Page 5374 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990

WHILE THE BRANCH WILL RETAIN THIS RESPONSIBILITY, IT WILL WORK

CLOSELY WITH THE NON-GOVERNMENT SECTOR. I STRONGLY ENDORSE

THE SUBSTITUTE CARE SERVICES COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN

ESTABLISHED, AS THE CONSULTATIVE FORUM TO ASSIST AND ADVISE

THE DIRECTOR OF WELFARE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

RECOMMENDATIONS PARTICULARLY THOSE RELATING TO THE FURTHER

DEVELOPMENT OF CONSISTENT POLICIES AND STANDARDS, AN

ACCREDITATION PROCESS AND TO WORK TOWARDS RESOLVING

DIFFICULTIES PREVENTING ESTABLISHMENT OF A SINGLE SYSTEM.

THIS COMMITTEE HAS BROAD REPRESENTATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT

AND NON-GOVERNMENT SECTORS INVOLVED IN SERVICE DELIVERY TO

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. I ALSO PROPOSE THAT THIS CC11,U-11TTEE

WILL EXAMINE THE WHOLE RANGE OF SERVICES FROM FAMILY

SUPPORT /RESPITE CARE TO ADOPTION AND ASSIST IN PLANNING

SERVICES TO ENSURE THE A.C.T HAS A FULL CONTINUUM OF

SUBSTITUTE CARE SERVICES TO MEET ALL NEEDS. PART OF THIS TASK

WILL BE TO REVIEW THE CURRENT INCONSISTENCIES IN FOSTER CARE

RATES.

A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOCUS ON A NEED FOR CLOSER LINKS

BETWEEN THE WELFARE SYSTEMS, EDUCATION, CHILD CARE AND THE

SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THESE ARE

URGENTLY NEEDED AND MY DEPARTMENT WILL BE MOVING TOWARDS

ESTABLISHING REAL AND EFFECTIVE LINKS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

A RANGE OF RECOMMENDATIONS RELATE TO INTERNAL BRANCH

MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE DELIVERY. MANY OF THESE HAVE BEEN

IMPLEMENTED, IMPLEMENTED, OTHERS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN

AN INTERNAL