What would a national framework look like?
A practical working document outlining concrete actions.
The framework should be a practical, working document outlining concrete actions to be undertaken by each part of the system to deliver improvements in protecting children. It will be a vehicle to capture agreements about areas for immediate action, individually and collectively, as well as areas where further cooperation is required. It may also be appropriate to agree a set of core principles to underpin the framework.
It is proposed that the framework be finalised by the end of the year, documenting actions that the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments, community organisations and others agree to do immediately to keep children safer. It would also articulate a work program for establishing national approaches to various parts of the system. The detail of those common approaches would be released in 2009.
The framework will help guide investments across the broad spectrum of activities keeping children safe and well.
With agreement between jurisdictions, the Australian and State and Territory Governments would have collective responsibility for implementing the framework. This would require that all governments agree to work together to develop, implement and manage the framework. The community sector would also be invited to support this framework and make relevant commitments about specific actions and investments.