This research report has been prepared to assist the Review into System Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Queensland. The report analyses the legal frameworks in place in Queensland that aim to protect children from sexual abuse across the early childhood education and care (ECEC), police and blue card (working with children check) systems. The report is available to inform legal and policy reforms across Australia. 

The report notes the capacity of any one safeguarding mechanism or scheme to protect children in high-risk child-related settings is, in isolation, limited. Going forward, further consideration of the interaction of legislation across the whole of the safeguarding landscape, both in Queensland and nationally, may yield valuable insights to identify and inform any necessary further legislative and policy change for children’s safety in ECEC and other high-risk settings. 

Report structure

• Part A – describes the methodology and research products and provides some brief observations about relevant legislative change through the period January 2000 to January 2025 (the study period).
• Part B – reviews the legislative evolution of the safeguarding landscape in early childhood education and care (ECEC) through the study period.