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November 2004

Meeting date: Friday 26 November 2004

The Child Protection Statewide Partnership Taskforce held its 5th meeting on 26 November 2004 in Brisbane. The Taskforce, chaired by the Deputy Director General, Department of Child Safety and comprising representatives from Queensland Government agencies and the non-government sector, held discussions on matters relating to the child protection system and the Blueprint for reform.

This Communique provides some of the outcomes of these discussions.

1. Recruitment

The shortlisting process for the Principal Planning and Partnership Officer positions is progressing. The zonal Planning and Partnership Officer positions advertised in news publications across the State, on Saturday, 14 November 2004. Applications close Monday, 29 November 2004.

2. Children's Research Centre

Representatives from the Children's Research Centre (CRC), a not for profit agency in the United States, are visiting Queensland during December. In 2005, rtment of Child Safety will introduce Structured Decision Making (SDM), developed by the CRC in order to bring structure and consistency to critical decision making points in the child protection system, through the use of assessment protocols that are objective, comprehensive and easy to use. The Children's Research Center (CRC) was established to help US federal, state and local child welfare agencies reduce child abuse and neglect by developing case management systems and conducting research which improves service delivery to children and families.

3. Child Death Case Review

A Child Death Case Review Committee has been established to increase the accountability of the child protection system in Queensland. Members have been named by the Premier and have expertise in fields including paediatrics and child health, forensic pathology, investigations and child protection. An information sheet has been published outlining child death review functions.

4. National Foster Care Conference

The National Foster Care Conference, Walking Together: People, Policy and Practice, held in Canberra 29-31 October was attended by approx. 45% of delegates, from across all states, who were NGO workers or staff. The ACT Minister for Children, Youth and Family Support, Katy Gallagher was impressive/dynamic and in full support of a national plan. The 2005 National Conference is to be held in Alice Springs in July. The State Conference is 13 March 2005.

5. Legislative reform

Options paper, to be released December for feedback end January 2005, has been developed for consultation with agencies, which will incorporate:

• voluntary care;
• relative/kinship care; and
• placement of indigenous children, the 'recognised agency' function, and the Indigenous Child Placement Principle.

6. Practice manual

Blueprint recommendation that 'a central requirement for the new Department of Child Safety will be to identify and establish a suite of professional practices and decision tools to help regulate, standardise and record the front line decisions taken by Child Safety Officers (CSO)'. A discussion document is to be released to an external reference group in December, including child protection academics, for feedback in January 2005.

Other items discussed

1. Network analysis: Presentation on network structures which provides both a quantitative and qualitative methodology for measuring the operation of networks.
2. Integrated Client Management System (ICMS): A multi phase project to deliver a statewide integrated client information system to support children and young people who have contact with the child protection and/or youth justice systems and regulation of carers. It will be a critical component of the State Government's Child Safety reforms.

Next meeting: Friday, 14 January 2005.

Last updated

30 May 2007