Changes to the Child Safe Organisations Act

In September 2025, Sport and Recreation notified all Queensland sport and recreation organisations about the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 (the CSO Act). This new law introduces changes to keep children safe and supported.

Since then, two key updates to the CSO Act have been made:

1. Clarification on camps or excursions, including overnight stays within the Child Safe Standards

The Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) has confirmed that any organisation that provides camps or excursions with overnight stays, even once per year, is considered part of the accommodation and residential services sector. These organisations must begin compliance with the Child Safe Standards (CSS) and Universal Principle by 1 January 2026.

The rest of the sport and recreation industry (organisations that do not provide camps or excursions with overnight stays) must begin compliance with the CSS and the Universal Principle by 1 April 2026.

‘Commencing compliance’ with the CSS means showing progress towards incorporating the CSS into your organisation’s policies, practices and procedures by this date, not having completed implementation. The CSS represents a journey of continuous improvement, so policies and practices will need ongoing review.

If your organisation has a Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy (CYRMS) and has started identifying steps to expand it to meet all CSS and the Universal Principle, you are considered to have ‘commenced compliance’.

The following scenarios show where the overnight stay provisions may apply and when an organisation would need to begin compliance with the CSS and Universal Principle by 1 January 2026:

Scenario 1: State Level Organisation conducting a High-Performance Camp

A State Level Organisation (SLO) provides overnight stays when hosting a multi-day High-Performance Development Camp for selected junior athletes. The camp is held at an external facility and includes fully supervised overnight accommodation. Athletes participate in various activities during the camp. All accommodation, overnight supervision, meals, and program activities are coordinated and overseen by the SLO.

Scenario 2: Regional-level team competing in a multi-day tournament or carnival

A regional sports association provides overnight stays when its representative team attends a multi-day tournament or carnival outside the local area. Athletes, coaches and team staff stay in group accommodation such as a local motel or sports camp. The regional organisation oversees and organises travel, accommodation, overnight supervision, meals and transport for the athletes.

Scenario 3: Club team travelling to a multi-day competition

A community sporting club provides overnight stays when its junior team attends a special competition or gala weekend, such as travelling to another town for a multi-day event. Accommodation might be at a caravan park, school camp or budget lodge, with volunteer coaches and team managers supervising and responsible for meals, transport, accommodation and event participation.

2. Amendment of the CSO Act to fast-track implementation of the Reportable Conduct Scheme

The Reportable Conduct Scheme (RCS) ensures that organisations with a high degree of responsibility for children (i.e. organisations that care for, supervise, or exercise authority over children) respond appropriately to allegations of child abuse or misconduct involving staff, volunteers, or contractors.

On 16 October 2025, Queensland Parliament passed an amendment to the CSO Act to bring forward the implementation of the RCS. All in-scope entities are now required to comply with the RCS from 1 July 2026.

The amendment brings forward the RCS start date for the accommodation and residential sector to six months earlier than initially legislated (1 January 2027). As per Schedule 2 of the CSO Act, the RCS captures any ‘entity that provides camps or excursions that include overnight stays for children as part of its primary functions’.

To determine whether your organisation is captured under the RCS, we recommend assessing whether:

1. your organisation cares for, supervises or exercises authority over children; and
2. your organisation provides camps or excursions that include overnight stays as part of its primary functions.

If so, your organisation will be classified as a ‘reporting entity’ under the CSO Act and be required to comply with the RCS by 1 July 2026.

If your organisation does not provide camps or excursions that include overnight stays as part of its primary functions, then it will not be classified as a reporting entity under the CSO Act.

To make this determination, your organisation may wish to seek its own legal advice.

Support for your organisation

We know these changes can be challenging. Contact Sport & Recreation, your peak body or the QFCC if you need help.

The QFCC website offers helpful resources to guide your compliance journey, including detailed guidelines and a self-assessment tool.

In collaboration with the QFCC, Sport & Recreation will host an industry-wide webinar in early 2026 on the practical implementation of the child-safe organisations system for your club or organisation. More information and a webinar invitation will be coming soon.

New Child Safe Standards for sport | Department of Sport, Racing and Olympic and Paralympic Games