Page 3308 - Week 11 - Thursday, 11 November 2021
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existing targeted domestic and family violence training undertaken by all frontline CYPS staff.
In relation to theme 2, better support and training for mandated reporters, the ACT government will continue its focus on how CYPS can improve engagement with and support of mandated reporters who are concerned about the wellbeing of children and young people in the ACT. Mandated reporters are people who must make a child concern report if they believe a child or young person has experienced sexual abuse or a non-accidental physical injury. They include ministers of religion, doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, teachers, police, counsellors and childcare centre workers.
We will explore how to provide mandated reporters with training in and knowledge of appropriate referral pathways to ensure that they can better respond to the needs of children and their families, and better identify matters that must be reported to CYPS. CYPS will work with partners, including Health, Education, ACT Policing and community agencies, to provide an enhanced, aligned and consistent training program across the ACT to all mandated reporters.
In regard to contemporary legislation and information sharing, substantial work has already occurred to strengthen legislation and other mechanisms to improve responses and information sharing. This work will continue, with the intended outcomes of these existing initiatives expected to contribute to the government’s response to the coroner’s recommendations.
Child protection work is amongst the most complex work governments can deliver, and the workforce deserves contemporary legislation that is clear, simple and effective in guiding their work and responses to the most vulnerable and at-risk children and young people in our community. Children, young people and their families also deserve legislation that firmly prioritises safety within family. Further, the timely and effective sharing of appropriate information amongst involved authorities is crucial to the delivery of informed, responsive and best practice services to these children, young people and families.
The 2021-22 ACT budget allocates $1.98 million over three years to review the Children and Young People Act 2008. This work will also respond to several external independent reviews, as well as the coroner’s report, identifying the need for the ACT to have child protection legislation that is more contemporary, including in relation to the definition of how a child concern report is defined.
Progress has already been made on improving the appropriate sharing of information following a mandatory report being received by CYPS. The implementation of a new client management system, CYRIS, has improved the ability of CYPS to provide relevant information to mandated reporters in a simplified and timely manner.
Work to improve information sharing between CYPS and the Education Directorate is also underway. A project to build interfaces between systems that will improve information-sharing capability between the directorates, where appropriate, is expected to be completed in 2021-22. This will better inform the work of both CYPS and Education staff involved with a child or young person and their family.
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