Queensland’s new Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 introduces mandatory Child Safe Standards and the Universal Principle for organisations working with children, including sporting clubs and associations. These reforms are designed to strengthen child safety, wellbeing, inclusion, and cultural safety across all environments where children participate.
For sporting organisations, implementation requirements commence from 1 April 2026, with a strong focus on embedding child safety into governance, culture, policies, training, and day-to-day operations.
Paddle Queensland is actively working toward compliance through our Leading Organisational Transformation for Child Safety project and our partnership with ChildSafe Australia. This partnership is supporting the development of:
- Child safe policies and procedures
- Club guidance resources
- Child Safety Officer training
- Risk management frameworks
- Practical implementation tools for clubs and volunteers
Further information, resources, and support materials tailored specifically for paddle clubs are currently being developed and will be shared with affiliated clubs over the coming months.
We encourage clubs to begin familiarising themselves with the new standards and available QFCC resources:
- QFCC Child Safe Standards
- QFCC Resources & Self-Assessment Tools
- Quick Reference Guide for Organisations
Together, we can continue building safe, inclusive, and supportive paddling environments for all children and young people across Queensland.