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CHILD PROTECTION STRATEGIC DIRECTION STATEMENT
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CHILD PROTECTION STRATEGIC
DIRECTION STATEMENT
for the
Department of Housing
Developed by Client Services
June 2005
Table of contents
1 Why a Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement?......................................................... 3
2 Background.............................................................................................................................. 3
2.1 The Crime and Misconduct Commission inquiry and Blueprint .......................................3
2.2 Amendments to the Child Protection Act 1999................................................................3
2.3 Prevention and early intervention ....................................................................................4
2.4 A focus on Indigenous children and families ...................................................................5
3 Vision ....................................................................................................................................... 5
4 Objectives and priorities .......................................................................................................... 5
5 Principles ................................................................................................................................. 6
5.1 Responding to child protection related requests for assistance ......................................6
5.2 Proposed principles to guide how assistance is to be provided ......................................7
6 References ............................................................................................................................ 10
7 Attachment A: Child protection work plan 2005-06................................................................ 11
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005
1 Why a Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement?
A Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement will assist the Department of Housing to meet the
Queensland Government’s expectation that all human service departments will work effectively in
partnership to assist children and families who are in contact with the child protection system.
Recent significant reforms of child protection services in Queensland emphasise the importance of
collaboration and coordination amongst service providers.
The Department’s Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement is intended:
• to provide a clear strategic direction for the Department in relation to child protection matters;
• to provide a basis for output managers to undertake child protection related policy work;
• for use as a guide for managers when making one-off decisions about child protection matters
that are not covered by existing policies or procedures; and
• for use as a tool to help coordinate a range of child protection related projects.
2 Background
2.1 The Crime and Misconduct Commission inquiry and Blueprint
The inquiry into the abuse of children in foster care conducted by the Queensland Crime and
Misconduct Commission found that the child protection system in Queensland was failing in its
fundamental duty to protect at risk children and young people. The inquiry highlighted the systemic
nature of the issues that have contributed to the failings of the child protection system and
proposed 110 recommendations aimed at re-building the system from the ground up.
In March 2004, the Queensland Government committed to act upon the Blueprint developed in
response to the Crime and Misconduct Commission’s findings, thereby committing to the reform of
Queensland’s child protection system.
Key recommendations from the inquiry include:
• the development of a new Department of Child Safety exclusively focused on child protection
functions;
• a coordinated whole of government approach;
• much stronger intake and assessment processes when investigating allegations of abuse;
• greater support for staff in terms of training and resourcing;
• improved outcomes for Indigenous children and families; and
• improved accountability and transparency.
The Crime and Misconduct Commission inquiry and audit of foster carers was followed by an
implementation strategy called the Blueprint for Implementing the Recommendations of the CMC
Report Protecting Children. The Queensland Government has committed to implement every
recommendation from the Blueprint, including a significant legislative reform agenda to underpin a
range of changes in the child protection system.
2.2 Amendments to the Child Protection Act 1999
Recent amendments to the Child Protection Act 1999 emphasise that government service
providers should work in partnership with the Department of Child Safety to provide the best
possible outcomes for children in the child protection system. Section 159F of the Act states that:
service providers must take reasonable steps to coordinate decision-making and the
delivery of services to children and families, in order to appropriately and effectively
meet the protection and care needs of children.
Other amendments to that Act include the formalisation of a Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect
team model. The Department of Housing is named as a non-core member of Suspected Child
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005 Page 3
Abuse and Neglect teams, and may be invited to participate in Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect
meetings if there is a housing-related issue impacting on child protection concerns.
The amendment that is most significant from the Department of Housing’s perspective is a new
legislated power given to the Chief Executive of the Department of Child Safety (section 159H (2)),
as follows:
The Chief Executive (of the Department of Child Safety) may ask a prescribed entity (in this
case, the Director-General of the Department of Housing) to provide a service:
• to a child in need of protection, or a member of the child’s family, to help meet the child’s
protection and care needs and promote the child’s wellbeing; or
• to an individual, before the birth of a child, to help meet the child’s protection and care
needs and promote the child’s wellbeing after the child is born.
The prescribed entity must take reasonable steps to comply with the request so far as the
request:
• is consistent with the entity’s function; and
• does not unreasonably affect the discharge of the entity’s functions in relation to other
persons or matters.
The chief executive must give the prescribed entity the information it needs to comply with the
request.
The significance of this new provision is that it reflects the level of priority that departments, such
as the Department of Housing, should give to supporting the Department of Child Safety to resolve
child protection concerns. It is hoped that the policies and operational arrangements for
responding to requests for assistance relating to child protection will reduce, if not eliminate, the
need for the Director-General of Child Safety to call on this new power, as matters should ideally
be dealt with effectively at a local level without the need for escalation.
2.3 Prevention and early intervention
This Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement is intended to a large degree, to provide a
framework for determining whether a request for housing assistance should be assessed as being
a child protection related request, and therefore treated with the appropriate level of priority.
Before examining this issue it is important to clarify that Department of Housing staff are often
providing assistance to families where there is a risk of abuse or neglect of children, and where
there is no involvement by the Department of Child Safety. Much of the Department’s work is at
this prevention and early intervention point in families’ lives. Many staff in Area Offices will be
aware of households they have assisted, where a risk of abuse or neglect of children was averted
largely because of the benefits of this housing assistance.
The framework being presented in this statement is aimed at determining whether and how to
respond to cases where the risk of harm to children is significant, and generally, where there is
involvement by the Department of Child Safety. This is occurring in the context of a push by
government to see much stronger collaboration and coordination between agencies that work with
households which are in contact with the child protection system. This emphasis should not be
interpreted as devaluing the prevention and early intervention assistance that the Department of
Housing also provides to vulnerable households with children.
As well as emphasising the importance of service coordination, the Blueprint guiding the reform of
the child protection system in Queensland also emphasises the importance of prevention and early
intervention. Such assistance is important to reduce the need for more intensive and often less
successful forms of intervention when child protection problems reach crisis point. Department of
Housing staff should bear this in mind when developing and reviewing policies and procedures, as
it is important that the direction outlined in this document is not pursued at the expense of the
important preventative work already being delivered through a range of housing assistance
programs.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005 Page 4
2.4 A focus on Indigenous children and families
The reform of the Queensland child protection system includes a strong focus on improved
outcomes for Indigenous children and families. Indigenous children are significantly over
represented in the child protection system, and the reform process includes a range of measures
targeting this group.
Included in these measures is the establishment of 23 new or enhanced Indigenous child
protection services to provide the role of recognised agencies across the State. These
organisations will work in partnership with the Department of Child Safety to improve service
delivery to Indigenous children, families and carers where there are child protection concerns. In
recognition of this role, the Department of Housing may be called upon by the Department of Child
Safety to provide housing assistance to help recognised agencies to undertake this important work.
3 Vision
The Child Protection Act 1999 states that Government becomes involved in child protection when:
• children have been harmed, are being harmed, or are at risk of being harmed; or an unborn
child is at risk of being harmed after birth, and
• they do not have parents or carers who are willing and able to protect them from this harm.
Housing is not often a significant factor in a child being harmed or put at risk of harm. However,
when housing is a significant contributor, the Department of Housing is committed to taking the
steps necessary to address these housing issues. Therefore the Department of Housing’s vision is
that:
No child in contact with the child protection system is harmed or placed at risk of harm
because of a housing-related factor.
4 Objectives and priorities
Moving towards this vision requires work in a number of areas. The following set of objectives and
priorities has been developed after consultation with all Area Offices and other service area
representatives, and representatives from the Department of Child Safety. It is not intended as a
definitive list. Rather, the intention is to review and update this list during the life of this document
to identify responses to new and emerging issues.
A. Being responsive to requests for assistance from the Department of Child Safety.
A.1. Develop a clear, mutually understood policy framework to guide who is to receive
assistance, and in what form.
A.2. Negotiate, implement and review protocols between Housing and Child Safety.
A.3. Build and maintain local partnerships.
B. Having the right products and services.
B.1. Develop and trial new options for households who need a quick housing solution.
B.2. Review policies and priorities for all programs.
B.3. Develop policies to guide the Department’s response to children not living in families-
based alternate care.
C. Reliably reporting child protection concerns to the Department of Child Safety.
C.1. Develop and implement clear policies and procedures.
C.2. Develop and implement strategies to support staff who make reports.
C.3. Provide regular training on when and how to report.
D. Monitoring performance and improving systems as needed.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005 Page 5
D.1. Develop and implement systems to record requests for assistance and outcomes from
these requests.
D.2. Develop and implement systems to record reports by staff of child protection concerns.
D.3. Develop and implement an evaluation framework for this child protection strategy.
D.4. Conduct research into the relationship between social housing and child protection
outcomes in partnership with the Office of Economic and Statistical Research and the
Department of Child Safety.
E. Suitable staff delivering services to children.
E.1. Develop and implement departmental suitability screening arrangements.
E.2. Implement the strategy to maximise blue card compliance amongst funded workers.
5 Principles
The key policy issues in relation to child protection are:
• who do we target for assistance; and
• how do we assist?
An underlying assumption in relation to the Department of Housing’s involvement in child
protection related work is that the Department of Child Safety is the lead agency. A related
assumption is that most child protection related assistance provided by the Department of Housing
will be in response to requests from the Department of Child Safety. It is not envisaged that
departmental staff will generally make assessments that a household requires priority assistance
related to a child protection concern in the absence of advice or involvement by the Department of
Child Safety.
The proposed principles in 9.2 have therefore been prepared on this assumption. They provide a
framework for determining whether a situation should be considered a child protection related
priority case for assistance, and how the Department of Housing will determine what form of
assistance to provide.
It is important to emphasise the distinction between ‘housing assistance’ and ‘public housing’. This
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement has been prepared to inform and guide decision-
making about whether and how to provide housing assistance. This should not be confused with
determining suitability and eligibility for priority access to public housing1, as this is just one
housing assistance option. In many cases, the housing issues impacting on a child protection
concern may be most appropriately resolved through help in securing a private rental property.
Given the pressures on the public housing program, this may also be the only option available in
many circumstances.
5.1 Responding to child protection related requests for assistance
The first issue to resolve is whether a request for assistance should be treated in the same way as
other requests for housing assistance, or whether the request should be considered as a child
protection related request. If the request qualifies as the latter, then the Department’s response
should be informed by the level of priority indicated by the Government’s commitment to the
Blueprint and subsequent reforms to the Child Protection Act 1999.
It is proposed that two criteria be used to determine whether a referral for child protection related
housing assistance should be considered as a child protection case. These are:
• the Department of Child Safety has determined that a child or children are in need of
protection, or an unborn child is likely to be in need of protection after he or she is born; and
1
Applicants for public rental housing are generally housed on a wait turn basis, that is, in the order that their applications are
received. Priority access to public housing refers to out of turn access for applicants who are assessed as being in urgent housing
need. The term priority may wrongly imply fast access. Because of the growing demand for public housing and the low turnover
rate, applicants assessed as eligible for priority access may, in some areas, still need to wait many months or even years to be housed.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005 Page 6
• the child’s current housing circumstances are likely to be a significant contributor to the child
being harmed, or being at risk of harm; and/or alternate housing is likely to make a significant
contribution to a reduction to this harm or risk of harm.
The first criterion refers to the assessment phase undertaken by the Department of Child Safety
when a child protection report is received. That process seeks to determine whether a child is
experiencing or at risk of experiencing significant harm, and whether the child’s parents are willing
and able to protect the child from that harm.
The second criterion tests whether there are housing issues that are making a significant
contribution to the child protection concern(s). It is proposed that a child protection concern alone
is not sufficient to be considered for priority housing assistance and there must also be a housing
issue that is adding to the child protection risk. Making this latter assessment is necessarily a joint
decision between staff from both the Department of Housing and the Department of Child Safety.
Information sharing provisions recently included in the Child Protection Act 1999 allow for
Department of Housing staff to participate in such discussions.
Once this judgement to provide priority assistance has been made, the Department of Housing
must then determine how to respond to the child protection related housing issues. The following
principles are provided as the basis for a framework to guide this response.
5.2 Proposed principles to guide how assistance is to be provided
These principles have been developed with consideration of the findings from the inquiry by the
Crime and Misconduct Commission into abuse in foster care, and through consultation with Area
Offices and Department of Child Safety staff.
Principle 1: Child protection is a top priority of the Queensland Government, and of all
human service departments.
The Queensland Government has indicated that child protection is a very high priority.
Amendments to the Child Protection Act 1999 highlight that State Government departments should
give a high level of priority to providing assistance to child protection related cases. It is therefore
important to emphasise this in the Department’s policy framework.
Principle 2: The Department of Housing will take reasonable steps to meet urgent requests
for housing assistance quickly.
One aspect of giving priority is to provide timely assistance. There will be times when the
Department of Child Safety requires a fast housing solution. Some forms of assistance, in
particular public rental housing, are not usually well suited to quick access2. The challenge for the
Department of Housing is to develop options for providing fast access to housing solutions,
possibly in partnership with other housing providers in the non-government sector. The challenge
for the Department’s partnership with the Department of Child Safety is to create a shared
understanding that requests for urgent assistance are only made on those few occasions when
timeliness is critical.
Principle 3: The wellbeing of the child should be the focus of decision- making in relation to
child protection related requests for housing assistance.
The Crime and Misconduct Commission inquiry into the abuse of children in foster care, and the
subsequent reforms to the child protection system, return the focus of child protection to the child.
It is therefore appropriate that this Department’s child protection policy framework incorporates a
2
For example, in some locations there may be a wait of at least 6 to 12 months for a larger (4+ bedroom) house to become vacant. In
some cases this may stretch to a number of years.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005 Page 7
clear focus on children, and in particular children who require a protective response from
government.
Principle 4: The Department of Housing should work to support the placement principles
used by the Department of Child Safety, such as keeping sibling groups together if
possible; making culturally appropriate placements particularly for Indigenous children;
and supporting children to be cared for by their own parents, rather than live in alternative
care arrangements such as foster care, if at all possible. 3
It is critical that all parties are clear that policy leadership relating to children in need of a protective
response rests with the Department of Child Safety. The Department of Housing’s role is one of
supporting the Department of Child Safety to discharge their responsibilities.
Principle 5: In consideration of the needs of other Queenslanders in housing need, the
Department of Housing will meet child protection related housing needs in the most cost
effective manner possible, while not compromising a child’s safety or wellbeing.
In emphasising the policy leadership role of the Department of Child Safety, it is also important to
emphasise the balancing responsibility that this Department has to all Queenslanders in need of
housing. All government funded programs have an obligation to deliver services to the community
in the most cost effective way possible. This approach means that as many people as possible are
able to be assisted within existing funding constraints.
The impacts of the tightening private housing market and growing demand for housing assistance,
combined with ongoing reductions in capacity of this Department associated with Commonwealth
funding cuts, elevates the importance of the Department of Housing seeking the most cost-
effective solutions wherever possible. This is a principle that applies to all requests for housing
assistance, not just to child protection related requests.
In general terms this will mean that, for example, a priority (i.e. out of turn) allocation to public
housing will only be considered after other, less expensive options have been assessed as
unsuitable for achieving the identified child protection outcomes. This is consistent with the
approach taken with other requests for priority access to public rental housing.
The other implication of this context is that the Department will generally need to apply an upper
limit on the level of assistance provided to any one household, again so as not to unreasonably
disadvantage other households in housing need.
Principle 6: The Department will consider current and likely future household composition
when determining the most appropriate housing assistance measure to provide, and will
review eligibility and entitlements over time.
Households who are in contact with the child protection system are sometimes more likely than
others to experience changes in their household composition. Children may live out of their family
of origin for indeterminate periods of time. They may spend time moving between households, and
it may be difficult to predict with any certainty whether living arrangements are likely to remain
stable or not. Similarly, foster carers are often unable to predict the future composition of their
household with a high level of certainty.
Housing assistance options need to be developed with this understanding in mind. In particular,
long-term housing solutions such as those through the Public Housing or Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Rental Housing Rental Program, may need to include a capacity to revise bedroom
3
Interpreting the Department of Child Safety’s placement principles is a matter for staff from the Department of Child
Safety. While Department of Housing staff may have views about matters such as numbers of children placed in
particular foster care arrangements, for example, these are judgements to be made by staff of the Department of Child
Safety.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005 Page 8
entitlements or on going eligibility, particularly to reduce the incidence of under-occupancy of
scarce, larger properties. Headleasing of private housing may be a more flexible, and therefore a
more suitable option in some child protection related cases. Making the right match between
present and likely future housing requirements on the one hand, and housing assistance options
on the other, is likely to be better for the client and more cost effective.
Principle 7: Arrangements will be established to reduce, and eliminate if possible, urgent
requests for priority assistance, where the urgency is due to a lack of forward planning.
Housing interventions that effectively address the child protection concerns in a cost-effective
manner are much more likely with adequate forward planning. Early involvement of the
Department of Housing by the Department of Child Safety in joint case planning processes will
maximise the chances of the Department of Housing being able to effectively and efficiently assist.
Principle 8: Support arrangements for child protection related referrals will be assessed and
mutually agreed before proceeding with the delivery of housing assistance. It may also be
appropriate for the housing assistance arrangements to be reviewable subject to continued
provision of this agreed support regime.
A component of joint case planning between staff from the Departments of Housing and Child
Safety will be clarification of roles and responsibilities in terms of meeting household support
requirements, if any. Housing assistance arrangements are much more likely to be sustained long
term if an assessment of support needs has been conducted and all parties are in agreement
about roles and responsibilities in terms of meeting these needs.. In particular, it is important to
clarify where supportive tenancy management (in social rental housing) ends and intensive family
support begins.
Principle 9: The Department of Housing will generally provide housing assistance to
children in receipt of Placement and Support Packages or related funding on a cost
recovery basis, that is, housing costs will usually be met by the Department of Child Safety.
This principle aims to address the risk of funding responsibilities becoming blurred through the
child protection reform process. A similar or broader principle may be required if requests for
housing assistance are received for children in receipt of disability or health-related support
funding.
It is important to emphasise that this whole of government approach to child protection is not
intended to facilitate a shift in roles and responsibilities, or costs, between government
departments. Rather, it is aimed at clarifying and facilitating effective coordination and
collaboration. One area where this issue may require emphasis is in relation to children living in
supported housing that is, living with paid support workers rather than in family-based care, either
with their own families or with approved foster carers.
At present, the Queensland Government funds the care and accommodation of children and young
people with disability and/or high support needs through Placement and Support Packages funded
by the Department of Child Safety. Housing services can be an integral part of the package. For
example, Placement and Support Packages can pay for the lease of a private rental property.
Figures from the Department of Communities Option Paper, 30 June 2004, indicate that of the 265
children in receipt of Placement and Support Packages, 164 were in family based placements and
101 were in non-family based placements.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005 Page 9
6 References
CMC, 2004, Protecting Children: An Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Foster Care, Crime and
Misconduct Commission Queensland, Brisbane.
http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/library/CMCWEBSITE/ProtectingChildren.pdf
Department of Communities, 2005, Supporting families with children with disabilities who have high
and complex support needs options paper, 19 Jan, v3, Queensland Government.
Foster, P., 2004, A Blueprint for Implementing the Recommendations of the CMC Report
“Protecting Children”, Queensland Government.
http://www.childsafety.qld.gov.au/publications/documents/bluefullreport.pdf
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005 Page 10
7 Attachment A: Child protection work plan 2005-06
Priority Project Intended Outcomes Responsibility ® Timing Progress
A.1 Develop a Child Protection • Approval of a Department of Housing Child Safety Completed Met with Director-
clear, mutually Strategic Corporate Support Plan that provides a Director ® by June General to discuss
understood Directions strategic policy framework to guide child 2005 for the policy principles.
policy Statement. protection related work. The Statement should Reference Ctee Board of
framework to also outline goals and priorities for 2005-06, – consultation Management Completed
guide who is to and projects to be undertaken to address these
receive priorities.
assistance, and • Shared understanding of the core messages in
in what form. this plan by all service areas.
• Visible launch of Statement jointly with
Department of Child Safety to emphasise
partnership approach to both agencies.
A.2 Negotiate, Department of • Department of Housing staff are clear about Child Safety Completed Draft under
implement and Housing and when and how to report child protection Director ® by June development.
review protocols Department of matters. 2005
between Child Safety • Department of Child Safety staff are Client Services
Housing and protocol for responding appropriately to such reports,
Child Safety. reporting child particularly in terms of feedback and ongoing Department of
protection communication with Department of Housing. Child Safety
concerns.
Department of • Department of Child Safety area office staff are Child Safety Completed Draft developed
Housing and clear about when and how to make requests for Director ® by June 2005
Department of housing assistance. Consultation with
Child Safety • Department of Housing staff are clear about Client Services Department of Child
protocol for how to respond to requests for assistance. Safety staff and
requesting timely • Timely, appropriate housing assistance Department of Department of
housing provided to the right child protection related Child Safety Housing staff under
assistance. cases. way.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement –June 2005 Page 11
Priority Project Intended Outcomes Responsibility ® Timing Progress
B.1 Develop and Timely housing Area Offices have options to provide timely Community To be Commenced
trial new options options for child housing assistance to urgent child protection Housing ® agreed
for households protection related referrals.
who need a cases. Public Housing
quick housing and Housing
solution. System
Initiatives ®
Child Safety
Director
Housing
Finance
B.2 Review Review of the • Priority housing eligibility criteria are redefined Public Housing Commencing Endorsement of the
policies and public housing to align with the Department’s current approach and Housing in 2005/06 Strategic Directions
priorities for all priority access for to clients in housing need. System Cabinet submission is
programs. foster carer’s • Review priority housing policy for other child Initiatives ® required before this
policy. safety related cases (other than children in work can commence.
foster care). Child Safety
Director
Policy framework • Framework developed and agreed with Child Safety To be
for assisting Department of Child Safety regarding the Director ® agreed
Aboriginal and approaches to be taken by Department of
Islander Child Housing in assisting Aboriginal and Islander Client Services
Care Agencies. Child Care Agencies to resolve housing
impediments to their child protection related Aboriginal and
work. Torres Strait
• Protocols developed and agreed. Islander
Housing
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement – Consultation Draft June 2005 Page 12
Priority Project Intended Outcomes Responsibility ® Timing Progress
Incorporation of • Community Housing program specifications Community To be
priority for child and service agreements reflect the required Housing ® agreed
protection into level of priority for households in contact with
community the child protection system. Public Housing
housing and • Bond Loan and Rental Grants program and Housing
private housing guidelines reflect the required level of priority System
assistance for households in contact with the child Initiatives
specifications. protection system.
Housing
Finance
Incorporation of The Department of Housing’s portfolio is matched Property To be
child protection to the pattern of demand for social housing coming Portfolio agreed
requirements into through referrals from the Department of Child Management ®
portfolio planning Safety.
process. Child Safety
Director
Policy framework Department of Housing and Department of Child Child Safety September
for assisting Safety (and Disability Services Queensland if Director ® 2005
children in care appropriate) agree on roles and responsibilities for
who are unable to the Department of Housing in relation to children Housing Policy
live in family who are unable to live in family based and Research
based arrangements.
arrangements.
B.3 Develop Transition Protocols between Department of Housing, Child Safety July 2005 Commenced
policies to guide planning for Disability Services Queensland, Department of Director ®
the response to children living in Child Safety and Queensland Health regarding
children not supported transition planning for children in care of the State Housing Policy
living in families- housing. who are unable to live in family-based alternate and Research
based alternate care arrangements.
care.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement – Consultation Draft June 2005 Page 13
Priority Project Intended Outcomes Responsibility ® Timing Progress
C.2 Develop and Area Office staff Staff are confident that they will receive Client Services To be
implement support strategy organisational support if they make a report of a ® agreed
strategies to for staff who child protection concern to Department of Child
support staff report child Safety. Child Safety
who make protection Director
reports. concerns.
Organisation
Services and
Strategy
C.3 Provide Child protection Q-Build Maintenance staff appropriately report Child Safety Commence Initial meeting held
regular training awareness child protection concerns. Director ® in July 2005 with Department of
on when and training for Q- Public Works.
how to report. Build
Maintenance
staff.
Child protection • Cycle of child protection awareness training Client Services Ongoing
training cycle for incorporated into annual area office training ®
Department of program.
Housing staff. • Staff in area offices understand when and how Child Safety
to report child protection concerns and in Director
particular, have basic skills in recognising a
child at risk and understand the importance of
being responsive to child protection related
requests for assistance.
D.1 Develop and Incorporation of Requests for priority assistance from Department Client Services To be
implement child protection of Child Safety are in a form consistent with the ® agreed
systems to referrals into CARE system, to improve efficiency and system
record requests Client integration. Child Safety
for assistance Assessment Director
and outcomes Referral Expert
from these (CARE) system.
requests.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement – Consultation Draft June 2005 Page 14
Priority Project Intended Outcomes Responsibility ® Timing Progress
Data collection • Systems are developed to collect and collate Organisational To be agreed
and reporting information about: Performance
framework. − child protection reports made by area and Strategy ®
offices to Department of Child Safety; and
− requests for housing assistance from Client Services
Department of Child Safety, including the
timeliness and nature of the assistance Child Safety
provided. Director
D.1 and D.2 Information • Systems developed and implemented to record Client Services To be
Develop and sharing and and collate information about: ® agreed
implement record keeping − child protection reports made to
systems to policies for child Department of Child Safety; and Child Safety
record requests protection − requests for housing assistance from Director
for assistance matters. Department of Child Safety.
and outcomes • Department of Housing meets reporting Organisation
from these requirements to Commission for Children and Services and
requests; and to Young People and Child Guardian and Office Strategy
record reports of Economic and Statistical Research.
by staff of child
protection
concerns.
D.3 Develop and Evaluation of the Report to the Board of Management and Child Safety July 2006
implement Department of Commission for Children and Young People and Director ®
evaluation Housing child Child Guardian on the Department of Housing’s
framework for protection performance in implementing this reform agenda.
child protection strategy.
strategy.
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement – Consultation Draft June 2005 Page 15
Priority Project Intended Outcomes Responsibility ® Timing Progress
D.4 Conduct Department of Improved understanding of the ways in which Housing Policy July 2006 Preliminary meetings
research into the Housing, Office of aspects of public housing contribute to child and Research held with Department
relationship Economic and protection outcomes. ® of Child Safety and
between public Statistical Office of Economic
housing and Research and Child Safety and Statistical
child protection Department of Director Research, and with Dr
outcomes in Child Safety Claire Tilbury from
partnership with research into the Griffith University.
Office of Department of
Economic and Housing’s
Statistical contribution to
Research and child protection
Department of outcomes.
Child Safety.
E.1 Develop and Department of Suitability screening arrangements established for Human To be Whole-of-Government
implement Housing staff staff who have contact with children. Resource agreed suitability screening
departmental suitability Management ® arrangements likely to
suitability screening. be resolved by June
screening Child Safety 2005.
arrangements. Director
E.2 Implement Maximising blue Strategy developed and implemented to maximise Community Ongoing Community Housing
strategy to card compliance understanding of and compliance with blue card Housing ® commenced
maximise blue amongst requirements for Department of Housing funded implementing strategy.
card compliance Department of workers who have contact with children. Community
amongst funded Housing funded Renewal ®
workers. workers.
Child Safety
Director
Child Protection Strategic Directions Statement – Consultation Draft June 2005 Page 16
