Page 2557 - Week 07 - Thursday, 18 June 2009
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to increase their work experience, undertake training and build their skills. But the reforms also make sure that employment conditions for young people in the territory are safe, appropriate and in the best interests of the child.
We have been busy developing and implementing the Children and Young People Act 2008, but there is more work to do. We are listening, and this human rights compliant act was developed with broad community consultation. Canberrans, particularly young Canberrans, have had their say on the security and safety of our young people. We will continue to listen as we develop a new young people’s plan and review the children’s plan. We will continue to listen as we develop our employment standards and subordinate law. We are investing and delivering.
We have introduced new youth justice principles. These principles emphasise rehabilitation. We have opened a new human rights compliant youth justice facility, on time and on budget, and the New South Wales Minister for Juvenile Justice, Minister West, recently visited the facility and commended the territory for its focus on rehabilitation at Bimberi.
We are helping Canberra’s most vulnerable families to help themselves. The Children and Young People Act 2008 supports children and young people in the foster care and care and protection systems. Members would be aware that $11 million of additional funding was provided in this year’s budget for at-risk and vulnerable children and young people.
We will build a new child and family centre. This will improve early intervention and the health and wellbeing of the territory’s children. This funding will increase the number and effectiveness of long-term foster care arrangements. We are making sure that young people transitioning from care to independent living are supported. We are also helping Canberra’s families to balance their work and family commitments. We have created additional childcare places through our early childhood schools and the development of two new childcare centres.
The 2008 act introduced new provisions for the employment of children and young people in the ACT. These provisions will commence on 18 July this year. The government will also be developing employment standards, work experience standards, regulations about light work and declaration of high-risk employment.
In this economic climate we cannot overstate how important training and work experience is to young people. I, and I am sure all in this place, do not want to see any of our young unable to get a job in the next few years. There is no doubt that training, skills and education are the key. Many young people, families and small businesses benefit from work undertaken by young people. Clearly, for many children and young people work breeds independence, self-confidence, long-term skills, friendship and their first introduction to managing income.
For employers, this work provides an opportunity to work alongside and to train and mentor enthusiastic young people. Nationally, 6.6 per cent of children and young people undertook some form of work, according to the ABS. Extrapolated to the ACT, this indicates that approximately 2,500 children and young people are employed in the
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