Background
Parents and families will always have the primary responsibility for caring for and protecting children.
State and Territory Governments become directly involved in this relationship when children are at risk of neglect or abuse.
Parents and families will always have the primary responsibility for caring for and protecting children. State and Territory Governments become directly involved in this relationship when children are at risk of neglect or abuse. However it is now widely recognised that a range of public policies from all levels of government can help strengthen families and prevent the circumstances in which child abuse and neglect are most often found. A national framework for protecting children is a key part of the Australian Government’s new commitments for children.
The Australian Government has already made a significant commitment to the early years, recognising the vital role that early support plays in the development of healthy children from conception to school age. The Government understands that early intervention and investment have considerable longer term benefits, both for individuals and our community. These commitments include a strong investment in early childhood education and care through a guarantee of universal access to preschool, greater investment in high quality child care and more help in the transition to school.
Additional investments are also being made in health, through the Healthy Kids Check for all four year olds, the national roll out of the Australian Early Development Index1 and the Indigenous — Australian Early Development Index2, which will provide comprehensive national indications of child development and wellbeing.
The Australian Government also has a strong commitment to address Indigenous disadvantage. The goals are to close the life expectancy gap within a generation; halve the gap in mortality rates for children under five within a decade; halve the gap in literacy and numeracy achievements within a decade; and provide a quality early childhood education program to all four year olds in remote communities within five years. Already the Government has begun a series of targeted health, education, housing and law and order measures to close these gaps, and to make sure that Indigenous children are safe in their communities.
Evidence shows a relationship between disadvantage and the neglect or abuse of children. The Government’s new agenda for social inclusion will target and address areas of concentrated disadvantage.
As part of this comprehensive policy agenda for Australia’s children, the national framework for protecting children is being developed. The other goals will not be achieved unless neglect and child abuse can be prevented as far as possible.
Better policies to help protect our nation’s children can only be achieved through better collaboration within and between governments. State and Territory Governments have primary statutory responsibility for the welfare of children and it is the Australian Government’s intention to work with them to improve life outcomes for all children.
The Australian Government also recognises that the non-profit sector is a key player in the protection of children and in broader work to promote social inclusion. A strong partnership between government and this sector is needed to ensure that the right assistance is available to children and families with all agencies working together.
This discussion paper has been developed by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to canvass options for the national framework.
The Australian Government recognises that the non-profit sector is a key player in the protection of children and in broader work to promote social inclusion.
- www.ichr.uwa.edu.au/media/713
- www.rch.org.au/australianedi/index.cfm?doc_id=6210