Queensland's Reportable Conduct Scheme: what NDIS and disability providers need to know

Who the scheme applies to

Under the Act, the scheme applies to a reporting entity: an organisation that cares for, supervises or exercises authority over children, whether as a primary function or not, and that is listed in schedule 2. For disability, the listed entities are registered NDIS providers and providers of disability services under the Disability Services Act 2006. Unregistered NDIS providers are covered by the Child Safe Standards when they provide services specifically for children, but schedule 2 names registered NDIS providers for the scheme. The QFCC's own summary page uses the broader phrase NDIS service providers, so if you are unregistered and support children, check the Act or ask the QFCC.

The QFCC also lists schools, early childhood education and care, child protection and residential care services, health services, youth justice, religious bodies, overnight camps, homelessness accommodation, Queensland Government departments, the Queensland Police Service and local councils, among others. Every organisation in the scheme must also implement the Child Safe Standards.

A worker is anyone who performs work of any kind for the organisation: employees, volunteers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, labour hire workers, trainees, work experience students and religious leaders. Former workers are covered for conduct while they worked for you.

What reportable conduct is

The Act sets out six types of reportable conduct:

1. a child sexual offence
2. sexual misconduct in relation to, or in the presence of, a child
3. ill-treatment of a child
4. significant neglect of a child
5. physical violence in relation to, or in the presence of, a child
6. behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child.

It can be one act or a pattern, on or off duty, and it is reportable whether or not criminal charges are laid. A child is anyone under 18. Conduct that is reasonable for the discipline, management or care of a child, given their age, development and health and any applicable code of conduct, is not reportable. For disability providers, the QFCC is clear that using a restrictive practice to control a child or for a worker's convenience, rather than for a genuine therapeutic reason, can be ill-treatment, while an approved practice used in line with the child's behaviour support plan is not reportable conduct.

How workers report to the head

A worker who becomes aware of a reportable allegation must, as soon as practicable, tell the head of the organisation, or the QFCC if the concern is about the head. Anyone can also notify the QFCC directly at any time. A worker does not need proof: the threshold is information that leads to a reasonable belief.

If a child tells you something, stay calm, listen, let them use their own words and thank them for telling you. Do not question them in detail, promise to keep a secret or confront the worker. Make sure the child is safe, call 000 if anyone is in immediate danger, write down what you saw and heard, and tell your manager the same day. Our policy is simple: every concern is raised, every time.

What the head of the organisation must do, and by when

The head is usually the CEO or equivalent. They can delegate tasks to an appropriately qualified person but keep legal responsibility. They must have systems to prevent reportable conduct, to let anyone report to the head (or to the QFCC about the head), and to investigate and respond.

Missing the initial or 30 business day report without a reasonable excuse carries a maximum penalty of 100 penalty units, which the QFCC describes as a fine of more than $17,000.

Investigating fairly and making findings

The investigator can be the head, another staff member or an external investigator, and the QFCC suggests separating the person who investigates from the person who decides where you can. The QFCC's guidance on managing a matter covers the investigation plan, securing evidence and confidentiality. The worker must be given written notice of any proposed adverse findings and a real chance to respond, and their response must be considered.

Interviews with children need careful planning by someone with the right skills, with the child's safety and wellbeing first and every effort made to avoid further harm. Findings use the balance of probabilities and are one of four: substantiated, unsubstantiated, no outcome, or conduct outside the scheme. Every outcome is reported to the QFCC, and lessons learned feed back into your Child Safe Standards work.

How it fits with blue cards, police, Child Safety and NDIS reporting

• Police: possible crimes go to police immediately, and police investigations take priority. Check with police before interviewing anyone, but you still report to the QFCC and manage risk.
• Child Safety: if you reasonably believe a child has been harmed or is at risk and may not have a parent able to protect them, report to Child Safety. After hours, call the Child Safety After Hours Service Centre on 1800 177 135.
• Blue cards: the initial report includes the worker's blue card number if known, and the QFCC shares investigation outcomes with Blue Card Services and the Queensland Police Service where appropriate. A blue card is not a substitute for NDIS worker screening, and neither replaces this scheme.
• NDIS Commission: registered NDIS providers still notify reportable incidents, such as abuse or sexual misconduct, within 24 hours. One notification does not replace the other.

The ten Child Safe Standards in brief

The Standards are the prevention side of the same Act:

1. Leadership and culture: child safety is part of how we lead and govern.
2. Voice of children: children know their rights and are heard.
3. Family and community: families and communities are informed and involved.
4. Equity and diversity: each child's needs are respected, including disability.
5. People: workers are suitable, screened and supported.
6. Complaints management: processes are child focused and acted on.
7. Knowledge and skills: ongoing training in keeping children safe.
8. Physical and online environments: risks of harm are reduced.
9. Continuous improvement: practice is reviewed and improved.
10. Policy and procedures: clear, written and followed.

Alongside them, the Universal Principle requires organisations to promote and uphold the right to cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Train your team

Our Queensland course covers the scheme, mandatory reporting and blue cards for frontline workers, and our incident courses build the systems your leaders need. Working in another state? See child safe training by state.

65 min

Child Safety

Child Safety: Queensland

Children and young people with disability have the right to be safe, heard and respected every time we support them. This course is for support workers in Queensland. It explains who must comply with the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 and from when, the ten Child Safe Standards and the Universal Principle, and the Reportable Conduct Scheme that started on 1 July 2026. You will learn to recognise abuse and grooming, respond calmly to a disclosure, and understand who is a mandatory reporter under the Child Protection Act 1999. We cover reporting to Child Safety, Police and 000, the duty on every adult to report child sexual offences, blue cards alongside NDIS worker screening, and good records. Case studies bring it together. Duration: 65 minutes.

13 lessons · 4 scenarios$55

55 min

Child Safety

Child Safe Organisations: The National Principles

Children and young people with disability, and children who visit the older people we support, must be safe in every service we provide. This course introduces the ten National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, which all Australian governments endorsed in 2019, and explains in plain language what each one means for our work. You will learn to recognise the signs of harm and grooming, why children with disability face a higher risk, how to respond calmly to a disclosure, and which safe behaviours we expect of every worker, including rules about one to one time and online contact. Three case studies put this into practice. Each state has its own standards and reporting laws, so also complete the course for your state. Duration: 55 minutes.

9 lessons · 6 scenarios$55

55 min

Leadership and Management

Incident Management for Team Leaders and Managers

When something goes wrong, the way a team leader or manager responds shapes the safety of the participant, the quality of our reporting and what we learn. This course covers what the NDIS rules expect from our incident management system, the reportable incident types and the 24 hour and 5 business day notification timeframes, how to support the participant, and how to run a proportionate investigation and write clear findings. It also covers complaints, learning from patterns and a short overview of the Serious Incident Response Scheme for our aged care services. Two case studies follow a night shift head injury and an allegation against a worker. Duration: 55 minutes.

10 lessons · 3 scenarios$55

50 min

Core Compliance

Incident Reporting

Incidents happen in every support setting, and how we respond in the first minutes and hours makes a real difference to the people involved. This course explains what an incident is, the different types you may come across, and the immediate steps to take to keep everyone safe. You will learn how to report and document incidents through our internal system, what makes a good incident report, and which incidents are reportable incidents that registered NDIS providers must notify to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, including the 24 hour and 5 business day timeframes. Case studies about a fall at home and an unreported restrictive practice show how it all fits together. Duration: 50 minutes.

8 lessons · 5 scenarios$55

Frequently asked questions

Source: Queensland Family and Child Commission. Checked 10/11/2026. Provider Compliance is not affiliated with the Victorian Government.