There are significant penalties for failing to report and failing to protect children.

Failure to Report - to CARL

For mandated notifiers, failure to report to the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL) is an offence under the Children and Young People (Safety) Act, 2017, and currently carries a maximum penalty of $10,000. It is the individual who is fined, not the employer or the organisation.

To report suspected harm or risk of harm to a child: Ph CARL 13 14 78 

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In addition, under amendments to the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 which came into effect in 2022, it is also a criminal offence if a person fails to report and/or fails to protect a child from child sexual abuse.

These new laws were introduced in response to findings and recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 

Failure to Report - to Police

It is a criminal offence if clergy, religious, an employee, or a volunteer fails to report to police if they know or suspect that another person of the archdiocese (clergy, religious, or an employee) has sexually abused or is likely to sexually abuse a child. The maximum penalty is 3 years in prison.

To report suspected sexual abuse of a child to the police: Ph South Australia Police (SAPOL) on 131 444

Failure to Protect

It is also a criminal offence if clergy, religious, an employee, or a volunteer fails to take steps to protect a child in situations where they know that there is substantial risk that another person of the archdiocese, such as a member of the clergy, a spiritual leader, or teacher, will sexually abuse a child. Penalties apply if it is found that the person, (clergy, religious, employee, or volunteer) had the power or responsibility to remove or reduce the risk but failed to do so. The maximum penalty is 15 years imprisonment for negligently failing to act.

Remember: Always phone 000 if the child is in immediate danger.