State requirements:
South Australia
Child Protection Training
In South Australia, child protection training revolves around understanding legislation like the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017. It involves recognising signs of abuse, fulfilling mandatory reporting obligations, and implementing intervention strategies. Professionals are required to undergo mandatory training to safeguard the welfare of children effectively.
SA Mandatory Reporter Requirements
- Persons in day-to-day charge and nominated supervisors required by law to complete a child protection course. It is best practice to complete CHCPRT025 OR CHCPRT026 for those persons in charge. At a minimum, all staff are required to complete refresher child protection training.
- 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 months.
Who is a Mandatory Notifier in SA?
Under the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 (Safety Act), the following people are mandated notifiers:
- Medical Practitioners
- Pharmacists
- Registered or enrolled nurses
- Dentists
- Psychologists
- Police officers
- Community corrections officers
- Social workers
- Ministers of religion
- Employees or volunteers in an organisation formed for religious or spiritual purposes
- Teachers employed to teach in a school, preschool or kindergarten
- Employees or volunteers in an organisation that provides health, welfare, education, sporting or recreational, child care or residential services wholly or partly for children, being a person who:
- Provides such services directly to children or young people
- Holds a management position in the organisation and supervises or has direct responsibility for providing those services to children and young people
An officer or employee of a prescribed organisation (Safety Act section 114) who holds a management position in the organisation and supervises or has direct responsibility for providing services to children
SA Legislation
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 to help you meet these requirements:
CHCPRT025 – Identify and report children and young people at risk
CHCPRT026 – Support the rights and safety of children and young people
This training will also help you meet the National Quality Standard:
EPEC Education offers a Short Online Refresher course which you can see by clicking on the below:
- Short Online Refresher Course
SA Training Recommendations
EPEC Education recommends that Mandatory Notifiers complete one or all of the below units, to meet their obligations:
- CHCPRT025 – Identify and report children and young people at risk
- CHCPRT025 – 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
