Page 3311 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 21 August 2018
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The review seeks to understand the reasons for children and young people entering care and to develop strategies to reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in care, improve their experience and outcomes while in care, and examine ways for children to return home safely.
The review is being overseen by a wholly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander steering committee, in line with the principle of self-determination. Committee members bring a diverse set of capabilities and lived experience in child protection, service delivery and related areas.
The steering committee has met seven times to date. Terms of reference for the review and the review methodology have been finalised and three communiques have been released on the ACT stronger families website.
The case files of approximately 350 children and young people involved with CYPS will be reviewed by an independent team of reviewers as part of Our Booris, Our Way. The review team, led by a senior clinical lead, have completed the review of the first cohort, consisting of 73 case reviews. I look forward to receiving the steering committee’s interim report in coming weeks.
Education—future strategy
MS LEE: My question is to the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development and relates to the future of education strategy. Minister, in your statement you said, “As schools become more seamlessly engaged with other human services, in the future it may be that children are enrolled in their learning and development journey from birth so that no one falls through the gaps.” How are children to be enrolled from birth?
MS BERRY: That is the suggestion in the strategy and in the conversations that we have had: that there may be a way to enrol students from birth. The model for that and whether that would actually occur and be useful in the future of education strategy is still being considered.
MS LEE: Minister, how will schools become more seamlessly engaged with other human services, and what human services are you referring to?
MS BERRY: Schools are already engaged with other human services, and we want to build on that excellent relationship, particularly around making sure that there is support for young people who are experiencing mental health issues. I have psychologists in schools making sure that there is seamlessness in referrals outside the school environment. Also, it is about ensuring that organisations that come into schools to support students and teachers are welcomed into schools and look at learning needs that particularly align with the future of education strategy.
MR WALL: Minister, how will “effective union partnerships help students to access important learning opportunities”?
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