Page 904 - Week 03 - Thursday, 14 April 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
7
MADAM SPEAKER, WHILE THESE CHANGES GIVE THE DIRECTOR OF FAMILY SERVICES AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING THE TAKING OF COURT ACTION, THE LEGISLATION ALSO PROVIDES THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE WITH A MONITORING ROLE IN RELATION TO CHILD PROTECTION MATTERS.
THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE WILL STILL HAVE A RIGHT TO INITIATE COURT PROCEEDINGS, AND RIGHT OF APPEARANCE IN ANY PROCEEDINGS WILL BE RETAINED. INDEED, THE POSITION WILL STILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INITIATING REVIEWS OF COURT ORDERS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. IN ADDITION, THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE WILL BE NOTIFIED AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE WHEN EMERGENCY CHILD PROTECTION ACTION IS TAKEN BY THE DIRECTOR OF FAMILY SERVICES AND BEFORE THE DIRECTOR INITIATES CERTAIN COURT PROCEEDINGS.
THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES ROLE WILL BE FURTHER EXPANDED AND
STRENGTHENED BY AMENDMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE ACT. THE AMENDMENTS INCLUDE TWO NEW FUNCTIONS OF MONITORING THE PROVISION OF CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES AND OF ADVOCATING FOR THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN. TO GIVE EFFECT TO THESE FUNCTIONS, THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE WILL BE AUTHORISED TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS AND ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES.
THE DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF FAMILY SERVICES WILL BE
EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE PROMOTION OF THE CARE AND
904
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .