Our highest obligation

This page outlines child protection obligations for volunteers. Everything else in Scouting — the camps, the badges, the fun — depends on getting this right. There’s no version of good Scouting that isn’t safe Scouting.

The non-negotiables

• Zero tolerance. Scouts Queensland has zero tolerance for abuse or harm of children and young people.
• Blue Card before contact. No adult works with youth members without a current Queensland Blue Card.
• Code of Conduct always. Behavioural standards apply to every adult, at every activity, with no exceptions.
• Report, don’t handle. Concerns go through official reporting channels promptly — see reporting concerns.

Understanding your legal context

Queensland law places serious responsibilities on organisations working with children, including mandatory reporting requirements and child-safe organisation standards. Scouts Queensland’s policies are built to meet and exceed these. As a volunteer you’re never expected to interpret the law alone — your District team supports you through anything uncertain.

Honest words about the past

Institutions across Australia, including Scouting, have failed children historically. Scouts Australia acknowledges the National Redress Scheme as part of facing that truth. Our present standards exist because of those lessons.

Try this

If you can’t remember your last child-safe refresher, treat this week as your reminder. Standards evolve; so should our knowledge.