Private tutors, sports coaches and dance teachers could be placed under a legal obligation to report children feared at risk of neglect or abuse under an overhaul of the child protection system being considered by the NSW government.
Also under consideration is a proposal to put mandatory response times into law for the first time, which would ensure an investigation of a report of a child at risk of serious harm is launched within 24 hours.
The ideas are contained in a discussion paper, Shaping a Better Child Protection System, due to be released by Family and Community Services minister Pru Goward on Friday.
At present professionals who provide health care, welfare, education, children's services, residential services or law enforcement to children are classed "mandatory reporters" and legally obligated to report incidences of child abuse or neglect.
The discussion paper asks whether the definition of a mandatory reporter should "have a broader application" and what "additional children's services should be captured".
At present a private maths tutor, community sports coach or studio ballet teacher, for example, with some exceptions, are not mandatory reporters.
A shift to mandatory response times would potentially mirror a system in place in the American state of New York where the 24-hour window for launching an investigation is in place.
It would also require Family and Community Services to complete a preliminary safety assessment within a week and a full investigation in 60 days.
The discussion paper notes that face-to face assessments of children reported at risk of serious harm in NSW occurred in 32 per cent of cases during January and March of 2016-17 - an improvement from 21 per cent in 2010-11.
It says the introduction of mandatory response times would help to "ensure that families receive a face-to-face assessment earlier than is currently the case".
This would mean "early decisions can be made about the support a family needs to address the child protection concerns that brought them to the notice of FACS."
But the discussion paper warns mandatory investigatory timeframes "would be resource intensive and if introduced would require additional resources in NSW".
Other possible changes include legislation to strengthen the obligation of FACS to consider and offer alternative dispute resolution such as family conferencing before applying to the Children's Court.
Ms Goward said the proposals would build in reforms already underway and invited the public to provide feedback.
"Some of the proposals outlined in this paper will challenge the way we have been doing things in NSW," she said.
Ms Goward said he hoped the proposals "will generate thoughtful discussion about reform that is so critically important, the safety and wellbeing of our most vulnerable children".
