Commonwealth Commitment to Protecting Australia's Children
Role of the Australian Government
On 30 April 2009 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed Protecting Children is Everyone's Business: National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2009-2020 (National Framework).
Over the life of the National Framework the Australian Government will have a number of critical roles:
- Leading, promoting and facilitating shared action across governments and the non-government sector to develop and implement the National Framework
- Ensuring effective cross border arrangements and increasing national consistency and
- Ensuring its own payments, programs and areas of responsibility work to help these vulnerable families and their children.
The Australian Government will not take over child protection from the States and Territories - statutory child protection remains a State and Territory Government responsibility.
However, joint work on a shared problem can make a difference. For example, since January 2009 Centrelink has been referring families of children at serious risk of abuse and neglect to State and Territory agencies. This approach will have improved services for these families and demonstrates the benefits of information sharing to support an early intervention approach.
The Australian Government has been instrumental in the development of the National Framework, including:
- Supporting the Community and Disability Services Ministers' Conference (CDSMC) to bring forward the National Framework for COAG endorsement including through chairing the CDSMC National Framework Working Group
- Developing a Discussion paper in 2008 which elicited more than 200 submissions, hosting the consultation sessions, and bringing together key experts and
- Working closely with the Coalition of Organisations to ensure that the views of key stakeholders were included in the National Framework. The Coalition represents 63 organisations which provide services to vulnerable children, young people and families, as well as many key researchers.
Information about Australian Government Commitments
The National Framework takes a public health model approach to child protection. This approach requires a radical change in how we think about Australian Government expenditure and programs. To help children at risk policy and program development must include a greater focus on these children and their families. For instance, when developing policy on housing and homelessness, substance abuse, unemployment, disability and mental illness.
The measures announced in the National Framework include practical measures that have already been funded and commitments to further work which will be undertaken over time.
Over the life of the National Framework the Australian, State and Territory Governments, the non-government sector and broader Australian society will need to work together to ensure the new measures to protect Australia's children are effective.
Information on this site will include new initiatives, new allocations of funding, and how the Australian Government will implement National Framework measures. There will also be links or advice on where you can get further information.
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