The Reportable Conduct Scheme (the Scheme) makes Western Australian children safer. The Scheme compels heads of organisations that exercise care, supervision or authority over children to notify allegations of, or convictions for, child abuse by their employees to the Ombudsman and then investigate these allegations. The Ombudsman will monitor, oversee and review these investigations.
The Scheme implements key recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and provides that child abuse in organisations will always be:
Consistent with the national approach, conduct covered by the Scheme in the first year will include:
After 12 months of the operation of the Scheme, conduct will also include:
The heads of organisations covered by the Scheme will be required to:
Organisations will also be required to have systems in place to enable them to better protect against, and respond to, reportable conduct.
The Ombudsman is working closely and cooperatively with stakeholders in key sectors and individual organisations included in the Scheme to provide education, advice and guidance to assist in building their capacity to meet their reporting obligations and comply with the Scheme. Comprehensive guidance materials to assist organisations will shortly be made available on the Ombudsman’s website.
If you have any questions about the Scheme, please contact us on 08 9220 7471 or email us at ReportableConduct@ombudsman.wa.gov.au