National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children

Update and Latest News

National Priority - Joining up service delivery

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • Realign existing Communities for Children sites to target the most disadvantaged communities.
  • CDSMC endorsement of the phased implementation of Communities for Children Plus sites.
  • First four Communities for Children Plus sites to be operational.
  • States and Territories will report to COAG/CDSMC on reforms to their family support services and programs and negotiations between governments about aligning State and Territory support services with the Family Support Program.
Status (at 23 May 2010)
  • Six Communities for Children sites have been announced: Launceston, Cardinia (Vic), Ipswich (Qld), Kempsey (NSW), Midland (WA) and Playford (SA). Negotiations regarding their funding agreements are underway.
  • the final three Communities for Children Plus sites are expected to be announced shortly.

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National Priority - Closing the gap

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • Announcement of locations of all 35 Indigenous Children and Family Centres and linking of these centres to programs for at-risk children, such as the Family Support Program.
  • Announcement of locations of over 50 new Indigenous Parenting Support Services, with 32 operating by July 2010.
  • Develop a workshop agenda, engaging with key Indigenous and other Closing the Gap stakeholders.
  • Deliver the workshop in Dec 2009, as part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family and Community Strengths Conference, to determine priorities for Indigenous community based activities and child protection.
Status (at August 2010) UPDATED
  • Sites for the Child and Family Centres are announced as:
    • Northern Territory: Yuendumu, Maningrida, Gunbalanya, Palmerston and Ngukurr 
    • Queensland: Mt Isa, Cairns, Mareeba, Ipswich, Doomadgee, Mornington Island, Mackay, Rockhampton, Marsden and Palm Island 
    • Western Australia: Halls Creek, Kununurra, Fitzroy Crossing, Swan Region (Perth) and Roebourne
    • Tasmania: Bridgewater, with an annex at Geeveston 
    • Australian Capital Territory: West Belconnen 
    • New South Wales: Campbelltown, Blacktown (2 Centres), Ballina, Walgett, Shoalhaven, Lake Macquarie, Brewarrina and Gunnedah Local Government Areas. 
    • Victoria: Bairnsdale and Whittlesea
    • South Australia: Ceduna, Whyalla and Christies Beach/Noarlunga.

Announced sites for new Indigenous Parenting Support Services


State

Site

ACT

Gungahlin

NSW

Blacktown

NSW

Dareton/Wentworth

NSW

Goonellabah NSW

NSW

Nowra/Shoalhaven

NSW

Penrith

NSW

Walgett  

NSW

Wellington

NSW

Wilcannia  

NT

Ali Curung

NT

Angurugu

NT

Boroloola

NT

Galiwin’ku

NT

Gapuwiyak  

NT

Gunbalanya  

NT

Lajamanu 

NT

Maningrida  

NT

Milingimbi

NT

Nguiu

NT

Ngukurr  

NT

Ntaria/Hermannsburg  

NT

Numbulwar  

NT

Raminining

NT

Umbakumba

NT

Wadeye

NT

Yirrkala

NT

Yuendumu 

QLD

Doomadgee   

QLD

Goondiwindi

QLD

Mornington Island 

QLD

South Brisbane

QLD

St George

SA

Amata

SA

Elizabeth Grove

SA

Mimili  

SA

Port Adelaide

SA

Port Augusta

SA

Port Lincoln

TAS

Launceston

TAS

Southern Tasmania  

VIC

Bendigo

VIC

Central Melbourne

WA

Ardyaloon  

WA

Banksia Grove

WA

Beagle Bay  

WA

Djarindjin

WA

Fitzroy Crossing

WA

Great Southern Cluster: Albany

WA

Great Southern Cluster: Katanning

WA

Great Southern Cluster: Narrogin

WA

Halls Creek  

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National Priority - Seeing early warning signs and taking early action

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • CAARS Taskforce established in May 2009.
  • Working groups established under the Taskforce to support technical aspects of this national priority and explore the cultural change implications that may arise from common assessment.
  • Conduct literature review and focus group with stakeholders to inform development of a common assessment tool/s.
  • Conduct workshops with stakeholders to explore implementation options.
  • Agreed tool and trial options to be ready for approval by July 2010.
Status (at August 2010) UPDATED
  • The fourth and final meeting of the CAARS Taskforce was held at Parliament House in Canberra on 17 June 2010 to consider the final CAARS report. The meeting was opened by Senator Ursula Stephens, on behalf of Minister Macklin, and Professor Fiona Stanley from ARACY.
  • The CAARS Taskforce welcomed the final report and affirmed the recommended Common Approach and its accompanying guidance manual. In particular, the Taskforce affirmed the collaborative process that has resulted in this significant step toward transforming the concept of ‘shared responsibility for protecting children’ into a practical reality.
  • Taskforce members affirmed a process to pave the way for implementing the Common Approach in universal services across Australia, initially by:
  • expanding the agreed Common Approach prototype to include training material, an online data base and website and supplementary documentation
  • ‘live testing’ the Common approach prototype materials through a process of formative evaluation and then undertaking efficacy and effectiveness trials
  • The final report was presented through FaHCSIA to Minister Macklin on 30 June 2010.
  • The report will be considered by the government after the Federal election.

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National Priority - Improving support for carers

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • The new Community and Family Partnerships Guidelines 1 July 2009 for children and parenting services (including Supported Playgroups and Communities for Children) include 'Indigenous families, including kinship carers' and 'grandparent carers' as specific target groups for all funding recipients.
  • Negotiations will commence on the establishment of specialised supported playgroups for grandparent and other carers.
  • Research scope determined and approach for improving overall support for carers agreed.
  • A consultation process, including a targeted consultation with carers, will be undertaken and recommendations delivered in 2010.
Status (at August 2010) UPDATED
  • Under this project, FaHCSIA has commissioned the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) at the University of New South Wales to conduct research to identify gaps and inequities in financial and non-financial support for formal and informal out-of-home carers (including grandparent, kinship and foster carers).
  • A Reference Group including Coalition representatives has been formed to share expertise with FaHCSIA and SPRC and provide advice on the project. The Reference Group attempts to bring together a cross section of people who have expertise and/or interest in financial and non-financial support for out-of-home carers.
  • Members of the reference group (in alphabetical order) are: Donna Klein (SNAICC), Daniel McAlpine (Researcher NSW), Anne McLeish (Grandparents Australia), Bev Orr (Australian Foster Care Association), Anita Pell (Berry Street).

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National Priority - National standards for out-of-home care

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • Analysis of state, territory and international out-of-home care policies, practices and standards.
  • Communicate and consult with key stakeholders, including State and Territory governments, non-government out-of-home care service providers, children and young people in out-of-home care and their families.
  • Identify new standards, based on the analysis and consultation with key stakeholders by June 2010.
Status (at August 2010) UPDATED
  • National consultations were conducted in February and March 2010 with State and Territory governments, non-government organisations, carers and young people. Over 300 people attended.
  • The Final KPMG report from the consultations on the proposed draft standards is available on the FaHCSIA website here.
  • A Working Group comprising Federal and State/Territory officials and Coalition representatives (Bev Orr, Michael White, Julian Pocock, Jane Woodruff, Deirdre Cheers and Peta McCorry) has met twice in the past two months to progress this issue.
  • The OOHC Standards Working Group is next planning to meet in Adelaide later in August to consider the feedback and progress the draft standards.
  • FaHCSIA is proposing to engage an independent consultant to review all State/Territory standards and to map these against the proposed national standards and identify any gaps.
  • The OOHC standards project has to be completed by October 2010 for submission later that month or early November to CDSMAC 

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National Priority - Building capacity and expertise

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • Working group formed, child protection and welfare workforce issues scoped and best practice identified.
  • Best practice models in Indigenous child protection identified and strengths and barriers to child protection by Indigenous organisations identified.
  • Report on education, development, and retention of the workforce produced.
  • Report on Indigenous child protection workforce produced.
  • Structural Issues in the Workforce - CDSMAC Community Services Workforce Profile Project final report considered.
  • Professional development training program in child and family sensitive practice developed and trialed.
  • Other development and training programs monitored for best practice and broader roll-out.
  • Other Commonwealth workforce development reforms across disciplines influenced.
Status (at August 2010)
  • On 3 May 2010, the Australian Government announced it will develop and roll-out an accredited training program to boost the capacity of community service workers to identify and respond to families and children who are at risk, with more than $2.1 million in funding over the next three years. The Australian Centre for Child Protection will deliver the new Building Capacity Building Bridges program in 12 communities with high levels of disadvantage across the country.
  • The program will help organisations delivering services to families and children, improve the skills of their staff so they can identify families who are struggling and respond quickly and effectively before problems escalate. As part of the program, the skills and expertise of workers who work in adult-focused services will be strengthened including workers in drug and alcohol, mental health, homelessness, and domestic violence services.
  • More than 700 workers will receive accredited training under this program, and up to 30 highly skilled workers will be supported to become trainers themselves so that they can continue to deliver the program in their local community. More information here.

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National Priority - Enhancing the evidence base

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • Begin the review of existing data definitions and unit record data for child protection (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) in conjunction with States and Territories).
  • Review of data collections.
  • States and Territories to participate in data project and commit to improving data sets.
  • Invite the Australian New Zealand Child Death Review and Prevention Group to submit a proposal to develop more consistent data to help better understand the circumstances of child deaths and how these could be prevented.
Status (at August 2010) UPDATED

The Coalition representatives on the Performance and Data Working Group report as follows:

  • The PDWG met at the end of June and will meet again at the end of August. A representative of SNAICC attended part of the session to discuss capacity of Indigenous agencies. The first report of the outcomes of the National Framework was circulated to Committee members for comment.
  • Government officials met without Coalition representations on progress of the unit record data collection. We received a presentation on the use of unit data in New Zealand and discussed ways forward on the areas of educational outcomes and kinship care data collection
  • The PDWG now has two subcommittees - and we have representatives on both:
  • Program Logic-Indicator Mapping. This group met to prepare a paper for the August meeting furthering the work of AIFS in development of the program logic to determine if the indicators will measure what is intended through the framework. There was discussion at the July meeting about the measurement of poverty. Dr Sharon Goldfeld, Research Fellow at Murdoch Childrens’ Research Institute, has been invited to the August meeting to discuss Indicator Development across other national frameworks such as the ECD Strategy.
  • The second is a subcommittee on how to capture evidence on Treatment and Support Services.  The final report of this committee will be ready by September 2011 (it is likely to consider the relationship to the Intensive Family support data and be restricted to ‘activity’ data with outcomes data to be part of a longer term plan).

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National Priority - Filling the research gaps

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • Hold a workshop in October 2009 involving governments, key academics and the non-government sector to inform the direction of a national research agenda.
  • Based on the outcomes of this workshop, develop a proposed national research agenda for approval.
  • A national research agenda will be approved and under way by early 2010.
Status (at August 2010)
  • A Government-Coalition working group has been formed concurrent with a National Research Audit of Australian research in the areas of child protection and wellbeing.

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National Priority - Transitioning to independence

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • In July 2009, the Commonwealth Government increased the Transition to Independent Living Allowance for young people leaving care from $1,000 to $1,500.
  • Commonwealth, State and Territory governments will consult with stakeholders to develop working arrangements to achieve consistency across Australia in the non-financial support that young people receive when leaving care.
Status (at August 2010) UPDATED
  • A Government-Coalition sub-group held its first meeting on 3 June 2010 to develop a work plan to explore options for consistency between States and Territories in leaving care plans, and consider what can be done nationally, beyond the work of individual jurisdictions. That sub-group is expected to reconvene shortly after the Federal election to advance the issue.
  • FaHCSIA is intending to take a transition to independence paper/workplan to the CDSMAC meeting in October 2010 (subject to confirmation of that meeting after the Federal election).  

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National Priority - Responding to sexual abuse

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • Consultations have been held with key government and non-government agencies that provide specialised therapeutic responses to young people with sexualised behaviours.
  • Undertake research to highlight service delivery challenges and identify initiatives that are working well.
Status (at August 2010) UPDATED
  • On 25 February 2010, the National Framework Implementation Working Group (NFIWG) noted that the current scope of the national priority project Responding to Sexual Abuse was very narrow.
  • The NFIWG agreed Queensland would develop a scoping paper, in collaboration with Victoria and the Coalition and the Commonwealth Government, for further discussion by the NFIWG.  
  • Three items were to be considered within the initial scoping paper including: therapeutic residential care for children and young people displaying problem sexual behaviour; responding to children who have experienced sexual abuse and display problem sexual behaviours or sexually abusive behaviours; and professional development of service providers (for example, national accreditation standards).
  • The current project plan for Responding to Sexual Abuse includes three key milestones: a literature review: Problem Sexual Behaviour in Children: A Review of the Literature, Australian Crime Commission – completed 2008; a national study on Australia’s response to sexualised or sexually abusive behaviours in children and young people, Australian Crime Commission – completed July 2010; and a national workshop on therapeutic residential care scheduled for September 2010.
  • The draft report Australia’s Response to Sexualised or Sexually Abusive Behaviours in Children and Young People by the Australian Crime Commission has been used as the basis for this scoping paper and to suggest possible future directions against the three areas articulated by the National Framework Implementation Working Group. As the draft report includes a clear recommendation regarding the importance of education strategies, a fourth area on education has been incorporated into the scoping paper. Jurisdictions have also identified additional issues to suggest possible future directions for further work on this national priority project.

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National Priority - Advocating nationally for children and young people

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • Continuing consultation with key stakeholders, including existing State and Territory commissioners and guardians, State and Territory governments, and the community, particularly children themselves, on views and potential options for an Australian Commissioner for Children and Young People.
  • Advice will be provided to the Commonwealth Government in late 2009.
Status (at August 2010)
  • This matter remains under consideration by the Federal Government.
  • On 12 May 2010, the Greens introduced a Bill into the Senate calling for a Commonwealth Commissioner for Children and Young People. More

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National Priority - Sharing information

First year targets (September 2009-September 2010)
  • Approval of the Medicare Australia and Child Support Agency appendices to the information sharing protocol.
  • Formal review of the information sharing protocol.
Status (at August 2010)
  • An information sharing protocol between Medicare Australia, the Child Support Agency and State and Territory child protection agencies has been signed off.
  • Next steps on this priority area remain to be determined.

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