Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 1 Hansard (28 April) . . Page.. 85 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

Mr Speaker, I will briefly discuss these important points. The Department of Education and Community Services is unique in Australia in being the one agency to be responsible for education, care and protection, child care, youth justice services, early intervention services, child health and development, supported accommodation assistance program services, as well as policy development and funding of community agencies across many of these areas. The Government believes that significant improvements have already been made in delivering these services. Some of these I have already mentioned.

The report noted the significant efforts that are under way with the aim of better coordinating service delivery between government agencies responsible for children at risk. Protocols which lay out roles and responsibilities are developed or are in the process of being developed between Family Services and the police, Disability Services, schools and preschools, SAAP service providers and the Child at Risk Assessment Unit. Interagency networks have also been developed and are meeting regularly. These seek to prevent child abuse and minimise its harmful effects on children.

The committee also recognised the efforts undertaken by the Government to put in place a systematic training program to coincide with the introduction of mandatory reporting in mid-1997. Training has been provided to Family Services staff, teachers, community nurses, dental services, preschools and child-care centres, hospitals, ACT Mental Health Services, medical practitioners, police, primary health care service and disability program staff. Over 2,500 people in these occupations have been trained so far, and the training is ongoing.

In tandem with the introduction of mandatory reporting, under the theme of "New Directions", Family Services has introduced other major reforms to the child protection system in the ACT. These include, as an educative process, the implementation of a prevention strategy in line with a national emphasis on child abuse prevention. Family Services has also adopted a family preservation approach with the emphasis on promoting the option of kinship care as the best alternative when substitute care arrangements need to be put in place. In addition, Family Services has formally adopted the Aboriginal placement principle as one of its policies and has created four Aboriginal identified child protection and youth justice worker positions.

I am pleased to note that the committee endorsed the implementation plan for the Government's youth strategy. The strategy aims to establish a broad framework for developing policies and strategies which will underpin the provision of programs and services to young people in the ACT. In addition, the Ministerial Youth Advisory Committee, MYAC, will continue to provide advice to me on youth-related issues.

Furthermore, Louise Littlewood's additional comments to the report mentioned the development of a new scheme to assist ACT Housing tenants with their rent payments. As my colleague Mr Smyth announced recently, ACT Housing tenants who receive social security benefits may now have their rent and other debts to Housing deducted automatically from these benefits. Where families do experience difficulties with their financial management, ACT Housing will refer families to counselling services and provide advice on legal and appeal rights. This is all part of the Government's commitment to assisting families to care for themselves and their children.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .