From 1 May 2020, Girl Guides Victoria is responsible to the Commission for Children and Young People under the Reportable Conduct Scheme.
What does this mean for Girl Guides Victoria?
The Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP) now oversee and support our investigations into allegations of reportable conduct towards a child to ensure that we are following the child safe standards and legislation in place to protect children.
What is reportable conduct?
Reportable conduct is when there is an allegation that a volunteer, employee, contractor, or office holder over 18 years of age has behaved in the following ways involving a child under 18 years of age:
- sexual offences (against, with, or in the presence of, a child)
- sexual misconduct (against, with, or in the presence of, a child)
- physical violence (against, with, or in the presence of, a child)
- behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm
- significant neglect
The Fact Sheets from the CCYP provide more detailed explanations of each of these behaviours. Read the CCYP Fact Sheets here.
Is this different to our existing Child Safe Framework?
Girl Guides Victoria welcomes the oversight and support of the Commission for Children and Young People to ensure that our procedures to prevent, investigate, and respond to allegations of misconduct are robust and that we follow them each and every time there is a concern about someone’s behaviour towards a child.
Each member of Girl Guides Victoria has the responsibility to make Girl Guides child safe by following the Child Safe Framework and speaking up when they see or hear something that isn’t child safe.
What do I need to do?
Continue to follow the Child Safety Process and most importantly, if you have a concern, make a child safe report.
There are resources and training available to help Girl Guides Victoria volunteers feel confident about keeping children safe.
- The Girl Guides Victoria Child Safe Framework
- Child Safe training through eGuiding. This training is automatically offered to new adult members. To access the course as a refresher please contact membership@guidesvic.org.au.
- Fact Sheets from the Commission for Children and Young People
- Information about the Child Safe Standards
Who can I speak to?
If you have a question or a concern about a child safe matter speak to your District or Region Manager, a Child Safe Officer (listed on the members section of our website), Linda Kors (State Commissioner), or Amy Timoshanko (Chief Executive Officer).