The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) is committed to protecting children and young people from the risk of harm or abuse. Several elements of our work directly support providing a safe environment for children in Australia.
The AIC’s research programs inform Australian government policies to protect children and young people from harm. The Online Sexual Exploitation of Children program identifies risks of online harms and develops approaches to prevent the risk of victimisation. The Violence Against Women and Children program explores family and domestic violence perpetration and victimisation.The Australian Sexual Offence Statistical collection provides improved statistical information on child sexual offences, offences and victims. The AIC also promotes good practice in projects designed to reduce offending against children and young people through the Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards.
The AIC’s purpose is to promote justice and reduce crime by undertaking, funding and communicating evidence-based research of national significance. The nature of our work means there is limited direct interaction with children across the scope of our activities and functions. Where research may have an impact on children, robust ethical clearance processes ensure that risks to research participants are minimised.
Given the nature of our work, the AIC assesses the risk to child safety and wellbeing as low.
All staff are seconded to the AIC from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and employees adhere to all ACIC corporate policies. The ACIC requires all employees to hold a minimum Negative Vetting 1 security clearance and conducts an Organisational Suitability Assessment prior to their employment. Employees are also subject to an enduring integrity framework.
The ACIC conducts an annual child safety risk assessment to identify and manage existing and emerging risks to children and young people, and to inform risk treatment strategies and strengthened child-safe practices across the agency.
In 2025–26, the ACIC's annual child safety risk assessment concluded that the risk to child safety and wellbeing remains low. This reflects:
• the limited nature of the ACIC’s engagement with children
• the small proportion of staff which may potentially have contact with children
• the effectiveness of established controls such as organisational suitability assessments and mandatory security clearances, compliance with relevant legislative and policy requirements, and governance arrangements that include appropriate executive oversight of activities that may involve contact with children.
The ACIC maintains Child Safety Guidelines that provide agency-specific guidance for all staff on appropriate interactions with children, and reinforce the ACIC’s commitment to providing an environment in which children are safe, protected and respected.
The ACIC’s activities are also subject to independent oversight and accountability mechanisms, including oversight by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, which promote the legality, propriety and accountability of intelligence activities.
The ACIC continues to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework and remains committed to strengthening its child-safe culture through ongoing review of our policies, procedures, guidance and training to ensure that child safety and wellbeing remain embedded across the agency.