Page 903 - Week 03 - Thursday, 14 April 1994
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ALSO OF MAJOR SIGNIFICANCE IS THE TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITY TO THE DIRECTOR OF FAMILY SERVICES TO INITIATE COURT PROCEEDINGS FOR CHILDREN REQUIRING CARE AND PROTECTION. THE DIRECTOR WILL NOW BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING WHETHER A CASE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO COURT AND FOR INITIATING REVIEWS OR CHANGES TO COURT ORDERS.
RELATED TO THIS CHANGE ARE AMENDMENTS CONCERNING THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE CHILDRENS SERVICES COUNCIL. THE STANDING COMMITTEE COMPRISES REPRESENTATIVES OF THE KEY AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN, NAMELY THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, THE FAMILY SERVICES BRANCH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE. THE COMMITTEES ROLE IS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF COURT ACTION IN PARTICULAR CASES. UNDER THE CURRENT LEGISLATION THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE CHAIRS THE STANDING COMMITTEE AND CONSIDERS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. THE BILL TRANSFERS THIS FUNCTION TO THE DIRECTOR OF FAMILY SERVICES IN LINE WITH THIS OFFICES RESPONSIBILITIES FOR INITIATING COURT PROCEEDINGS.
OTHER CHANGES HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE TO THE OPERATION OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE BY ALLOWING MEMBERS TO NOMINATE REPRESENTATIVES TO ATTEND MEETINGS AND VOTE ON THEIR BEHALF. THIS WILL ALLOW THE STANDING COMMITTEE TO OPERATE MORE AT "OFFICER LEVEL" AND WILL, IN TURN, ENSURE THAT THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN A CASE HAVE MORE INPUT TO DECISIONS.
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