Page 739 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
closely with schools over the past 18 months. Workforce capacity has been strengthened to ensure we meet the specific needs of children and young people, including those with a disability.
The third priority is to advocate for the importance of the rights of children and young people. Children and young people’s rights are key if we are to provide the platforms from which children and young people can grow and reach their potential. In this area we have developed a charter of rights for young people in Bimberi Youth Justice Centre, in consultation with the ACT Children and Young People Commissioner, the Human Rights Commission, young people in Bimberi and those who provide services to the centre.
I firmly believe that every child and young person has the right to a high quality education that will set them up for lifelong success. This is being achieved through the development of a continuum of educational support model that will be implemented in ACT public high schools from 2018 to support the engagement of all students, including those at risk of disengaging.
The fourth priority is to keep children and young people safe and protect them from harm. The safer families package continues to address family violence by delivering more services in new ways, bringing family violence out of the shadows and ensuring that those experiencing it get the help and support they need.
Research is being used to inform the establishment of an innovative family safety hub in the ACT which will play a critical role in protecting our children and young people from the long-term and insidious consequences of family and domestic violence. In addition, the Domestic Violence Prevention Council will next month convene an extraordinary meeting focused on addressing the needs of children and young people affected by family violence.
ACT public schools also contribute to the development of skills and attitudes necessary to build positive and respectful relationships, with social and emotional learning approaches now a required part of every school’s curriculum.
Another important part of the ACT government’s commitment to keeping children and young people safe and protected is the complex but absolutely critical work done by child and youth protection services. Child and youth protection services continues to work collaboratively with organisations commissioned under A step up for our kids to enable them to provide trauma-informed and therapeutic responses to children, young people and their families in the statutory system.
The fifth priority is to build strong families and communities that are inclusive and support and nurture children and young people. Positive community connections are strong predictors of a successful life. If we get it right early, we have an opportunity to set children and young people up to lead fulfilling, healthy and happy lives. Child and family centres are a one-stop shop supporting families during the early years of their children’s lives. The kids and families school holiday program invites current and new clients into the centres by offering a range of free, child-centred activities at a time of the year that can be challenging for families with limited resources.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video