It has been six months since the introduction of Daniel’s Law, a landmark child protection reform that allows Queensland families to help safeguard children.
Since commencing on December 31 last year Queensland’s first public child sex offender register has been used more than 381,000 times by people seeking information to make informed decisions about the safety and wellbeing of children in their care.
Daniel’s Law honours the legacy of Sunshine Coast schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, who was abducted and murdered in 2003.
Queenslanders also lodged more than 44,000 locality search applications and more than 200 parent and guardian disclosure applications.
Through parent and guardian disclosure applications, police have identified 14 reportable offenders, taken safeguarding action in more than one quarter of all disclosure applications assessed.
They have also charged three reportable offenders for allegedly failing to comply with mandatory reporting obligations relating to contact with children.
QPS Deputy Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon said the results demonstrated strong community engagement and highlighted the important role families play in safeguarding children.
“Daniel’s Law has transformed the child safeguarding landscape, making it easier for the whole community help protect children,” Deputy Commissioner Scanlon said.
“These figures show Queensland families are actively using the scheme to make informed decisions about the people who may have access to their children.
“Every application represents a significant positive shift in how communities are engaging with the QPS to access vital information.
“The strongest measure of Daniel’s Law is not the number of website visits, it is the number of Queensland families using the scheme to make informed choices that help protect children from harm.
“In several cases, parents and guardians proactively sought information about adults who may have had unsupervised access to their child.
“The scheme identified reportable child sex offenders, enabling families to make informed decisions and strengthen protective measures around their children.
“One of the greatest strengths of Daniel’s Law is that it can help prevent harm before it occurs. Many parents and guardians are using the scheme simply because they want peace of mind and are taking proactive steps to protect their children.
“We know the majority of child sexual offending is committed by someone known to the child or family. That is why safeguarding conversations, awareness and informed decision making remain so important.
“Our message for Queensland families is simple. You do not need to have concerns about someone to use Daniel’s Law. Many parents and guardians are using the scheme as a precaution because when it comes to child safeguarding, it is always better to check,” Deputy Commissioner Scanlon said.
Since the introduction of Daniel’s Law, QPS have:
Processed 44,400 locality search applications
Completed 202 parent and guardian disclosure applications
Identified 14 reportable offenders through the parent and guardian disclosure process
Published information relating to three missing reportable offenders
Charged three reportable offenders for allegedly failing to comply with mandatory reporting obligations
Recorded 381,000 visits to the Community Protection Website
Police encourage Queenslanders to remain vigilant, have open conversations about personal safety with children and utilise the tools available through Daniel’s Law when making decisions about the adults who may have access to their children.
