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CHILDREN'S GUARDIAN AMENDMENT (CHILD SAFE SCHEME) BILL 2021





                               New South Wales




Children's Guardian Amendment (Child Safe
Scheme) Bill 2021
Contents
                                                                             Page

             1   Name of Act                                                   2
             2   Commencement                                                  2
Schedule 1       Amendment of Children's Guardian Act 2019 No 25               3
I certify that this public bill, which originated in the Legislative Assembly, has finally passed
the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales.

                                                Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.
                                                Legislative Assembly,
                                                Sydney,                                   , 2021




                                    New South Wales




Children's Guardian Amendment (Child Safe
Scheme) Bill 2021

Act No        , 2021



An Act to amend the Children's Guardian Act 2019 to embed the Child Safe Standards as the
primary framework that guides child safe practice in organisations in New South Wales; and for
related purposes.




I have examined this bill and find it to correspond in all respects with the bill as finally
passed by both Houses.

                                                Assistant Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
Children's Guardian Amendment (Child Safe Scheme) Bill 2021 [NSW]




The Legislature of New South Wales enacts--
 1    Name of Act
             This Act is the Children's Guardian Amendment (Child Safe Scheme) Act 2021.
 2    Commencement
             This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation.




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Children's Guardian Amendment (Child Safe Scheme) Bill 2021 [NSW]
Schedule 1 Amendment of Children's Guardian Act 2019 No 25



Schedule 1             Amendment of Children's Guardian Act 2019
                       No 25
[1]   Section 6 Main object of Act
      Insert at the end of section 6(b)--
                           , and
                     (c) embedding the Child Safe Standards as the primary framework that
                           guides child safe practice in organisations in New South Wales.
[2]   Section 8 Guiding principles
      Omit section 8(e). Insert instead--
                   (e) in decision-making under this Act and the regulations in relation to an
                          Aboriginal child or a Torres Strait Islander child--
                           (i) the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child and Young Person
                                 Placement Principles set out in the Children and Young Persons
                                 (Care and Protection) Act 1998, section 13, and
                          (ii) the embedding of connection to family and community with the
                                 ultimate goal of the child feeling safe and secure in their identity,
                                 culture and community, and
                 (e1) in decision-making under this Act, respect for cultural and social
                          difference must be considered in the provision of child-related services,
                          and
[3]   Part 3A
      Insert after Part 3--

      Part 3A Child safe scheme
      Division 1          Preliminary
         8A   Objects of Part
                   The objects of this Part are for the Children's Guardian to protect children
                   from harm by--
                    (a) adopting the Child Safe Standards as the primary framework that guides
                         child safe practice, and
                   (b) implementing regulatory approaches that--
                          (i) improve systems for the prevention, identification, response to
                                and reporting of child abuse in child safe organisations through
                                the implementation of the Child Safe Standards, and
                         (ii) assist child safe organisations to implement the Child Safe
                                Standards by raising awareness and providing guidance, training
                                and education, and
                        (iii) monitor and report on the compliance of child safe organisations
                                with the Child Safe Standards, and
                        (iv) enforce compliance with the Child Safe Standards, and
                         (v) provide for the investigation of complaints about a child safe
                                organisation's--
                                (A) implementation of the Child Safe Standards, or
                                (B) compliance with the Child Safe Standards, or


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                                 (C)    compliance with recommendations contained in a
                                        monitoring assessment report, and
                          (vi)   establish child safe action plans with prescribed agencies, and
                         (vii)   provide for the ongoing exchange of information about risks to
                                 child safety in organisations between government agencies, both
                                 in New South Wales and in other States and Territories, with
                                 child safety responsibilities.
     8AA     Consistency with Royal Commission Report recommending the Child Safe
             Standards
             (1)   Implementation of the Child Safe Standards by child safe organisations is to
                   be consistent with Royal Commission recommendations.
             (2)   Where a Child Safe Standard can be implemented in more than 1 way,
                   implementation that most closely reflects the Royal Commission
                   recommendations is to be preferred.
     8AB     Ministerial guidelines
             (1)   The Minister may issue guidelines to the Children's Guardian about the way
                   the Children's Guardian is to--
                    (a) oversee the implementation of the Child Safe Standards by child safe
                         organisations,
                   (b) enforce the Child Safe Standards within child safe organisations,
                    (c) establish child safe action plans with prescribed agencies,
             (2)   Despite section 128(3), the Children's Guardian must, when exercising
                   functions concerning the Child Safe Standards, act in a way that is consistent
                   with guidelines issued by the Minister under subsection (1).
     8AC     Oversight by Committee on Children and Young People
             (1)   The Committee on Children and Young People has the following functions
                   under this Part--
                   (a) to monitor and review the functions of the Children's Guardian in--
                          (i) overseeing the implementation of the Child Safe Standards by
                                 child safe organisations,
                         (ii) the enforcement of the Child Safe Standards within child safe
                                 organisations,
                        (iii) establishing child safe action plans with prescribed agencies,
                   (b) to review the activities of the Children's Guardian for consistency with
                         the Royal Commission recommendations,
                   (c) to review guidelines issued by the Minister under section 8AB(1) for
                         consistency with the Royal Commission recommendations,
                   (d) to report to both Houses of Parliament, with such comments as it thinks
                         fit, on any matter which the Committee considers should be brought to
                         the attention of Parliament relating to the following--
                          (i) the exercise of the Children's Guardian's functions specified in
                                 paragraphs (a) and (b),
                         (ii) guidelines issued by the Minister under section 8AB(1).
             (2)   In this section--




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                    Committee on Children and Young People means the Parliamentary Joint
                    Committee constituted under section 36(1) of the Advocate for Children and
                    Young People Act 2014.
         8B   Definitions
                    In this Part--
                    child safe action plan--see section 8F.
                    monitoring assessment report means a report issued by the Children's
                    Guardian under section 8W.
                    prescribed agency--see section 8G.
                    related body, for a prescribed agency--see section 8H.
                    religious body has the same meaning as in section 15A.
                    Royal Commission recommendations means the Final Report
                    Recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to
                    Child Sexual Abuse.

      Division 2            Child Safe Standards
         8C   Meaning of "Child Safe Standards"
                    The Child Safe Standards are--
                     1. Child safety is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and
                         culture.
                     2. Children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
                     3. Families and communities are informed and involved.
                     4. Equity is upheld, and diverse needs are taken into account.
                     5. People working with children are suitable and supported.
                     6. Processes to respond to complaints of child abuse are child focused.
                     7. Staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep
                         children safe through continual education and training.
                     8. Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse to
                         occur.
                     9. Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed
                         and improved.
                    10. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe.
         8D   Systems, policies and processes
              (1)   The head of a child safe organisation must ensure the organisation implements
                    the Child Safe Standards through systems, policies and processes which may
                    include, but are not limited to, the following--
                     (a) a statement of the organisation's commitment to child safety,
                    (b) a child safe policy,
                     (c) a code of conduct applying to the following--
                            (i) employees,
                           (ii) management, however described,
                          (iii) contractors,
                          (iv) volunteers,
                    (d) a complaint management policy and procedure,


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                    (e)   a human resources policy,
                    (f)   a risk management plan.
              (2)   The head of a child safe organisation must ensure the organisation implements
                    a reportable conduct policy that addresses the matters in section 54(2).
              (3)   The head of a child safe organisation must ensure the systems, policies and
                    processes implemented by the organisation are continuously reviewed and
                    updated to reflect--
                    (a) the Child Safe Standards, and
                    (b) recommendations made to the organisation by the Children's Guardian
                          in--
                           (i) a monitoring assessment report under section 8W, or
                          (ii) an investigation report under section 8Z, and
                    (c) enforcement measures taken under Part 9A against the organisation by
                          the Children's Guardian.
         8E   Children's Guardian may require information about systems, policies and
              processes
              (1)   The Children's Guardian may, at any time by written notice, require the head
                    of a child safe organisation to give the Children's Guardian, within the
                    reasonable time stated in the notice but not less than 7 days, information about
                    the organisation's systems, policies and processes under section 8D.
              (2)   If the organisation does not, without reasonable excuse, give the Children's
                    Guardian the information required under subsection (1), the Children's
                    Guardian may--
                     (a) commence an investigation under Division 6, and
                    (b) publish the following on the Office of the Children's Guardian's
                           website--
                            (i) the name of the organisation,
                           (ii) that the organisation has failed to provide the information
                                 required by the Children's Guardian under this section.

      Division 3          Child safe action plans
         8F   Meaning of "child safe action plan"
                    A child safe action plan is a plan that contains the strategies a prescribed
                    agency will take, both in the services it provides and with related bodies, to--
                    (a) build awareness in the community about the importance of child safety
                          in child safe organisations, and
                    (b) build the capability of child safe organisations to implement the Child
                          Safe Standards, and
                    (c) improve the safety of children by implementing the Child Safe
                          Standards.
         8G   Meaning of "prescribed agency"
                    Prescribed agency means each of the following--
                    (a) the Department of Communities and Justice,
                    (b) the Office of Sport within the Department of Communities and Justice,
                    (c) the Department of Education,


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                    (d)    the NSW Education Standards Authority,
                    (f)    the Ministry of Health,
                    (g)    the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, limited to
                           functions undertaken by the Office of Local Government,
                    (h)    the Inspector of Custodial Services,
                     (i)   a NSW government agency prescribed by the regulations for the
                           purposes of this section.
         8H   Meaning of "related body"
                    Related body, for a prescribed agency, means a child safe organisation the
                    prescribed agency funds or regulates.
         8I   Prescribed agencies to develop and implement plans
              (1)   A prescribed agency must develop and implement a child safe action plan
                    within--
                    (a) 12 months of becoming a prescribed agency, or
                    (b) a longer period approved in writing by the Children's Guardian.
              (2)   A child safe action plan must cover the full scope of the agency's child related
                    operations unless--
                    (a) the Children's Guardian gives written approval for the agency to
                          develop and implement an additional plan for a specified area of
                          operations, and
                    (b) the additional plan addresses only the parts of the agency's operations
                          specified in the approval.
         8J   Consultation
                    In developing its child safe action plan, a prescribed agency must--
                     (a) consult with the Children's Guardian, and
                    (b) consult with related bodies and any other entity or individual who, in the
                          agency's opinion, is likely to be directly affected by the plan, and
                     (c) if the agency or related bodies provide services to Aboriginal children--
                          consult with 1 or more Aboriginal controlled entities of a class
                          prescribed by the regulations for this section.
         8K   Plans to be submitted
              (1)   A prescribed agency must submit its child safe action plan to the Children's
                    Guardian for review and approval.
              (2)   Following its review of an agency's plan, the Children's Guardian must--
                    (a) approve the plan, or
                    (b) provide comments to the agency recommending amendments to the
                          plan that the Children's Guardian considers necessary before it can be
                          approved.
              (3)   Following its review of an agency's plan, the Children's Guardian may report
                    publicly, whether by its annual report or another report, on the plan and its
                    implementation.




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         8L   Plans to be publicly available
              (1)   Following approval of a prescribed agency's child safe action plan, the agency
                    must make the plan publicly available--
                    (a) on the agency's website, and
                    (b) in another way prescribed by the regulations.
              (2)   The Children's Guardian may, on the Office of the Children's Guardian's
                    website, provide a link to an agency's child safe action plan.
         8M   Progress reports
              (1)   If required to do so by written notice from the Children's Guardian, a
                    prescribed agency must provide a progress report on the agency's
                    implementation of its child safe action plan.
              (2)   An agency's report is to include information that demonstrates how the agency
                    is working with related bodies to--
                     (a) build awareness in the community about the importance of child safety
                          in child safe organisations, and
                    (b) build the capability of related bodies to implement the Child Safe
                          Standards, and
                     (c) improve the safety of children by implementing the Child Safe
                          Standards by related bodies.
              (3)   A prescribed agency must provide its report to the Children's Guardian
                    within--
                    (a) 90 days of receiving the written notice, or
                    (b) a longer period approved in writing by the Children's Guardian.
         8N   Annual reporting
                    A prescribed agency must include in its annual report made under the Annual
                    Reports (Departments) Act 1985 or the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act
                    1984--
                    (a) a link to the agency's child safe action plan, and
                    (b) the agency's assessment of the effectiveness of the plan in promoting
                          and supporting the adoption and implementation of the Child Safe
                          Standards by related bodies.
         8O   Child safe action plans to be remade
              (1)   A prescribed agency must review and remake its child safe action plan at least
                    every 4 years.
              (2)   This Division applies to a remade plan in the same way as it applies to an
                    original plan.

      Division 4          Capability building
         8P   Purpose
                    This Division deals with the Children's Guardian's responsibility to work
                    collaboratively with child safe organisations, government agencies and the
                    broader community to--
                    (a) raise awareness about child safety, and



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                    (b)   build within child safe organisations both knowledge of the Child Safe
                          Standards and the skills to implement them, and
                    (c)   promote the implementation of the Child Safe Standards by child safe
                          organisations.
         8Q   Guidelines for child safe organisations
              (1)   The Children's Guardian may develop guidelines to--
                    (a) assist child safe organisations to implement the Child Safe Standards,
                         and
                    (b) assist children, their families and other members of the community to
                         raise concerns and make complaints about a child safe organisation, and
                    (c) provide guidance on another matter that the Children's Guardian
                         identifies as appropriate.
              (2)   A guideline developed under this section may include templates that can be
                    used by child safe organisations in developing systems, policies and processes
                    that implement the Child Safe Standards.
              (3)   A guideline developed under this section must be published on the Office of
                    the Children's Guardian's website.
         8R   Capability building for prescribed agencies
              (1)   The Children's Guardian may develop and make publicly available--
                    (a) guidelines, including templates, to assist prescribed agencies to develop
                         child safe action plans, and
                    (b) assessment criteria for child safe action plans.
              (2)   A guideline developed under this section must be published on the Office of
                    the Children's Guardian's website.
         8S   Training
              (1)   The Children's Guardian may provide training on--
                    (a) matters related to the implementation of the Child Safe Standards, and
                    (b) other matters reasonably related to child safety and the functions of the
                         Children's Guardian.
              (2)   The Children's Guardian may charge fees for training activities to recover the
                    reasonable costs incurred in providing the training.
         8T   Resources
                    The Children's Guardian may develop and distribute other resources to
                    promote the Child Safe Standards that the Children's Guardian considers
                    appropriate.

      Division 5          Monitoring
         8U   Purpose of monitoring
                    The Children's Guardian may monitor the operation of a child safe
                    organisation to ensure the organisation is implementing the Child Safe
                    Standards.




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      8V     Children's Guardian may monitor implementation of Child Safe Standards
             (1)   In monitoring a child safe organisation's implementation of the Child Safe
                   Standards, the Children's Guardian may do the following--
                    (a) review the organisation's systems, processes and policies,
                   (b) request the head of the organisation to answer questions and provide
                         specified information,
                    (c) review information held by the Children's Guardian about the
                         organisation and its employees,
                   (d) with the consent of the head of the organisation, have an authorised
                         person inspect the organisation's premises,
                    (e) direct the head of the organisation to complete a self-assessment of the
                         organisation's compliance with the Child Safe Standards,
                    (f) a thing prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section.
             (2)   If the Children's Guardian directs the head of a child safe organisation to
                   complete a self-assessment under subsection (1)(e), the head of the
                   organisation must comply with the direction.
                   Maximum penalty--5 penalty units.
             (3)   A direction under subsection (1)(e) must--
                   (a) be in writing, and
                   (b) specify the form of the self-assessment, and
                   (c) specify the date, not less than 14 days after the date of the direction, by
                         which the self-assessment must be completed and returned to the
                         Children's Guardian.
      8W     Monitoring assessment reports
             (1)   The Children's Guardian may, as part of its monitoring activities under section
                   8V, issue a monitoring assessment report to provide guidance and make
                   recommendations to a child safe organisation.
             (2)   If the Children's Guardian makes recommendations to an organisation in a
                   monitoring assessment report, the organisation must respond to the
                   recommendations within the period specified by the Children's Guardian,
                   being a period of not less than 28 days after the issue of the report.

      Division 6          Investigation
      8X     When investigation may be conducted
             (1)   The Children's Guardian may conduct an investigation into a child safe
                   organisation's implementation of the Child Safe Standards.
             (2)   Without limiting subsection (1), the Children's Guardian may conduct an
                   investigation--
                    (a) after receiving a complaint, however made or described, about the
                          organisation, or
                   (b) if the organisation fails to respond to a recommendation made by the
                          Children's Guardian in a monitoring assessment report or the
                          Children's Guardian is otherwise not satisfied with the way the
                          organisation responds to a recommendation, or
                    (c) if for any other reason the Children's Guardian is concerned the
                          organisation is not implementing the Child Safe Standards.


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      8Y     Conduct of investigation
             (1)   Schedule 2 provides for powers that may be exercised by an authorised person
                   for the purpose of conducting an investigation under this Division.
             (2)   Without limiting the powers of an authorised person, the Children's Guardian
                   may, when conducting an investigation, do the following--
                   (a) review the organisation's records, systems, processes and policies,
                   (b) require the head of the organisation to answer questions and provide
                        specified information,
                   (c) review information held by the Children's Guardian about the
                        organisation and its employees,
                   (d) have an authorised person inspect the organisation's premises,
                   (e) direct the head of the organisation to complete a self-assessment of the
                        organisation's compliance with the Child Safe Standards,
                   (f) a thing prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section.
             (3)   For the purposes of an investigation under this Division, the Children's
                   Guardian may conduct an inquiry.
             (4)   Schedule 3 provides for the Children's Guardian's powers to make or hold an
                   inquiry.
             (5)   An inquiry under this Division must be carried out in the absence of the public.
       8Z    Investigation report
             (1)   At the end of an investigation under this Division, the Children's Guardian
                   must prepare a report that includes--
                   (a) findings relating to the way the relevant child safe organisation
                         implements the Child Safe Standards, and
                   (b) the Children's Guardian's recommendations, if any, for improvement to
                         the way the organisation implements the Child Safe Standards.
             (2)   If, as a result of an investigation, the Children's Guardian decides to take
                   enforcement measures under Part 9A, the report must include--
                    (a) the decision, and
                   (b) the reasons for the decision, and
                    (c) the enforcement measures to be taken.
             (3)   If the Children's Guardian makes recommendations to an organisation, the
                   organisation must respond to the recommendations within the period, not less
                   than 28 days after the investigation report is given to the organisation,
                   specified by the Children's Guardian.
[4]   Section 37 Contents of entity report
      Omit section 37(1)(d)(iii). Insert instead--
                        (iii) changes to systems or policies including, if the entity is a child
                                safe organisation, to improve implementation of the Child Safe
                                Standards,
[5]   Section 43 Children's Guardian may monitor relevant entity's investigation or
      determination
      Insert after section 43(2)(d)--



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                     (d1)   review the relevant entity's systems, policies and processes and their
                            effectiveness in preventing, and responding to, reportable allegations
                            and reportable convictions,
 [6]    Section 49 Children's Guardian reports
        Omit section 49(2)(d)(iii). Insert instead--
                          (iii) changes to systems or policies including, if the entity is a child
                                  safe organisation, to improve implementation of the Child Safe
                                  Standards,
 [7]    Section 54 Relevant entities to have systems about reportable conduct
        Insert "(2)" before "The head".
 [8]    Section 54(1)
        Insert before section 54(2) (as amended by item [7])--
               (1)   This section applies to a relevant entity that is not a child safe organisation.
 [9]    Section 55 Children's Guardian may require information about systems
        Insert before subsection (1)--
              (1A)   This section applies to a relevant entity that is not a child safe organisation.
[10]    Section 128 Functions of Children's Guardian
        Omit section 128(1)(a). Insert instead--
                     (a) to take action to build the capability of child safe organisations to
                          implement the Child Safe Standards and to prevent harm to children,
                   (a1) to monitor, investigate and enforce the implementation by child safe
                          organisations of the Child Safe Standards,
                   (a2) to undertake functions under Part 3A, Division 3 relating to child safe
                          action plans,
                   (a3) to exercise functions relating to persons engaged in child-related work,
                          including working with children check clearances, under the Child
                          Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012,
[11]    Section 145 Functions of Official Community Visitors
        Insert after section 145(1)(f)--
                      (f1) provide information about the Child Safe Standards to assist both the
                             visitable services and the children using the services, and
[12]    Part 9A
        Insert after Part 9--

        Part 9A Enforcement measures
        Division 1          Compliance notices
       152A    Issue of compliance notices
                     If the Children's Guardian reasonably believes a child safe organisation's
                     systems, policies or processes do not reflect or implement the Child Safe



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                   Standards, the Children's Guardian may issue a compliance notice requiring
                   the organisation to--
                    (a) take the action specified in the notice, and
                   (b) provide the Children's Guardian with evidence it has done so.
    152B     Content of compliance notices
             (1)   A compliance notice must be in writing and must include--
                   (a) the reasons for the belief the relevant child safe organisation's systems,
                        policies or processes do not reflect or implement the Child Safe
                        Standards, and
                   (b) the risks to children that arise because the organisation's systems,
                        policies or processes do not reflect or implement the Child Safe
                        Standards, and
                   (c) the action the organisation is required to take, and
                   (d) the period of time within which the organisation is required to take the
                        action, and
                   (e) a statement that failure to comply with a compliance notice is an
                        offence.
             (2)   The period of time for the organisation to take the action required by the
                   compliance notice must be reasonable in all the circumstances.
    152C     Internal review
             (1)   A child safe organisation that is issued a compliance notice may, within 28
                   days of receiving the notice, request the Children's Guardian to review the
                   decision to issue the notice.
             (2)   The Children's Guardian must comply with a request made under subsection
                   (1) unless, in the opinion of the Children's Guardian, the request is frivolous
                   or vexatious.
             (3)   An organisation that requests a review may provide the Children's Guardian
                   with the information the organisation considers relevant to the review.
             (4)   An organisation that requests a review is not required to comply with the
                   notice while the review is underway.
             (5)   Following a review, the Children's Guardian may--
                   (a) confirm the decision to issue the compliance notice, or
                   (b) withdraw the compliance notice.
             (6)   If the review confirms the decision to issue the compliance notice, the
                   Children's Guardian must give the organisation a reasonable time to comply
                   with the notice, being a period of not less than 28 days after the compliance
                   notice is given to the organisation.
             (7)   If, following the review, the Children's Guardian withdraws the notice, the
                   notice may be reissued--
                    (a) in substantially the same form, or
                   (b) in a different form.
    152D     Extension of time for compliance with compliance notices
             (1)   A child safe organisation that has been issued with a compliance notice may
                   apply to the Children's Guardian for an extension of time for compliance.


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             (2)   The organisation may only apply for an extension of time if the application is
                   made before the end of the period of time it is applying to extend.
             (3)   The Children's Guardian may grant an application made under this section if
                   the Children's Guardian considers--
                    (a) the organisation has taken suitable steps to address the risks to children
                         identified in the notice, and
                   (b) there are special circumstances justifying the extension of time.
    152E     Compliance notices to be publicly available
             (1)   The Children's Guardian is to maintain a list of compliance notices that are in
                   effect and make the list publicly available on the Office of the Children's
                   Guardian's website.
             (2)   A child safe organisation that produces an annual report must include in the
                   report the details of a compliance notice that applied to the organisation during
                   the period covered by the report.
             (3)   This section does not apply to a compliance notice until--
                   (a) the expiry of the 28 day period in which the organisation may apply for
                         a review of the decision to issue the notice, or
                   (b) the conclusion of a review under section 152C.
    152F     Offence
             (1)   A child safe organisation that receives a compliance notice must comply with
                   the notice.
                   Maximum penalty--
                    (a) for a corporation--250 penalty units, or
                   (b) otherwise--50 penalty units.
             (2)   If a child safe organisation is not a person the reference in subsection (1) to a
                   child safe organisation is to be read as a reference to the head of a child safe
                   organisation.

      Division 2          Enforceable undertakings
    152G     Enforceable undertaking
             (1)   Instead of issuing a compliance notice under Division 1, the Children's
                   Guardian may accept an enforceable undertaking from a child safe
                   organisation.
             (2)   An enforceable undertaking is an undertaking from the organisation under
                   which the organisation agrees to take specific action by a specific date.
             (3)   An enforceable undertaking must be in writing and be signed by the head of
                   the organisation.
    152H     Amendment of enforceable undertaking
             (1)   This section applies if a child safe organisation has entered into an enforceable
                   undertaking.
             (2)   The organisation may apply to the Children's Guardian to amend the
                   undertaking.




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              (3)     The organisation may only apply to amend an undertaking if the application is
                      made before the date by which the organisation had agreed to undertake the
                      action specified in the undertaking.
              (4)     The Children's Guardian may only agree to amendment of an undertaking if
                      the Children's Guardian considers--
                       (a) the organisation has taken suitable steps to address the risks to children
                            that led to the undertaking, and
                      (b) amendment of the undertaking is appropriate in all the circumstances.
       152I   Enforceable undertakings to be publicly available
              (1)     The Children's Guardian is to maintain a list of enforceable undertakings that
                      are in effect and make the list publicly available on the Office of the Children's
                      Guardian's website.
              (2)     A child safe organisation that produces an annual report must include in the
                      report the details of an enforceable undertaking that applied to the organisation
                      during the period covered by the report.
       152J   Offence
              (1)     A child safe organisation that enters into an enforceable undertaking must
                      comply with the undertaking.
                      Maximum penalty--
                      (a) for a corporation--500 penalty units, or
                      (b) otherwise--100 penalty units.
              (2)     If a child safe organisation is not a person the reference in subsection (1) to a
                      child safe organisation is to be read as a reference to the head of a child safe
                      organisation.

        Division 3          Miscellaneous
       152K   Ministerial notice
                      The Children's Guardian must inform the Minister when taking enforcement
                      action under this Part against a child safe organisation that is a public authority
                      under section 14, definition of public authority, paragraphs (a), (b), (d) or (e).
[13]    Section 163, heading
        Omit the heading. Insert instead--
        163   Definitions

[14]    Section 163
        Omit "director has". Insert instead "corporation and director have".
[15]    Section 164 Executive liability offences
        Insert after paragraph (g)--
                     (g1) section 152F,
                     (g2) section 152J,
[16]    Section 174 Children's Guardian may make guidelines
        Insert after section 174(2)(d)--


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Schedule 1 Amendment of Children's Guardian Act 2019 No 25



                            (e)     guidance for the purposes of Part 3A.
[17]    Section 180 Provision and exchange of information
        Insert after section 180(8), definition of relevant body, paragraph (a)--
                      (a1) a prescribed agency, and
[18]    Section 180A
        Insert after section 180--
       180A   Information sharing
              (1)    The Children's Guardian may give information obtained under Part 3A or 9A
                     to a relevant person in relation to--
                      (a) a matter relevant to the exercise of a law of another State, the
                            Commonwealth or a Territory, or
                     (b) an undertaking that is or was being carried out jointly by New South
                            Wales and another State, the Commonwealth or a Territory.
              (2)    In this section--
                     relevant person means a person exercising functions under a law of another
                     State, the Commonwealth or a Territory, that are substantially the same as the
                     functions of the Children's Guardian under this Act.
[19]    Schedule 2 Powers of authorised persons
        Omit "Part 4". Insert instead "Part 3A or 4" in clause 7(1)(d).
[20]    Schedule 2, clause 20(1)
        Omit "Part 4". Insert instead "Part 3A or 4".
[21]    Schedule 6 Dictionary
        Insert in alphabetical order--
                     child safe action plan--see section 8F.
                     child safe organisation means 1 of the following--
                     (a) an entity mentioned in Schedule 1, other than an organisation that is--
                             (i) a designated agency, or
                            (ii) an accredited adoption service provider,
                     (b) a religious body--
                             (i) that provides services to children, or
                            (ii) in which adults have contact with children,
                     (c) a local government authority,
                     (d) a club or other body providing programs or services of a recreational or
                            sporting nature for children and in which workers are required to hold a
                            working with children check clearance under the Child Protection
                            (Working with Children) Act 2012,
                     (e) an entity, or part of an entity, prescribed by the regulations for this
                            definition.
                     Child Safe Standards--see section 8C.
                     head of a child safe organisation means--



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Schedule 1 Amendment of Children's Guardian Act 2019 No 25



                    (a)    for an organisation that is a Department--the Secretary of the
                           Department or the Secretary's delegate, or
                    (b)    if the regulations prescribe a person or a class of persons as the head of
                           the organisation--the prescribed person or a person belonging to the
                           class of persons prescribed, or
                    (c)    otherwise--
                            (i) the chief executive officer of the organisation, however
                                   described, or
                           (ii) if there is no chief executive officer--the principal officer of the
                                   organisation, however described, or
                          (iii) if there is no chief executive officer or principal officer--a
                                   person approved by the Children's Guardian under section 66.
                   monitoring assessment report--see section 8B.
                   prescribed agency--see section 8G.
                   related body, for a prescribed agency--see section 8H.
                   Royal Commission recommendations--see section 8B.
[22]   Schedule 6, definition of "employee"
       Omit "Part 4". Insert instead "Parts 3A and 4".
[23]   Schedule 6, definition of "head"
       Omit "Part 4". Insert instead "Parts 3A and 4".




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