Annual Report on Progress highlights the activity undertaken by the NSW Government to implement accepted recommendations of the Royal Commission and reflects the Government's ongoing commitment to keep children and young people safe. 

Since 2018, the NSW Government has implemented major reforms to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse and help support survivors.

Highlights in the 2022 Annual Report on Progress include: 

• The opening of a memorial at the former Parramatta Girls Home, which acknowledges the abuse and mistreatment of the former residents of this institution.
• Commencement of the NSW Child Safe Scheme, which requires child-related organisations in NSW to put the Royal Commission's ten Child Safe Standards into action to better prevent and respond to child abuse.
• Commencement of the Residential Care Workers Register to prevent unsuitable people from moving between residential care services.
• Prescribing more interstate agencies to allow NSW prescribed bodies to share relevant information about the safety, welfare and wellbeing of a child or young person with those agencies.
• Following extensive consultation, legislation was passed incorporating the SNAICC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle to be applied in decision making under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998.
• Other legislative changes to address recommendations of the Family is Culture Review of Aboriginal Children and Young People in Out-of-Home Care Report have been made, which will help improve responses to children and young people. 
• NSW worked with the Commonwealth, other states and territories to develop Action Plans to implement Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2021-2031. 
• NSW continued to work with other jurisdictions to progress implementation of the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030.
• A Child Safe Policy Framework (the Framework) to ensure the Royal Commission's recommended Child Safe Standards are fully addressed in Youth Justice policy and operations has been developed. The Framework identifies six goals for keeping young people safe from abuse in Youth Justice Centres.
• To further improve safety and security, body worn cameras were introduced for the Incident Response Teams at Cobham and Frank Baxter Youth Justice Centres in July 2022.
• Body x-ray scanners are now in use at Cobham and Reiby Youth Justice Centres, reducing the need for partially clothed searches. Scanners are installed at the four remaining Youth Justice Centres and the Children's Courts at Parramatta and Surry Hills. These body x-ray scanners will be operational at all eight sites by 31 December 2023.

Since the release of its response to the Royal Commission in 2018, the NSW Government has focused on delivering reforms to meet accepted recommendations of the Royal Commission. 

NSW has acted to prevent abuse and make child-related organisations safer for children and young people. We continue to improve the out-of-home care system and have expanded therapeutic services available for children and young people who display problematic or harmful sexual behaviour.

We have introduced tough new child sex abuse laws and made changes to our criminal justice system aimed at deterring and punishing perpetrators of child sexual abuse. The NSW Government also introduced legislative changes to make it easier for survivors to sue institutions responsible for child abuse, to name but a few reforms.

The NSW Government will remain committed to working with the Commonwealth and other states and territories to ensure access to redress and support through the National Redress Scheme. We will also continue to work with the Commonwealth and other states and territories to progress implementation of cross-jurisdictional initiatives and ensure the best possible outcomes for children and young people, survivors of child sexual assault and the NSW community.

The NSW Government will continue implementing its response to the Royal Commission's recommendations to ensure the best possible outcomes for children and young people, survivors of child sexual assault and the NSW community.

If you have any questions in relation to the Annual Report on Progress or the implementation of the NSW Government response to the Royal Commission's recommendations please email RoyalCommission-Implementation@facs.nsw.gov.au.