Reportable Conduct
Reportable Conduct - Insight Investigations & Mediation
Child protection investigations are highly sensitive by nature and carry with them a degree of complexity over and above the average misconduct investigation. At Insight Investigations we are highly experienced at conducting reportable conduct investigations. In fact, our Director of Investigations, Alex Tawfiq, was invited by the NSW Ombudsman to be part of an expert panel discussion on reportable conduct investigations.
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What is reportable conduct?
In NSW Schedule 1 organisations, public authorities and religious bodies are required under the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 to investigate allegations made against one of their employees, volunteers or contractors if the alleged conduct falls into one of the following categories:
a sexual offence
sexual misconduct
ill-treatment of a child
neglect of a child
an assault against a child
an offence under s 43B (failure to protect) or s 316A (failure to report) of the Crimes Act 1900; and
behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child
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How can we help your organisation?
Insight can help your organisation navigate this, tricky and sensitive, area by doing the following:
Advising as to whether an allegation is reportable under the reportable conduct scheme.
Advising as to whether an allegation is of a criminal nature and requires notification to police.
Preparing a 7-day notification and 30-day notification to the Office of the Children’s Guardian.
Preparing a detailed investigation plan
Preparing Chapter 16a requests to other agencies for information that may assist in the investigation of the allegation.
Interviewing all witnesses, including children, when appropriate.
Use internationally recognised best practice methods for interviewing children
Drafting a letter of allegation and interviewing the PSOA
Preparing a thorough, investigation report that fully analyses the evidence and makes legally defensible findings for both reportable conduct and in relation to any breaches of the organisations code of conduct.