Page 1433 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 9 May 2017
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
development plan is now formalised each year in consultation with staff and informed by the integrated management system.
In addition all staff commencing at Bimberi are required to participate in a seven-week induction program and complete mandated refresher training. All Bimberi policies and procedures, including trauma informed practice and cultural awareness, are covered during this training, as well as the Bimberi emergency operating procedures and responding to critical situations.
Mandatory refresher training is provided to staff to ensure fundamental skills are maintained and that best practice standards are implemented at Bimberi. Refresher training includes responding to critical situations, emergency operating procedures, fire safety and first aid-CPR training. Responding to critical situations training includes elements such as de-escalation skills, the use of force and post-incident management.
As of 1 May 2017 over 90 per cent of available Bimberi staff had undertaken the responding to critical situations refresher training within the past 10 months. This refresher training and other skills maintenance sessions will continue to be offered consistent with the Bimberi training, learning and development plan, and I am assured that Bimberi will meet its goal of everyone receiving refresher training within each 12-month period.
Bimberi has strongly invested in developing a professional workforce. Overwhelmingly, staff have, as a minimum, a certificate IV in youth work. Collaboration between Bimberi, the Canberra Institute of Technology and other vocational registered training organisations has enabled new and existing staff to acquire tertiary skills and knowledge in youth justice and youth work. Through flexible learning delivery, staff are able to combine theory and on-the-job training to achieve nationally recognised qualifications.
In 2014, 14 Bimberi staff completed a certificate IV in youth justice through the CIT. In 2015 a further 19 Bimberi staff completed a certificate IV in youth work through Train4Life. With current recruitment underway, new youth workers and current staff who do not hold relevant qualifications will be supported through the certificate IV in youth work training later this year.
Indeed many current staff have gone on to higher level qualifications, including university study and other professional development. In recent years Bimberi has supported staff to complete tertiary qualifications and external training in social work, community services and leadership, trauma informed practice, public administration, horticulture, nutrition, hospitality and sports medicine. Currently, five Bimberi staff are completing undergraduate degrees in social work or social welfare and one staff member is completing a diploma in mental health.
There has been recent attention focused on a particular incident that occurred at Bimberi in May 2016 and on other matters relating to staff behaviour. While it is not appropriate for me to comment in detail about specific incidents at Bimberi, I can assure the Assembly that the safety of young people and staff at Bimberi is always the
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video