State requirements:
New South Wales
Child Protection Training
New South Wales has stringent requirements in relation to protecting and safeguarding the rights of children and young people.
NSW Mandatory Reporter Requirements
- Mandatory Reporters and Nominated Supervisors are required by law to complete a child protection course. Persons in charge are required by law to complete an approved course such as CHCPRT025, CHCPRT026. All staff are also required to complete refresher child protection training. In house training is not sufficient.
- All staff who work with children in an education and care service must be aware of child protection laws and reporting relevant to their state.
- It is best practice to complete refresher training for all staff every 12-24 months.
Who is a Mandatory Reporter in NSW?
- Health care — registered medical practitioners, specialists, enrolled and registered nurses, registered midwives, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, dentists and other allied health professionals working in sole practice or in public or private health practices.
- Welfare — registered psychologists, social workers, caseworkers and youth workers.
- Education — teachers, counsellors, principals,
- Children’s services — child care workers, family day carers and home-based carers.
- Residential services — refuge workers, community housing providers.
- Law enforcement — police.
- Disability services – disability support workers and personal care workers.
- A person in religious ministry or a person providing religion 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 to adults.
NSW Legislation
In NSW, nominated supervisors and persons in day-to-day charge must complete a child protection course approved by the NSW Regulatory Authority (s162A Education and Care Services National Law). In-house training is not sufficient.
Section 162A – Education and Care Services National Law Act:
- 162A The approved provider of an education and care service must ensure that each nominated supervisor and each person in day-to-day charge of the service has successfully completed the child protection training (if any) required by or under the law of this jurisdiction, a Government protocol applying to the approved provider in this jurisdiction or otherwise required by this jurisdiction. Persons in day-to-day charge and nominated supervisors to have child protection training.
Section 167 in the Education and Care Services National Law Act :
- The approved provider/nominated supervisor/family day care educator of an education and care service must ensure that every reasonable precaution is taken to protect children being educated and cared for by the service from harm and from any hazard likely to cause injury.
Regulation 84 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations:
The approved provider of an education and care service must ensure that nominated supervisors and staff members at the service who work with children are advised of—
(a) the existence and application of the current child protection law; and
(b) any obligations that they may have under that law.
EPEC Education provides the following approved courses:
- CHCPRT025 – Identify and report children and young people at risk
- CHCPRT026 – Support the rights and safety of children and young people
Compliance with s162A requires completion of one of these approved courses delivered by an accredited course provider. Section 162A does not require “refresher training”.
Services have ongoing responsibilities to ensure that the nominated supervisor and staff members at the service who work with children maintain up-to-date knowledge of child protection law (Reg 84).
Refresher training is relevant to demonstrate compliance with Reg 84 and Quality Area 2.
While s162A does not mandate an expiry period on child protection training courses or issued certificates, Reg 84 specifies that the approved provider must ensure that nominated supervisors and staff members (including educators) working with children are advised of the existence and application of the current child protection law; and any obligations that they may have under that law.
EPEC Education offers a Short Online Refresher course which you can see by clicking on the below:
- Short Online Refresher Course
Information gathered from “https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/working-in-early-childhood-education/child-protection-training-requirements”, accessed on 3rd August 2020.
NSW Training Recommendations
EPEC Education recommends that Mandatory reporters complete one or all of the below units, to meet their obligations:
- CHCPRT025 – Identify and report children and young people at risk
- CHCPRT026 – Support the rights and safety of children and young people
Once this training is completed, we recommend yearly refresher training through our Online Short Courses, to stay current and up to date with reporting obligations.
We recommend that all people working with children, even if they are not mandated to report, complete at least one short course focusing on child protection each year.
We currently offer:
Child Protection Short Online Refresher
Fundamentals of Supervision
