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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2624 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

The student support service section maximises learning outcomes for students by providing educational, psychological and behaviour management support to school communities. Mandatory reporting of child abuse, a requirement introduced last year by this Government, will assist in enforcing the message that violence towards children, whether it be done by children or by adults, is not acceptable.

As well, our response addresses the issue of violence in schools across the committee's groupings of common issues and areas of responsibility. We are adamant in our agreement with the committee's recognition that violence is very much a broader community issue. However, the Government is surprised by the apparent confusion on the part of the committee, and this confusion appears to be borne of an error in understanding just what are the most effective ways of dealing with violence in schools. Violence in schools and in the wider community is related to a number of factors. These include early childhood experiences, cultural factors, schooling experiences, the influence of media and film, alcohol and other substance abuse. All of these factors are relevant to any realistic attempt to ensure that our schools and our communities are safer places. Violence in schools cannot be separated from the broader issues of violence in our community, and it is crucial that all factors contributing to the incidence of violence in schools are addressed.

In addition to the strategies for the prevention of violence I have spoken of earlier, the Government has also taken other significant initiatives which have already proved effective in addressing factors that contribute to violent behaviour in schools and, indeed, in society in general. One of these was the Government's initiative last year of consolidating the Children's, Youth and Family Services Bureau into the Department of Education and Training. This has positioned the department well to address the range of factors that contribute to violence in schools.

We are in a strong position to identify effectively the needs of our young people in a holistic and coordinated way and to move towards meeting these needs. By reorganising services for young people in this way, the Government has put in place an improved coordinated system of service delivery to students, to their families and to schools and teachers. This integrated approach will assist in improving the school environment, students' life opportunities and their educational outcomes. This initiative again addresses issues of potential disadvantage as well as issues of prevention. The new district student-youth coordination service, Youth Connection, which has been established this year, is an example of the success of this new structure. It is also an example of the sort of localised flexible programs the committee has called for in its recommendations. This service provides a coordinated case management approach for students with a range of complex needs.

As I said earlier, the Government is in complete agreement with the committee on the breadth and diversity of factors leading to violence in schools and, indeed, in the wider community. We do not underestimate either the role of schools in preventing violence or the significance of the community's concern about this issue. Therefore, the Government will continue to collaborate with the community to provide family support programs. We will also continue to pursue vigorously the needs of students and families in managing the behavioural and emotional issues that so often lead to violence in schools and in the general community.

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