Mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect
If you believe a child is in immediate danger call Police on 000.
If you require assistance or would like to talk to a trained professional about the issues described in this resource sheet, please call Kids Helpline (www.kidshelpline.com.au) on 1800 55 1800 or Lifeline (www.lifeline.org.au) on 13 11 14.
This resource sheet is provided as a guide only. It is up to date with current legislation at the time of publication. Because mandatory reporting laws may change after publication, individuals are encouraged to contact the relevant department or organisation to clarify requirements in their jurisdiction or in relation to legislation. For more information on how to report abuse and neglect, including contact details for government agencies, refer to the CFCA Resource Sheet Reporting abuse and neglect: Information for service providers.
We note that professionals in some occupations may also have duties to report child abuse according to occupational policy documents. These policy-based duties may either complement or add to a legislative duty applying to that occupation, or they may exist in the absence of a legislative duty. In all cases, professionals should be aware that both state/territory legislative and policy-based duties may exist and they should contact their relevant department or organisation to clarify any requirements.
Overview
Mandatory reporting laws require specified people to report designated types of child maltreatment to state or territory authorities. These laws also outline the circumstances under which a report must be made, including the level of certainty that activates the person’s duty to report.1
This resource sheet provides information on mandatory reporting laws in Australia generally as well as covering the mandatory reporting legislation for each Australian jurisdiction. It also provides answers to common questions about mandatory reporting.
Introduction
Mandatory reporting laws aim to identify cases of child abuse and neglect, and to facilitate the provision of assistance to the individual children in these cases (Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, [Royal Commission], 2017). They were first developed in response to the largely hidden nature of physical abuse of young children, with the purpose of bringing cases to the attention of child welfare agencies (Mathews, 2014a; Mathews 2014b; Mathews et al., 2020). Mandatory reporting laws set acceptable standards of behaviour for the community (Australian Law Reform Commission [ALRC], 2010), inform the policies and practices of child protection services, and make the protection of children from abuse and neglect a professional responsibility. Because of these characteristics, mandatory reporting laws, as discussed here, are part of child protection legislation.
Mandatory reporting laws require nominated individuals to report known or suspected cases of particular types of child abuse and neglect to government authorities. The laws nominate these individuals on the basis that their occupation requires them to deal with children in the course of their work and have professional training in domains related to child development, health and wellbeing. They are therefore well-placed to detect cases, or suspected cases, of child abuse and neglect (Mathews, 2014a; Mathews, 2014b; Mathews et al., 2020).
Each Australian state and territory has its own mandatory reporting law within its child protection legislation. The laws are not the same across all jurisdictions. Differences include: (1) who has to report; (2) what types of abuse and neglect have to be reported (and therefore what types do not have to be reported); (3) the threshold for reporting (i.e. having a concern, suspicion or belief on reasonable grounds); and (4) to whom a report is made. These differences are described and discussed in this resource sheet.
Common questions about mandatory reporting
What types of child abuse and neglect must be reported and under what circumstances?
This section provides a summary of the types of abuse and neglect that have to be reported. Specific details about reporting obligations for each jurisdiction can be found in the tables below.
Types of abuse and neglect that must be reported
There are some important differences in the types of abuse and neglect that must be reported across the states and territories. In New South Wales (NSW), the Northern Territory (NT) and Tasmania (Tas) it is mandatory to report all 5 recognised types of abuse and neglect: physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, neglect and exposure to family violence. In South Australia (SA) it is mandatory to report physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological/emotional abuse and neglect. In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Victoria (Vic) it is only mandatory to report physical abuse and sexual abuse.
Queensland (Qld) and Western Australia (WA) each have multiple Acts legislating mandatory reporting. The Acts for each state specify different mandatory reporters and different forms of abuse that must be reported. In Queensland, it is mandatory to report physical and sexual abuse. In WA, all mandatory reporters must report sexual abuse, and reporters mandated under the Family Court Act 1997 must report all 5 recognised types of abuse.
It is important to note that Victoria and Queensland include an additional clause that narrows when the duty to report applies: namely, the duty to report only applies when there is no protective parent available.
Extent of abuse or neglect that must be reported
Apart from sexual abuse, which must always be reported, the mandatory reporting duties do not require reports of any and all instances of harm. The laws are directed towards cases of significant harm and not to trivial incidents. This is why all jurisdictions specify the level of abuse that must be reported, using terms such as ‘significant harm’. The context and child’s situation matters when determining whether interaction(s) constitute abuse or neglect and if they reach the required level of severity (e.g. the child’s age, the number of times an incident has occurred and the severity of the acts).
Professional training materials should provide mandated reporters with further information about the types of cases that should and should not be reported in their jurisdiction. Mandated reporters can also seek advice about specific cases and the appropriate course of action from local specialist advisors at their organisation or the relevant child protection department. (Refer to Further reading and resources for links to further information/resources)
Individuals, whether mandated reporters or not, may also refer cases of child abuse and neglect that fall below statutory thresholds for mandatory reporting to child and family welfare agencies. These alternative reporting pathways are a form of ‘alternative response’, or ‘differential response’, intended to facilitate the provision of assistance to children and families in need (e.g. NSW s 27A).
Thresholds for reporting across different jurisdictions
Some jurisdictions require a report to be made when a mandated reporter has a ‘reasonable belief’ that the abuse has occurred or is occurring (ACT, NT, Tas, Vic, WA), and others use the term ‘reasonable suspicion’ (NSW, Qld, SA, Tas, WA).2 Technically, ‘belief’ requires a higher level of certainty than ‘suspicion’, although this is likely a distinction that does not and should not affect reporting in practice (Mathews, 2014b). No state or territory requires the reporter to be certain that the abuse or neglect has occurred.
All jurisdictions except the ACT also require reports of situations where the designated abuse has not yet occurred but is suspected to be likely to occur in future. While WA is included as a state where reporting of suspected risk is mandated, it only applies to those mandated under the Family Court Act 1997 and not under the Children and Community Services Act 2004. The differences in reporting requirements between the 2 Acts can be found below.
What protections are given to mandatory reporters?
The legislation in each jurisdiction outlines the protections that are given to mandated reporters. The 2 key protections are: confidentiality and immunity. The latter means that the reporter cannot be liable in civil, criminal or administrative proceedings in relation to the report.
How does mandatory reporting legislation define a child?
Legislation in the ACT, NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Tas and WA requires mandatory reporting in relation to all children or young people up to the age of 18 years. In Vic, the duty for mandatory reporting is in relation to all children up to the age of 17 years.
How does each type of mandatory reporting co-exist with other types of reporting laws?
The mandatory reporting duties for specified types of child maltreatment discussed here are found in child protection legislation in each jurisdiction. All mandatory reporting duties can be understood as the primary class of reporting duty. They are primarily directed towards identifying situations of significant child abuse and neglect by parents and adult caregivers in the home. Situations of sexual abuse by any person are also subsumed under these reporting duties. However, other types of reporting laws also exist, beyond those in child protection law, specifically in criminal law. This is briefly discussed below.
Criminal law reporting duties
Most states and territories (ACT, NSW, Qld, Tas, Vic) have criminal laws requiring all adults to report known child sexual offences (Mathews, 2021). NSW also includes child physical abuse in these criminal laws, while Tasmania includes serious offences related to physical assault and serious instances of neglect and ill-treatment. The criminal laws have slightly different rationales to the child protection-based laws, and their scope and details vary across jurisdictions but all require reports to be made to police.
There are also other types of reporting duties aimed at identifying and preventing institutional sexual abuse. These different duties are discussed elsewhere (Mathews, 2019).
It is important to note that this resource sheet focuses only on the mandatory reporting duties for child abuse and neglect as they appear in child protection legislation.
Which mandated reports can child protection agencies act on?
There is a common assumption that all situations reported under mandatory reporting laws will result in an intervention by government child protection services. However, this is not the case. Mandatory reporting laws define the types of situations that are required to be reported to statutory child protection services. Legislative grounds for government intervention define the circumstances and, importantly, the threshold, at which the statutory child protection service is legally able to intervene to protect a child.
As such, not all reports of child abuse and neglect made under mandatory reporting laws will lead to immediate action from child protection services. A single report may not meet the threshold for intervention. However, this report grouped with other information on file (or information that may be added later) may meet the threshold and result in action being taken. Reports are assessed but are not considered in isolation. Instead, they form a body of information that determines if and how child protection services are legally able to intervene.
Importantly, many reports that are made result in the provision of helpful information or services to the child and family, especially where the situation is not sufficiently serious to warrant more formal intervention.
Can voluntary reports about child abuse and neglect be made, even if not required by the legislation?
Any person is lawfully entitled to make a report if they are concerned for a child's welfare, even if they are not required to do so as a mandatory reporter. Anyone making a voluntary (non-mandated) report is also protected with regard to confidentiality and immunity from legal liability as outlined above.
Occupational policy-based duties
In addition to the mandatory reporting legislation, certain professional groups (such as psychologists) and government agencies (such as education departments) may have their own occupational reporting protocols or codes of conduct outlining the moral, ethical, professional or organisational responsibility to report. The Commonwealth Child Safe Framework also sets minimum standards for creating and maintaining child safe culture and practices in Australian Government entities.
These occupational policy-based reporting duties may be narrower, broader or the same as those officially mandated under legislation. It is important to note that occupational-related, policy-based reporting duties exist alongside, but do not replace, state and territory mandatory reporting legislation, which have primacy.
Mandatory reporting legislation
Commonwealth legislation
The Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) creates a mandatory reporting duty for specified personnel from the Family Court of Australia, the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, the Family Court of Western Australia and other designated practitioners.
| Legal provisions | Section 67ZA of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth). Version 10 June 2025. |
|---|---|
| Who is mandated to report? |
|
| What must be reported? | If the person has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a child has been abused, or is at risk of being abused, and this suspicion is developed in the course of performing their duties or functions, or exercising powers. |
| When the report must be made | As soon as practicable after forming the belief |
| Who mandatory reporters must report to | Prescribed child welfare authority |
| Abuse and neglect types that must be reported |
|
| Penalty for not reporting | Not specified by the Act |
State and territory legislation
Each state and territory’s child protection legislation sets out the key mandatory reporting duty applying to designated people in that jurisdiction. The following part sets out the various mandatory requirements for each Australian state and territory.
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
Further details and information about mandatory reporting can be obtained from the relevant statutory child protection authority in each jurisdiction. Contact and other details for each state and territory office, and advice about how to undertake a mandatory report, can be found in the CFCA Resource sheet: Reporting child abuse and neglect.
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory’s mandatory reporting laws cover an extensive list of professions, and the details of the reporting requirements are provided in the table below.
| Legal provisions | Section 356 of the Children and Young People Act 2008 (ACT). Version 16 November 2025. |
|---|---|
| Who is mandated to report? | A person who is:
|
| What must be reported? | A belief, on reasonable grounds, that a child or young person has experienced or is experiencing sexual abuse or non-accidental physical injury; and the reasons for the belief arise from information obtained by the person during the course of, or because of, the person’s work (whether paid or unpaid) |
| When the report must be made | As soon as practicable after forming the belief |
| Who mandatory reporters must report to | The director-general |
| Abuse and neglect types that must be reported |
|
| Penalty for not reporting | 50 penalty units, imprisonment for six months, or both |
New South Wales
New South Wales’ mandatory reporting laws cover an extensive list of professions, and the details of the reporting requirements are provided in the table below.
| Legal provisions | Sections 23, 27, and 154 of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW). Version 28 October 2025. |
|---|---|
| Who is mandated to report? |
Note: Children’s services means either or both of the following (subject to the regulations): (a) an education and care service within the meaning of the Children (Education and Care Services) National Law (NSW); (b) a State regulated education and care service within the meaning of the Children (Education and Care Services) Supplementary Provisions Act 2011. |
| What must be reported? | Reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is at risk of significant harm, and the grounds arise during the course of or from the person’s work or specified role (as a mandated reporter) Section 23(1) of the Child and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 states that a child or young person is at risk of significant harm if current concerns exist for the safety, welfare or well-being of the child or young person because of the presence, to a significant extent, of any one or more of the following circumstances: a. The child’s or young person’s basic physical or psychological needs are not being met or are at risk of not being met. b. The parents or other caregivers have not arranged and are unable or unwilling to arrange for the child or young person to receive necessary medical care. b1. In the case of a child or young person who is required to attend school in accordance with the Education Act 1990, the parents or other caregivers have not arranged and are unable or unwilling to arrange for the child or young person to receive an education in accordance with that Act. c. The child or young person has been, or is at risk of being, physically or sexually abused or ill-treated. d. The child or young person is living in a household where there have been incidents of domestic violence and, consequently, the child or young person is at risk of serious physical or psychological harm. e. A parent or other caregiver has behaved in such a way towards the child or young person that the child or young person is at risk of suffering serious psychological harm. f. The child was the subject of pre-natal report under section 25 of the Act and the birth mother did not engage successfully with support services to eliminate, or minimize to the lowest level reasonably practical, the risk factors that gave rise to the report. Additionally, section 154(2a) of the Child and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 states that:
Note: Physical or sexual abuse may include an assault and can exist despite the fact that consent has been given. |
| When the report must be made | As soon as practicable |
| Who mandatory reporters must report to | The Secretary |
| Abuse and neglect types that must be reported |
|
| Penalty for not reporting | Not specified in the Act |
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory’s mandatory reporting laws apply to any person, with additional provisions covering health practitioners. The details of these reporting requirements are provided in the table below.
| Legal provisions | Sections 15, 16 and 26 of the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 (NT). Version 25 March 2024. | Section 26(2) of the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 (NT). Version 25 March 2024. |
|---|---|---|
| Who is mandated to report? | Any person | A health practitioner or someone who performs work of a kind that is prescribed by regulation |
| What must be reported? | A belief on reasonable grounds that:
| A belief on reasonable grounds that a child aged 14 or 15 years has been or is likely to be a victim of a sexual offence, and the age difference between the child and offender is greater than 2 years |
| When the report must be made | As soon as possible after forming the belief | As soon as possible after forming the belief |
| Who mandatory reporters must report to | CEO of the department or a police officer | CEO of the department or a police officer |
| Abuse and neglect types that must be reported |
| Sexual abuse |
| Penalty for not reporting | Maximum penalty: 200 penalty units | Maximum penalty: 200 penalty units |
Queensland
| Legal provisions | Part 1AA, section 13F of the Child Protection Act 1999 (Qld). Version 1 January 2026. | Part 1AA, section 13E of the Child Protection Act 1999 (Qld). Version 1 January 2026. | Sections 364, 365, 365A, 366, 366A of the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld). Version 24 October 2025. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is mandated to report? |
|
| A staff member of State and non-State schools. |
| What must be reported? | A reasonable suspicion that a child in care (a child placed in the care of an entity conducting a departmental care service or a licensee) has suffered, is suffering, or is at unacceptable risk of suffering, significant harm caused by physical or sexual abuse. | A reasonable suspicion that a child has suffered, is suffering or is at an unacceptable risk of suffering, significant harm caused by physical or sexual abuse;
| Awareness or reasonable suspicion, formed in the course of the staff member’s employment at the school, that any of the following has been, or is likely to be, sexually abused by another person:
|
| When the report must be made | Not specific in the Act | Not specified in the Act | Immediately |
| Who mandatory reporters must report to | Chief executive | Chief executive |
|
| Abuse and neglect types that must be reported |
|
| Sexual abuse |
| Penalty for not reporting | Not specified in the Act | Not specified in the Act | Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units |
South Australia
| Legal provisions | Sections 17, 18, 30 and 31 of the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 (SA). Version 14 July 2025. |
|---|---|
| Who is mandated to report? |
Note: a person employed includes a person who is self-employed; carries out work under contract for services; undertakes practical training as part of an educational or vocational course; is a volunteer. |
| What must be reported? | Suspicion on reasonable grounds that a child or young person is, or may be, at risk; and the suspicion was formed in the course of the person's employment. Note: Section 18 states that a child or young person will be taken to be ‘at risk’ if:
Note: Section 17 defines ‘harm’ as: a reference to physical harm or psychological harm (whether caused by an act or omission) and, includes such harm caused by sexual, physical, mental, or emotional abuse or neglect. |
| When the report must be made | As soon as is reasonably practicable after forming the suspicion. |
| Who mandatory reporters must report to | Telephone notification to a telephone number determined by the Minister (note: this telephone line is currently known as the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL)), electronic notification to an electronic reporting system determined by the Minister; to a person of a class, or occupying a position of a class, specified by the Minister by notice in the Gazette; in any other manner set out in regulations for the purposes of this section. |
| Abuse and neglect types that must be reported |
|
| Penalty for not reporting | Maximum penalty: $10 000 |
Tasmania
| Legal provisions | Sections 3, 4 and 14 of the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1997 (Tas.). Version 1 July 2025. |
|---|---|
| Who is mandated to report? |
Note: Section 14(7) states that a member of the clergy cannot refuse to report on the grounds that the knowledge, belief or suspicion was formed as a consequence of information communicated during a religious confession. |
| What must be reported? | Belief or suspicion on reasonable grounds, formed in carrying out official duties or as soon as possible after the person forms the belief in the course of their work (whether paid or voluntary) that:
Note: Section 3(1) defines ‘abuse or neglect’ as:
|
| When the report must be made | As soon as practicable after the person forms the belief or suspicion or gains the knowledge |
| Who mandatory reporters must report to | Secretary or a Community-Based Intake Service |
| Abuse and neglect types that must be reported |
|
| Penalty for not reporting | Maximum penalty: fine not exceeding 20 penalty units |
Victoria
| Legal provisions | Sections 182(1), 184 and 162(1)(c)–(d) of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic.). Version 28 December 2025. |
|---|---|
| Who is mandated to report? |
|
| What must be reported? | Belief on reasonable grounds, formed in the course of practicing the person’s profession or carrying out the duties of their office, position or employment as set out in section 182, that a child is in need of protection on a ground referred to in section 162(1)(c) or 162(1)(d). Note: Section 162(1)(c) states that a child is in need of protection if: the child has suffered, or is likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of physical injury and the child’s parents have not protected, or are unlikely to protect, the child from harm of that type. Note: Section 162(1)(d) states that a child is in need of protection if: the child has suffered, or is likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of sexual abuse and the child’s parents have not protected, or are unlikely to protect, the child from harm of that type. |
| When the report must be made | As soon as practicable after forming the belief and after each occasion on which the person becomes aware of any further reasonable grounds for the belief |
| Who mandatory reporters must report to | The Secretary |
| Abuse and neglect types that must be reported |
|
| Penalty for not reporting | Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units |
Western Australia
| Legal provisions | Sections 124A and 124B of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 (WA). Version 18 December 2025. | Sections 5 and 160 of the Family Court Act 1997 (WA). Version 18 December 2025. |
|---|---|---|
| Who is mandated to report? |
|
|
| What must be reported? | Belief on reasonable grounds, formed in the course of the person’s work (whether paid or unpaid), that a child has been the subject of sexual abuse that has occurred or is ongoing. | Reasonable grounds, formed in the course of performing duties or functions, or exercising powers, for suspecting that a child has been, or is at risk of being “abused” (as defined in and for the purposes of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) s 67ZA, and as detailed below). Section 4 of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) defines “abuse” as: (a) an assault, including a sexual assault, of the child; or (b) a person (the first person) involving the child in a sexual activity with the first person or another person in which the child is used, directly or indirectly, as a sexual object by the first person or the other person, and where there is unequal power in the relationship between the child and the first person; or (c) causing the child to suffer serious psychological harm, including (but not limited to) when that harm is caused by the child being subjected to, or exposed to, family violence; or (d) serious neglect of the child. |
| When the report must be made | As soon as practicable after forming the belief | As soon as practicable |
| Who mandatory reporters must report to | The CEO or a person approved by the CEO; or a person who is a member of the class of persons approved by the CEO | The CEO |
| Abuse and neglect types that must be reported | Sexual abuse |
|
| Penalty for not reporting | A fine of $6,000 |
Further reading and resources
Other AIFS resources
- What is child abuse and neglect?
The purpose of this resource sheet is to provide practitioners, policy makers and researchers with a working definition of child abuse and neglect. It provides a general definition of child abuse and neglect and definitions of the 5 commonly regarded subtypes. - Responding to children and young people’s disclosures of abuse
This AIFS practice guide is a framework for responding to children and young people’s disclosures of abuse and maltreatment. It also outlines what is known about how, why and when children and young people are likely to disclose abuse and provides information to help individuals respond to these disclosures. - Reporting child abuse and neglect
This AIFS resource sheet provides information to service providers and practitioners working in the child, family and community welfare sector on how to report suspected child abuse and neglect. It defines child abuse and neglect and provides contact details for the reporting authority in each state and territory. - Risk and protective factors for child abuse and neglect
This AIFS policy and practice paper provides an overview of recent research evidence on the risk and protective factors for child abuse and neglect in families. It focuses on relevant Australian and international literature published from 2017 to 2025. The resource also discusses how knowledge of the risk and protective factors can inform practice for practitioners and other professionals working with children and families. - Preventing and reducing child maltreatment
This AIFS policy and practice paper outlines the research evidence on the effectiveness of parenting programs for preventing or reducing child maltreatment. - Australian child protection legislation
This resource sheet provides a brief overview of child protection legislation across state and territory jurisdictions in Australia.
Other organisations and websites
- Institute of Child Protection Studies
The Institute of Child Protection Studies at the Australian Catholic University aims to enhance outcomes for children, young people and families through quality research, evaluation, training and community education. Alongside their research work, they have resources, tools and training for professionals working with children. - National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN)
The NAPCAN website provides resources and information on the prevention of child abuse and neglect. - Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS)
The ACMS website provides research and information on the prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia. - Australian Centre for Child Protection (ACCP)
The ACCP is Australia’s premier research centre for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. - National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse: Minimum Practice Standards
The Minimum Practice Standards represent collective wisdom from national consultations on the minimum threshold that specialist and community support services should be attaining in responding to child sexual abuse. The standards are designed to guide service provision and can support or enhance work that may already be occurring in the sector. Services should be aware of and comply with any other relevant regulations or mandatory standards in their jurisdiction. - eSafety Commissioner
The eSafety Commissioner website provides a wealth of information and advice about how best to respond and where assistance is available for different kinds of circumstances that may involve violence and abuse (including abuse beyond child or sexual abuse).
References
Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC). (2010). Family violence: A national legal response. Canberra: ALRC.
Mathews, B. (2014a). Mandatory reporting laws and identification of child abuse and neglect: Consideration of differential maltreatment types, and a cross-jurisdictional analysis of child sexual abuse reports. Social Sciences, 3(3), 460–482.
Mathews, B. (2014b). Mandatory reporting laws for child sexual abuse in Australia: A legislative history. Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Mathews, B. (2019). A taxonomy of duties to report child sexual abuse: Legal developments offer new ways to facilitate disclosure. Child Abuse & Neglect, 88, 337–347.
Mathews, B., Bromfield, L., & Walsh, K. (2020). Comparing reports of child sexual and physical abuse using child welfare agency data in two jurisdictions with different mandatory reporting laws. Social Sciences, 9(5), 75.
Mathews, B. (2021). Duties to report child sexual offences: A new era in Australian criminal law. Canberra Law Review, 18(2), 54–81. www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/journals/CanLawRw//2021/13.html
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. (2017). Criminal justice report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Vol. 7). Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.
1 There are legal requirements for various professionals to report other child-related conditions to various authorities (i.e. certain diseases, the occurrence of injuries in children attending schools or child care and incidents of domestic violence related to adult victims). This resource sheet does not relate to those circumstances but is specific to the reporting of child abuse and neglect to government authorities.
2 WA uses ‘belief on reasonable grounds’ in the Children and Community Services Act 2004 and ‘reasonable grounds for suspecting’ in the Family Court Act 1997.
Authors and acknowledgements
This resource sheet was updated by Lisa Tamiakis, a Senior Research Officer with the Child Family Community Australia information exchange at the Australian Institute of Family Studies and Ben Mathews, Distinguished Professor in the QUT School of Law.
The 2023 version was authored by Kylie Butler, then a Research Officer with the Child Family Community Australia information exchange at the Australian Institute of Family Studies, and Ben Mathews, Professor in the QUT School of Law.
Previous editions of this resource sheet have been compiled by Ben Mathews, Nick Heyes, Joanne Commerford, Deborah Scott, Daryl Higgins, Leah Bromfield, Nick Richardson, Prue Holzer and Claire Berlyn.
Feature image: Bubble catcher, CC BY-SA 2.0.
21 April 2026