Text as at 26 April 2026

This provision has not been checked by a human. The text below was read automatically from the official PDF and has not yet been verified against it, so it may differ from the provision as published — in its wording, its numbering, or where one provision ends and the next begins. For the authorised text, see legislation.vic.gov.au.

37 Care, supervision or authority

(1)Without limiting the circumstances in which a child is under the care, supervision or authority of a person, a person (A) has a child (B) under their care, supervision or authority if A is—

(a)B's parent or step-parent; or

(b)B's teacher; or

(c)B's employer; or

(d)B's youth worker; or

(e)B's sports coach; or

(f)B's counsellor; or

(g)B's health professional; or

(h)a person who has parental responsibility (within the meaning of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005) for B; or

(i)a religious or spiritual guide, or a leader or official (including a lay member) of a church or religious body, however any such guide, leader, official, church or body is described, who provides care, advice or instruction to B or has authority over B; or

(j)an out of home carer (within the meaning given by section 161A of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005) of B; or

S. 37(1)(j) amended by No. 17/2023 s. 59.

(k)a police officer acting in the course of their duty in respect of B; or

(l)employed in, or providing services in, a remand centre, youth residential centre, youth justice centre or prison and is acting in the course of their duty in respect of B.

(2)In this section— parent includes— step-parent, in relation to a person, includes the spouse or domestic partner of the person's parent.

(a)a parent by operation of the Adoption Act 1984; and

(b)a parent by operation of the Status of Children Act 1974;

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