This report presents the results of the largest study ever conducted into the law, policy and practice of primary school teachers’ reporting of child sexual abuse in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. The study included the largest Australian survey of teachers about reporting sexual abuse, in both government and non-government schools.
The seven key areas, and the essence of our findings, are:
1. Nature of State legislative duties to report child sexual abuse
In each State there are elements of the legislation which require amendment to improve legal and practical soundness. These amendments are easily achievable and are cost-neutral. This is especially important for Queensland, where amendments are most necessary.
3. Government data about teachers’ actual past reporting of child sexual abuse
Teachers are making an enormously valuable contribution to child protection, detecting hundreds of cases of child sexual abuse every year. However, there are features of teachers’ reporting practices that can be enhanced within each State, both to reduce failure to report child sexual abuse, and to avoid the making of reports that are not necessary. Three key features are: a small but significant proportion of teachers have never reported when suspecting abuse; in New South Wales, the evidence indicates there may be a degree of overreporting; and in Western Australia, the evidence indicates there may be a degree of failure to report.
4. Teachers’ training about reporting duties
Teachers in each sector in each State require more and better training, both preservice and inservice. Teachers with higher levels of training are more knowledgeable about their duty to report sexual abuse and are better equipped to discharge the reporting duty. We suggest ways in which teachers can be trained more effectively, including in preservice teacher education and ensuring that, at inservice levels,
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