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Children First

A roadmap to help parents, professionals, organisations and the general public to identify and report child abuse and welfare concerns.

Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children [2011] is a roadmap to help parents, professionals, organisations and the general public to identify and report child abuse and welfare concerns.

Purpose of the Act

  • To raise awareness of child abuse and neglect;
  • To provide for mandatory reporting by key professionals;
  • To improve child protection arrangements in organisations providing services to children;
  • To provide for inter-agency working and information-sharing.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has committed to full commencement of the remaining provisions of the Act by end 2017.