Child Protection Services Department of Health and Human Services Maggie Crawford State Manager Child and Family Services 3 April 2006

Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1997 The object of the legislation is to provide for the care and protection of children in a manner that maximises their opportunity to grow up in a safe and stable environment and reach his or her full potential

Principles  The family has primary responsibility for the care and protection of children  A high priority is to be given to supporting and assisting the family to carry out this responsibility in preference to legal proceedings  If a family is not able to meet its responsibilities to the child and the child is at risk, the Secretary may accept those responsibilities.

Features of the legislation  Serious consideration must be given to keeping the child within their family  Preserving and strengthening family relationships  Not withdrawing the child from their familiar environment, culture or neighbourhood  Not interrupting their education or employment  Preserving and enhancing the ethnic religious and/or cultural identity of the child.

Child Protection Services  Child Protection Advice and Referral Service  Assessment Services  Case Management Services  Out of Home Care Services  Policy and Development

Client support services Child Protection Advice and Referral Service Assessment Services Case Management Services Out of Home Care Services Information and referral to government or community services Child Protection Pathway Early Support Program

Notifications

Children in Out of Home Care

Placement types

Key Issues  Increase in demand  Workload of staff  Increase in children with high needs  Recruitment and retention of staff  Sustainability of the current system

Increase in demand  Broader definition of abuse and neglect  Greater community awareness of issue  Increase in abuse of alcohol and drugs  Increase in mental illness, disability and family violence  Expanded definition of prescribed people

Key areas for action  Focus on prevention and early intervention  Increase the capacity of families to care for their children  Work with government & community organisations  Improve the quality and performance of services  Provide a range of services to meet different needs

System Development & Improvement Project  Examine all areas of child protection services  Provide advice and recommendations on immediate service improvement  Inform the development of strategic directions and a five year plan for child protection services

Other initiatives  Safe at Home  Early Support Program  Kinship care  Looking after Children  Family group conferencing  Agency collaborative strategy

Other initiatives  Review of Family Support Services  Early Years Centres  1300 Parenting Line  Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention  Redesign of Family Child & Youth Health Service  Joint case management with Youth Justice Services

Future developments  Home visiting program  Support for relative carers  Better support for children with complex needs  Effective interventions with young offenders

Promoting the healthy development of children is both an ethical imperative and a critical economic and social investment. A decent and wise society protects and nurtures all of its children, particularly those who experience disadvantage, so that they grow up to be productive adults and because it is the right thing to do (Phillips and Schonkoff 2000).