South Australian Current Acts

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE (SAFETY) ACT 2017 - SECT 31

31—Reporting of suspicion that child or young person may be at risk

        (1)         A person to whom this Part applies must, if—

            (a)         the person suspects on reasonable grounds that a child or young person is, or may be, at risk; and

            (b)         that suspicion was formed in the course of the person's employment,

report that suspicion, in accordance with subsection (4), as soon as is reasonably practicable after forming the suspicion.

Maximum penalty: $10 000.

        (2)         However, a person need not report a suspicion under subsection (1)—

            (a)         if the person believes on reasonable grounds that another person has reported the matter in accordance with that subsection; or

            (b)         if the person's suspicion was due solely to having been informed of the circumstances that gave rise to the suspicion by a police officer or child protection officer acting in the course of their official duties; or

            (c)         in any other circumstances prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this subsection.

        (3)         A person to whom this Part applies may (but need not), if—

            (a)         the person suspects on reasonable grounds that the physical or psychological development of an unborn child is at risk (whether due to an act or omission of the mother or otherwise); and

            (b)         that suspicion was formed in the course of the person's employment,

report that suspicion in accordance with subsection (4).

        (4)         A person reports a suspicion under this section by doing 1 or more of the following:

            (a)         making a telephone notification to a telephone number determined by the Minister for the purposes of this subsection;

Note—

This telephone line is currently known as the "Child Abuse Report Line" or " CARL".

            (b)         making an electronic notification on an electronic reporting system determined by the Minister for the purposes of this subsection;

            (c)         by reporting their suspicion to a person of a class, or occupying a position of a class, specified by the Minister by notice in the Gazette;

            (d)         reporting their suspicion in any other manner set out in the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph,

and, in each case, providing—

            (e)         —

                  (i)         in the case of an unborn child—the name and address (if known) of the mother of the unborn child; or

                  (ii)         in any other case—the name and address (if known) of the child or young person; and

            (f)         information setting out the grounds for the person's suspicion; and

            (g)         such other information as the person may wish to provide in relation to their suspicion.

        (5)         Nothing in this section prevents a person from also reporting or referring a matter to any other appropriate person or body under any other Act.

        (6)         This section does not limit or derogate from any other provision of this or any other Act.