What You Need to Know!
From 1 October 2025, all Queensland organisations that provide services or facilities to children — including public and private aquatic venues — will need to comply with the new Child Safe Organisations Act 2024.
This new legislation, overseen by the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC), introduces 10 Child Safe Standards and a Universal Principle focused on respecting and supporting cultural safety. These must be embedded in your facility’s policies, procedures, and daily operations.
Why This Matters for Aquatic Centres
Pools and aquatic centres are high-use spaces that welcome large numbers of children every day for swimming lessons, sport, recreation, and play. With multiple activity areas and diverse community users, these facilities have a heightened responsibility to keep children physically and emotionally safe.
The new Standards aim to:
- Strengthen leadership and culture around child safety
- Ensure physical environments are low-risk and child-friendly
- Provide clear guidance for handling complaints and incidents
- Support staff with the right policies, procedures, and training
Support for the Sector
The QFCC is providing practical support to help facilities prepare, including:
- A self-assessment tool (Find this here: https://www.qfcc.qld.gov.au/childsafe/resources)
- Sector-specific guidance
- A phased rollout that begins with education before enforcement
What You Can Do Now
✔️ Download the QFCC Child Safe Guidelines & Self-Assessment Tool
✔️ Review your child safety policies and update them – the GSPO Child Safety Guidelines are a great benchmark
✔️ Train your staff – start with the Royal Life Saving Child Safeguarding in Aquatic Facilities module
✔️ Begin embedding the Standards into your everyday operations
This is more than just meeting legal requirements — it’s about creating safer, more trusted spaces for children and families across Queensland.
