Page 2021 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 June 2016
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workforce and the development of a mature accountability environment within the community sector. Joint governance arrangements will also monitor and evaluate outcomes for children and young people sought under a step up for our kids. In addition, the children and youth services council will continue to provide independent advice to me as Minister for Children and Young People on the implementation of a step up for our kids.
Thirdly, there will be improved contracting arrangements. Performance-based contracts will include key measures and incentives to promote achievement of targets by service providers. There will be a renewed focus on quality improvement and sector learning in addition to strengthened contract and relationship management.
A number of new services are being established under a step up for our kids which play an important role in providing mechanisms that are independent of both government and non-government out of home care service providers. These services include the birth family advocacy support service, which provides birth parents with the tools and knowledge to effectively engage with the statutory system and empower them to participate in care and protection processes. There is the advocacy support service for foster and kinship carers, which will provide independent advocacy services to kinship and foster carers experiencing difficulty in their caring role; this service will also support and empower carers in resolving issues with service providers and Child and Youth Protection Services. The child and young people engagement support service will provide an independent engagement and support service to children and young people with care experience and aims to inform and empower them to participate in all areas of their lives. Whilst this is not an advocacy service, it will align and work with existing advocacy service providers in the ACT.
We are undertaking work to develop the capacity and capability of the sector, both government and non-government, to protect the integrity of the service system and to ensure that the sector can adequately support the increased level of responsibility held by approved kinship and foster care organisations.
It is important to note that while certain powers will be delegated, the director-general retains ultimate responsibility and accountability for children and young people in care. The amendments that I have outlined in the bill today are the final set of legislative changes required under a step up for our kids and are an essential part of achieving better long-term outcomes for our community’s most vulnerable children and young people. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
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