Page 3067 - Week 08 - Thursday, 15 August 2019
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reporting capability. The portals will also allow users to exchange information digitally with child and youth protection services. CYRIS will also be able to provide alerts and notifications which will ensure that important information is distributed quickly. The portals will increase administrative efficiencies and allow caseworkers to spend more time in the community responding to and supporting children and their families.
This budget also includes further investment in one of the most significant pieces of work currently being undertaken in respect of our out of home care system. Establishing the Our Booris, Our Way review and providing funding to support the implementation of interim recommendations is part of the government’s commitment to tackling the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out of home care.
I was pleased to hear Mr Milligan acknowledge that the government is investing $1.744 million over four years to continue to implement the interim recommendations of the Our Booris, Our Way review. This investment will support training and workforce development to increase the cultural proficiency of child protection staff and includes the implementation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child placement principle within policy, practice and training.
We will also support the continuation of family group conferencing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families at risk of ongoing involvement with the child protection system, to keep children safe, strong and connected to family and culture. I want to particularly acknowledge the contribution of Gugan Gulwan Youth Aboriginal Corporation and OzChild in their partnership to trial functional family therapy child welfare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families as well.
This investment in family group conferencing builds on the initial investment of $308,000 in the 2018-19 budget review, and this funding was to commence work on addressing recommendations received throughout the review. This work and the corresponding investment is wholly in line with the ACT government’s commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led solutions, aligning with the overarching theme of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agreement 2019-28, strong families, and in line with its underlying principle of self-determination.
In closing, on this part of the Community Services Directorate, I want to acknowledge that yesterday was the last day for Premier Youthworks to be delivering residential care in the ACT and today we have seen a smooth transition to the provision of care by Barnardos. I particularly want to acknowledge the staff in the Community Services Directorate and in Barnardos who worked so hard to achieve a smooth transition for children and young people and for the staff of Premier Youthworks.
I particularly want to acknowledge Christine Murray, who heads up the people management area of the Community Services Directorate and who many people in the chamber will probably know. She has been involved before in these difficult transitions for service delivery for vulnerable people, but she did an incredible job, along with the senior staff from the children, youth and families area, working with the Australian Services Union and with Barnardos to ensure this smooth transition of
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