National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children
The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020 was announced on 30 April 2009 by the Council of Australian Governments (click here for text).
In essence, the National Framework contains high level commitments from the Federal and State/Territory Governments to the following:
- A comprehensive Framework to 2020 based on a public health model and which emphasises prevention and early intervention measures as well as intensive family support, or secondary level, services targeted at the most vulnerable families and children.
- A commitment to develop national standards in relation to child abuse and neglect definitions, data collection and out-of-home care.
- A high-level national planning mechanism which involves all levels of Government as well as the NGO sector.
- An annual public report to the nation on the state of child protection in Australia.
- Agreement to develop, within prescribed timelines, a national workforce development strategy as well as a national research strategy for protecting children.
In its first four years (2009/10-2012/13), the Framework will be funded by $61.6 million in Federal Government funds.
The first three-year action plan under the National Framework contains 70 actions. Click here for the first three year Implementation Plan.
There will be an annual Ministerial-level meeting, which will involve the Coalition, to discuss implementation progress and issue a public report. There will also be an annual meeting of the National Framework Advisory Committee, at least four but probably six meetings per annum of the National Framework Implementation Working Group, and several meetings of working groups on data and performance and on information-sharing. The Coalition has designated representatives on each group.