Summary of publication
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) takes a zero-tolerance approach to child exploitation, abuse and harm. DFAT's updated Child Protection Policy (2025) establishes a framework for safeguarding children across DFAT business, ensuring that all staff and partners proactively prevent, mitigate and respond to child exploitation, abuse and harm.
The policy applies to all DFAT business in Australia and overseas, including to all DFAT staff, DFAT partners and downstream partners, such as, contractors working across Development and Humanitarian programs, Foreign Policy and Diplomacy, Corporate, Trade, Passports, Consular Services, Scholarships and Fellowships, Volunteers, Labour Mobility and Public Diplomacy activities.
DFAT staff and partners are expected to:
- prevent child exploitation, abuse and harm by embedding child protection into all DFAT business
- promote accountability by monitoring and managing risks and ensuring compliance with the Policy
- create safe and accessible reporting mechanisms for raising concerns without fear of retaliation
- report any incidents, allegations or suspicions of child exploitation, abuse and harm
- respond effectively to child protection reports, prioritising child victim-survivor rights and wellbeing and holding perpetrators to account
- comply with relevant Australian and/or local legislation.
The Policy employs a risk-based approach, ensuring that Child Protection Standards are proportionate to risk and expected level of contact with children. Further guidance and details on the Standards and the risk-based approach are provided in the Policy and in the Interim Guidance on the updated approach to risk assessments and relevant standards (August 2025).
This Policy should be read in conjunction with the DFAT Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) Policy. It aligns with DFAT's International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy, International Gender Equality Strategy, International Engagement Strategy on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery and DFAT's Enterprise Risk Management Policy.
For more information on the Child Protection Policy or to report any incidents, allegations or suspicions of child exploitation, abuse and harm related to DFAT business, you can email childprotection@dfat.gov.au or call +61 2 6178 5100.
DFAT Child Protection Policy and Interim Guidance
- DFAT Child Protection Policy (2025) [PDF 1.3 MB]
- DFAT Child Protection Policy (2025) [DOCX 356 KB]
- Interim guidance on the updated approach to risk assessments and relevant standards (August 2025) [DOCX 410 KB]
- Interim guidance on the updated approach to risk assessments and relevant standards (August 2025) [PDF 4.5 MB]
Child Incident Notification Form
DFAT Child Protection Guidance Notes
- Establishing Child Protection Risk Context [DOCX 511 KB]
- Establishing Child Protection Risk Context [PDF 578 KB]
- Child Protection in Emergencies [DOCX 408 KB]
- Child Protection in Emergencies [PDF 299 KB]
- Criminal Record Checks (DFAT Partner Organisations) [DOCX 455 KB]
- Criminal Record Checks (DFAT Partner Organisations) [PDF 365 KB]
- Education Programs [DOCX 423 KB]
- Education Programs [PDF 301 KB]
- Extractive Industries [PDF 431 KB]
- Extractive Industries [PDF 328 KB]
- Health Activities [DOCX 423 KB]
- Health Activities [PDF 301 KB]
- Infrastructure Activities [DOCX 429 KB]
- Infrastructure Activities [PDF 320 KB]
- Monitoring and Evaluation [DOCX 429 KB]
- Monitoring and Evaluation [PDF 297 KB]
- Private Sector Activities [DOCX 422 KB]
- Private Sector Sector Activities [PDF 302 KB]
- Recruitment and Screening [DOCX 410 KB]
- Recruitment and Screening [PDF 313 KB]
- Reporting and notifications [DOCX 432 KB]
- Reporting and notifications [PDF 319 KB]
- Social Media and Use of Images [DOCX 422 KB]
- Social Media and Use of Images [PDF 296 KB]
- Violence Against Women Programs [DOCX 422 KB]
- Violence Against Women Programs [PDF 297 KB]
- Women's Economic Empowerment Programs [DOCX 408 KB]
- Women's Economic Empowerment Programs [PDF 298 KB]