Policy
PeakCare provides advice to government on key policies and legislation. Policy stances and work are underpinned by our Policy Framework.
Our policy position papers and advice to government flow from this policy framework.
All PeakCare Queensland activity is underpinned by reference to the following:
Bread and Butter Issues: Incident Reporting
PeakCare recognizes that incident reporting is one of the “bread and butter” activities being undertaken every day of the week by a large number of our member agencies. It’s very important therefore to “get it right”!
This message is coming through loudly and clearly within the comments being made by you in response to PeakCare’s preliminary feedback about the drafted Guidelines for Reporting Incidents produced by the Department of Communities.
If you have not yet added your thoughts about the drafted Guidelines, please consider PeakCare’s preliminary feedback and forward your comments to groberts@peakcare.org.au by 1st June 2011.
This is your chance to make sure that the “bread is being properly buttered”!
Read more about the drafted Incident Reporting Guidelines released by the Department of Communities and PeakCare’s preliminary feedback to these guidelines.
November is Transition From Care(TFC) Month.
To celebrate TFC month a group of peaks have sponsored an information sheet to help people working the TFC area to better plan for and deliver TFC services to young people.
Click here to download information sheet
Early intervention is important.
Two new papers from the UK have been released which support the cost effectiveness of early intervention for preventing child abuse.
The Centre For Excellence and Outcomes had released a summary of findings from their research on supporting children, families and communities. Get the good news about what works and which opportunities to follow by reading the practice guide on the challenges and opportunities.
Click here to download the practice guide
WAVE Trust UK has scanned the international data looking for solutions that work. The key messages are:
- Those who prioritise investment in the earliest years secure the best outcomes
- The quality of parenting/care is the key to a successful society
- There could be a major dividend from focused commitment to ensure children arrive at school and are school ready
- The impact of poor early care can be alleviated by the right experience during school years
- Galvanising the community is the secret of success
- Innovative approaches to social care can provide significant benefits at minimum cost
Click here to download WAVE paper
The Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Policy Scan
Policy Scan, Issue 12 (December 2010 / January 2011) is now available click here.
The policy scans summaries relevant published reports, research and policy initiatives covering a range of disciplines.
Topics of interest in this issue include:
- Child Protection: young people’s views of leaving care in Queensland
- Youth Justice: Queensland’s Children’s Court youth justice data
- Law and Justice: data on juveniles in detention in Australia from 1981 to 2008
- Health and Well-being: the drinking patterns of Australian young people aged 14-17 years
Queensland Compact
The Queensland Government Compact is a partnership agreement designed to guide the relationship between the non-profit community services sector and the Queensland Government to achieve better outcomes for Queenslanders.
Its goals are:
- Build strong working relationships
- Improve engagement in planning and policy
- Improve the sectors capacity and sustainability
- Work together to continue to improve service quality and innovation
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
The Convention on the Rights of the Child is a legally binding international instrument that spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have:
the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.
The four core principles of the Convention are
- non-discrimination;
- devotion to the best interests of the child;
- the right to life, survival and development;
- and respect for the views of the child.
Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. The Convention protects children's rights by setting standards in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services.
CAFWAA Policy Papers released on important national areas.
Read the latest papers on Closing the Gap, a National Family Support Service, and Working in Effective Indigenous Partnerships. Three new discussion papers have been released by CAFWAA to further develop thinking and practice in these areas.
Click here to download the papers
Family violence: Towards a holistic approach to screening and risk assessment in family support services.
Report published by the Australian Institute of Family Studies 2010.
This paper reviews the current research and literature specific to family violence screening and risk assessment. It is hoped that the paper will assist service providers and practitioners to develop and evaluate tools for use within family support services.