Update to child protection reporting

Last published on 20 Jan 2020 

Expansion of mandatory reporter groups and greater protections for reporters.

From 1 March 2020 amendments to the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (Care Act) will commence to expand mandatory reporting groups and provide greater protections for reporters.

These amendments are part of the NSW Government’s Response to recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission).

What will change from 1 March 2020?

NSW mandatory reporter groups will expand to include:

• A person in religious ministry or a person providing religious-based activities to children (e.g. minister of religion, priest, deacon, pastor, rabbi, Salvation Army officer, church elder, religious brother or sister).
• Registered psychologists providing a professional service as a psychologist (whether or not exclusively to children).

Greater protections for reporters

The Care Act will be amended to expand protections for reporters. It will include specific protections for reporters who make a report in good faith, against civil liability, criminal liability or retribution. These protections apply to reports or complaints made about child abuse to any institution engaging in child-related work.

Support and assistance

For further information on these changes including how to make a report and the supports available, see Child Protection Reporting Overview of legislative amendments Factsheet.

If you have a specific question regarding the changes to the Care Act about reporting you can send an email to cpmandatoryreporting@facs.nsw.gov.au.