In a previous article, we set out the key practical tips from Ideagen’s webinar on responding to employee-related child protection concerns and allegations in schools.

During that webinar, presented by guest speaker, Michelle White, Director and Principal Consultant and expert in supporting organisations to be child safe, and Ideagen’s Karen Zeev, the presenters received insightful questions from attendees but ran out of time to answer them all in that session. The presenters recently recorded another session to answer some of those key questions and we have summarised their responses in this article.

Your questions answered on reporting to police and statutory child protection authorities

Before answering the questions, the presenters reiterated a vital takeaway from the previous webinar: that police and statutory child protection reporting obligations must always take precedence in responding to child protection incidents. When an allegation involves potential criminal conduct or risk of harm to a child or class of children, schools must immediately report to the police or the statutory child protection authority in their jurisdiction. Any delay in reporting can not only hinder those investigations but may also place other children at risk.

The presenters also explained that, while there are best practice principles that can be applied to responses to child protection incidents or concerns, each response must be handled on a case-by-case basis. With those considerations in mind, here are the answers to the questions submitted during the first webinar.

Question 1: Is it best for the year advisor to make the report or the Deputy Principal?

The presenters emphasised that while schools should always follow their specific child protection policies, a best practice approach is for the person who first receives the disclosure (in this case, the year advisor) to be involved in making the report. This ensures that the most accurate and firsthand information is relayed to authorities. The presenters highlighted that the person who heard the disclosure will have nuanced information—such as how the child presented, how they responded, and any additional concerns—that might not be fully captured in a written report. Ideally, the year advisor should accompany whoever makes the official report to answer any additional questions that arise.

Question 2: Every time we make a mandatory report, the ‘Department of Child Protection’ will then ask us to follow up and ask further questions. They always ask us to ‘unpack’ the details further. Is this normal?

The presenters acknowledged that this is a common request from statutory child protection authorities, as they often need more information to assess whether the case meets their threshold for urgent action or intervention. However, the presenter advised caution when "unpacking" details, emphasising that staff should avoid asking leading or probing questions of the child or young person involved, as this could compromise the investigation.

Instead, the presenters suggested asking open-ended questions that allow the child to clarify their statements without being influenced by the staff member. Two suggested questions were:

"What do you mean by [insert the child's word]?" —this allows the child to explain their terminology in their own words.

"Can you tell me more about that?" — this encourages the child to provide additional details without the staff member suggesting any interpretation.

The presenters also recommended getting any additional requests for follow-up questioning from statutory authorities in writing to ensure that the school staff member stays within their role and doesn’t unintentionally interfere with the formal investigation.

Question 3: Depending on the age of the child, wouldn’t the parents be in an interview with police and therefore need to know earlier?

Question 4: Should we be guided by the police in notifying the parents rather than doing it ourselves?

The presenters acknowledged that it is common for parents to be present during a police interview with their child, especially if the child is young, however, schools should seek the advice of police on when to involve parents in a potentially criminal matter.

While involving parents may be routine in other school-related matters, child protection incidents or concerns that are suspected or believed by the reporter to be criminal conduct must be handled differently. The first step should always be to report the matter to the police, who will then decide the best way to proceed, including when and how to inform the parents. In some cases, police may prefer to inform the parents themselves, especially in sensitive or criminal matters or, in other cases the police might ask the school to contact the parents directly.

This ensures that the investigation is not compromised, and that the child's safety and welfare are prioritised, even if it feels uncomfortable not inform parents right away.

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Learn more about Michelle White and the services she provides here.