Victorian Current Acts

CHILD WELLBEING AND SAFETY ACT 2005

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

   PART 1--PRELIMINARY

   1.      Purposes  
   2.      Commencement  
   3.      Definitions  

   PART 2--PRINCIPLES FOR CHILDREN

   4.      Principles are for guidance  
   5.      Principles for children  
   5A.     Principles for compliance with Child Safe Standards  

   PART 3--CHILD WELLBEING AND SAFETY

   6.      The role of the Minister  
   7.      Role of the Secretary in relation to Aboriginal communities  

   PART 4--VICTORIAN CHILDREN'S COUNCIL

   8.      Establishment of Victorian Children's Council  
   9.      Constitution of Council  
   10.     Functions of the Council  
   11.     Sub-committees  
   12.     Procedure of the Council  

   PART 5--CHILDREN'S SERVICES CO‑ORDINATION BOARD

   13.     Establishment of Children's Services Co-ordination Board  
   14.     Constitution of Board  
   15.     Functions of the Board  
   16.     Procedure of the Board  

   PART 5A--REPORTABLE CONDUCT SCHEME

   16A.    Definition  
   16B.    Principles  
   16C.    Application of reportable conduct scheme  
   16D.    Administration, oversight and monitoring of scheme  
   16E.    Avoiding unnecessary duplication  
   16F.    Objectives of Commission under this Part  
   16G.    Functions of Commission under this Part  
   16H.    Powers of the Commission  
   16I.    Exemption by Commission  
   16J.    Exemption from whole of scheme  
   16K.    Head of entity to have systems in place  
   16L.    Disclosure to Commission of reportable allegation  
   16M.    Head of entity to notify Commission of reportable allegation  
   16N.    Head of entity to respond to reportable allegation  
   16O.    Commission may investigate reportable allegation  
   16P.    Commission may visit entity  
   16Q.    Commission may interview employee  
   16R.    Commission may interview child  
   16S.    Commission may interview employee subject of reportable allegation  
   16T.    Commission may obtain information from Victoria Police  
   16U.    Victoria Police investigation has priority  
   16V.    Commission may request regulator to investigate or provide information and documents  
   16W.    Commission may monitor regulator's investigation  
   16X.    Regulator may disclose information or documents to Commission  
   16Y.    Disclosure of information or documents  
   16Z.    Protection against self-incrimination  
   16ZA.   Assistance to be provided  
   16ZB.   Disclosure of information about investigations to children, parents and carers  
   16ZC.   Disclosure of information to the Commission, the head of an entity, a regulator, Victoria Police and others  
   16ZD.   Commission to notify Secretary after finding of reportable conduct  
   16ZE.   Prohibition on publishing certain information  
   16ZF.   False or misleading information  
   16ZG.   Notice to produce  
   16ZH.   Application for declaration and order that entity pay a civil penalty  
   16ZI.   Internal review  
   16ZJ.   Review by VCAT  
   16ZJA.  Delegation  
   16ZK.   Service of documents  
   16ZKA.  Power to bring a proceeding  
   16ZKB.  Time for commencing proceeding for offence against section 16M(4)  
   16ZL.   Annual reports and other reports  
   16ZM.   Giving a report to Parliament  
   16ZN.   Review of reportable conduct scheme after 5 years of operation  

   PART 6--CHILD SAFE STANDARDS

           Division 1--Child Safe Standards

   17.     Minister may make Child Safe Standards  
   19.     Schedule 1 entities must comply with Child Safe Standards  
   20.     Prescribed applicable entity must comply with Child Safe Standards  
   21.     Applicable entity belonging to a prescribed class must comply with Child Safe Standards  
   22.     Exemption from requirement to comply with Child Safe Standards  
   23.     Application of Child Safe Standards to businesses not carried on by certain entities  
   23A.    Compliance with Child Safe Standards generally  

           Division 2--The Commission

   24.     Objectives of Commission  
   25.     Functions and powers of the Commission  
   25A.    Guidance notes on Child Safe Standards  

           Division 2A--Sector regulators and integrated sector regulators

   25B.    Sector regulators  
   25C.    Multiple sector regulators or integrated sector regulators  
   25D.    Functions and powers of sector regulators  
   25E.    Delegation by certain sector regulators  
   25F.    Integrated sector regulators  
   25G.    Functions and powers of integrated sector regulators  
   25H.    Delegation by certain integrated sector regulators  

           Division 3--Monitoring and enforcement of compliance with the Child Safe Standards

   26.     Sector regulator may authorise persons to assist  
   27.     Appointment of authorised officers  
   28.     Identity cards  
   29.     Production of identity card  
   29A.    Powers of authorised officers to enter premises  
   29B.    Notice required for entry with consent  
   29C.    Powers after entry and consent  
   29D.    Acknowledgement of document or thing seized during entry with consent  
   29E.    Application for warrant  
   29F.    Entry under warrant  
   29G.    Powers after entry under warrant  
   29H.    Failure to provide assistance  
   29I.    Powers after entry without consent or warrant  
   29J.    Acknowledgment of seizure during entry without consent  
   29K.    Failure to provide assistance  
   29L.    Authorised officer may interview child  
   29M.    Affidavits  
   29N.    Seizure of documents and things  
   29O.    Destruction of seized document or thing  
   29P.    Offence to obstruct authorised officer  
   29Q.    Offence to impersonate authorised officer  
   29R.    Complaints  
   29S.    Power to bring proceedings  
   30.     Notice to produce  
   31.     Notice to comply  
   32.     False or misleading information  
   32A.    Criminal liability of officers of relevant entities—failure to exercise due diligence  
   32B.    Immunity  
   32C.    Nomination of proper defendant  
   33.     Application to court  
   34.     Civil penalty  
   34A.    Injunctions  
   34B.    Interim injunctions  
   34C.    Adverse publicity orders  
   34D.    Offence to fail to comply with notice to produce or notice to comply  
   34E.    Pending criminal or civil proceedings  
   35.     Reasonable excuse  
   36.     Assistance to be provided  
   36A.    Official warnings  
   36B.    Infringement notices  
   36C.    Enforceable undertakings  
   36D.    Sector regulators must maintain register of undertakings  
   36E.    No proceedings while enforceable undertaking in force  
   36F.    Proceedings following withdrawal of enforceable undertaking  
   36G.    No further proceedings if enforceable undertaking complied with  
   36H.    Enforcement of undertakings  
   36I.    Sector regulator may publish details of non-compliance  
   39.     Service of documents under Part 6  

           Division 4--Information collection, use and disclosure powers of Commission, sector regulators and integrated sector regulators

   40.     Definitions  
   40A.    Request by relevant person for information or documents  
   40B.    Notice of use of information or document  
   41.     Matters relevant to disclosures of information or documents  
   41A.    Disclosures made in good faith  
   41B.    Disclosure for purposes of functions or powers permitted  
   41BA.   Disclosure to certain individuals permitted  
   41C.    Disclosure by relevant person of protected information to another relevant person  
   41D.    Disclosure to report concerns permitted  
   41E.    Disclosure to protect child permitted  
   41F.    Disclosure to court or tribunal permitted  
   41G.    Disclosure to obtain legal advice permitted  
   41H.    Disclosing information to other authorities  
   41HA.   Disclosure of protected information by relevant persons prohibited  

           Division 5--Review

   41I.    Internal review  
   41J.    Application to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal  

           Division 6--Reporting

   41K.    Report of compliance by relevant entities with Child Safe Standards  
   41KA.   Commission may request information for reports  
   41L.    Matters to be included in annual report must not include identifying information  
   41M.    Opportunity to respond to adverse comment or opinion in report  

           Division 7--Reporting to Parliament

   41N.    Application of Division  
   41O.    Giving the report to Parliament  

   PART 6A--INFORMATION SHARING

           Division 1--Preliminary

   41P.    Definitions  
   41Q.    Meaning of excluded information  
   41R.    Meaning of information sharing entity  
   41S.    Meaning of restricted information sharing entity  
   41T.    Application of this Part to courts and tribunals  
   41U.    Principles  

           Division 2--Information sharing

   41V.    Voluntary disclosure for wellbeing or safety of children  
   41W.    Request for confidential information for wellbeing or safety of children  
   41X.    Further disclosure of confidential information  
   41Y.    Voluntary disclosure to child or person with parental responsibility or with whom child is living  
   41Z.    Collection and use of confidential information  

           Division 3--Guidelines, protected disclosures and recording requirements

   41ZA.   Guidelines  
   41ZB.   Use and disclosure in good faith protected  
   41ZC.   Recording requirements  

           Division 4--Relationship of this Part with other Acts

   41ZD.   Information sharing entities under the Family Violence Protection Act 2008  
   41ZE.   Part does not affect handling of confidential information permitted by other Acts  
   41ZF.   Restrictions on access to confidential information  
   41ZG.   Application of Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 to certain information sharing entities and restricted information sharing entities  
   41ZH.   Information sharing entities and restricted information sharing entities authorised to disclose confidential information despite specified provisions  
   41ZI.   Disclosure of confidential information is not breach of Family Violence Protection Act 2008  
   41ZJ.   Disclosure of confidential information is not breach of Judicial Proceedings Reports Act 1958  

           Division 5--Offences

   41ZK.   Unauthorised use and disclosure of confidential information collected under this Part  
   41ZL.   Intentional or reckless unauthorised use and disclosure of confidential information  
   41ZM.   False claim that person is or represents an information sharing entity or a restricted information sharing entity  

           Division 6--Review

   41ZN.   Review of operation of Part within 2 years  
   41ZO.   Review of operation of Part within 5 years  

   PART 7--BIRTH NOTIFICATION

   42.     Application of Part  
   43.     Early notification of births  
   44.     How must the birth notice be given?  
   45.     What must be done once notice is received?  
   46.     Offence to fail to give notice  

   PART 7A--CHILD LINK REGISTER

           Division 1--Definitions

   46A.    Definitions  

           Division 2--The Child Link Register

   46B.    The Child Link Register  
   46C.    Secretary must create Child Link entry and allocate Child Link identifier  
   46D.    Particulars to be included in the Register  
   46E.    Secretary may decide not to record information on the Register  
   46F.    Entry in the Register for child who turns 18, leaves school or dies  

           Division 3--Secretary authorised to collect, use and disclose information for Register purposes

   46G.    Secretary authorised to collect, use and disclose information for purposes of establishing and maintaining the Register  
   46H.    Secretary authorised to collect and use information for purposes of data management  
   46I.    Disclosure of information to the Secretary  
   46J.    No consent required  

           Division 4--Access to Child Link Register and use and disclosure of information contained in the Register

   46K.    Who is a Child Link user?  
   46L.    Delegation  
   46M.    Child Link users may access and use confidential information in the Register  
   46N.    Secretary may remove Child Link user access to the Register  
   46O.    Use and disclosure of de-identified information derived from the Register  
   46P.    Restrictions on access to confidential information  
   46Q.    Person authorised to disclose confidential information despite specified provisions  
   46R.    Application of Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 to certain Child Link users  

           Division 5--Guidelines

   46S.    Guidelines  

           Division 6--Offences

   46T.    Unauthorised access to the Register  
   46U.    Access to the Register for unauthorised purpose  
   46V.    Unauthorised use and disclosure of confidential information contained in the Register  
   46W.    Intentional or reckless unauthorised use and disclosure of confidential information contained in the Register  

           Division 7--Review of operation of Part

   46X.    Review of operation of Part within 2 years  

           Division 8--Transitional provisions

   46Y.    Secretary may create entries in the Register  
   46Z.    Appointed days for application of section 46M and Schedule 6 to Child Link users  

   PART 7B--QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NURSES

   46ZAA.  Maternal and Child Health Centres  
   46ZAB.  State-wide telephone services  
   46ZAC.  Part not to affect employment contracts or workplace instruments  

   PART 8--GENERAL

           Division 1--Offences by bodies corporate

   46ZA.   Imputing conduct to bodies corporate  
   46ZB.   Criminal liability of officers of bodies corporate—accessorial liability  

           Division 2--Regulations

   46ZC.   Information sharing and Child Link regulation making power  
   46ZD.   Maternal and child health nurse regulation making power  
   46ZE.   Child Safe Standards regulation making power  
   47.     General regulation making power  

   PART 9--TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

           Division 1--Children Legislation Amendment (Reportable Conduct) Act 2017

   48.     Children Legislation Amendment (Reportable Conduct) Act 2017  

           Division 2--Children Legislation Amendment (Information Sharing) Act 2018

   49.     Children Legislation Amendment (Information Sharing) Act 2018  

           Division 3--Child Wellbeing and Safety (Child Safe Standards Compliance and Enforcement) Amendment Act 2021

   50.     Definitions  
   51.     Pending investigations  
   52.     Investigation of conduct before commencement day  
           SCHEDULE 1
           SCHEDULE 3
           SCHEDULE 4
           SCHEDULE 5
           SCHEDULE 6
           SCHEDULE 7
           ENDNOTES