PeakCare eNews 8th December 2020

- Tuesday, 8th December 2020 -

In what may seem like a case of déjà vu, the Child Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 (Bill) was introduced into Parliament on 3rd December 2020 and subsequently referred to the Community Support and Services Committee for detailed consideration. The Committee is required to report back to Parliament by 12th February 2021.

As you may recall, the Bill was originally referred to the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee prior to the dissolution of Parliament for the 2020 election. This Committee tabled its report on 28th August 2020, but the Bill lapsed before it could be debated in the House when Parliament was dissolved. While the Bill has now been referred to a different Committee, it remains unchanged from the original.

Arising out of recommendations made by Deputy State Coroner Bentley following the inquest into the death of Mason Jet Lee, the stated objectives of the Bill are to enhance the approach to permanency under the Child Protection Act 1999, clarify that adoption is an option for achieving permanency, and clarify the importance of and promote alternative permanency options for children subject to a child protection order granting long-term guardianship to the chief executive.

The Community Support and Services Committee has called for submissions to be lodged by 5pm Wednesday, 6th January 2021. The Committee has advised that if you or your organisation have already made a submission when the Bill was first considered, it is not necessary to make a further submission. However, if there is information you wish to add to your submission, you are encouraged to do so.

PeakCare fully expects that the debates generated by this Bill when it was first considered will be re-kindled and amplified the second time round. Click here to read the submissions that were originally lodged including PeakCare’s submission. For more evidence of the strongly held and divided opinions held about the use of adoption, read On the proposal to increase use of adoption through a new triage model with permanency order targets that was one of a series of reports on findings of a survey undertaken by PeakCare and the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak (QATSICPP) about the Liberal National Party’s proposals for overhauling the child protection system.

PeakCare encourages our Members to actively and constructively contribute to the debates concerning this very important policy matter. The decisions made by Parliament will have a life-long impact on the lives of many children and their families. Make sure that the conclusions reached by you and your organisation are well-informed and researched.

Click here to find out more about the Bill and for instructions about how to make a submission.

Let us know your thoughts by entering comments here, anonymously if you prefer.

Your response to the State Budget

Have you read the comments received in response to the lead article in last week’s edition of eNews? Click here to read the responses received so far and then add your own, anonymously if you prefer. PeakCare will make sure that your comments are brought to the attention of the Government. Do not miss the opportunity to make your views known.

TAFE student placements - can your organisation assist?

The Communities programs at TAFE Queensland Brisbane have students from all over Brisbane currently completing courses including diplomas in: Child, Youth and Family Intervention; Youth Work; Community Services and Mental Health. TAFE is looking for organisations that will be able to accept students to provide vocational placement opportunities now and in 2021. If your organisation can assist, contact Garry Rapp by phone on 07 3244 5436 or email to communityandsupportservices.brisbane@tafe.qld.edu.au

New Best Practice guide on participation of young people in decisions that affect them

CREATE has released another in their Best Practice Guides series - this time on the topic of participation of children and young people in decisions that affect them, particularly in the out of home care context. When children and young people are supported to partake in decisions about their own lives, it not only improves sense of self-worth while growing up, but also sets the foundation for enhanced independent decision-making in adulthood. The Guide is based on children and young people's own concerns voiced during the 2019 CREATE Conference, and sets out seven principles for organisations and workers to support child-centred processes and policies and facilitate meaningful engagement in decision-making processes. Access the guide and print out a poster for your office to easily reference the main points.

Parity publication call for contributions

Australia's national homelessness publication Parity is calling for contributions for the February 2021 edition: "A New Direction Home: The Future of Leaving Care". Contributions are sought exploring issues directly experienced by young people in out of home care (OoHC) and those leaving care in Queensland, as well as service and practitioner responses to these issues. The edition will examine and discuss the changes that have been made in the management and regulation of OoHC in different state and territory jurisdictions since 2016, the governance of the provision of OoHC and what supports are in place for assisting the transition to independence, as well as what is practically involved in extending the age of leaving care - and how it has been put into place in Tasmania and Victoria. Read the most recent editions of Parity on the topic of transitioning from care here and here. Access the contribution guidelines here, with a background and framework for discussion. Contributions can be articles of up to 1,600 word and the closing deadline is Friday, 12th February 2021. Enquiries can be directed to Noel Murray via email to noel@chp.org.au.

QCOSS State Budget Analysis 2020

On Thursday, 10th December QCOSS will hold its State Budget Analysis event at 8am online via Zoom. Join QCOSS and Minister for Communities and Housing, Hon. Leeanne Enoch MP to discuss the recently handed down Queensland State Budget and its impact on the community services sector. Email questions to events@qcoss.org.au. The event is free for QCOSS Members. Register now.

Nominations close tomorrow for Pro Bono Impact 25 Awards

Nominations close tomorrow, Wednesday 9th December, for the Pro Bono Impact 25 Awards. This esteemed accolade recognises the most influential people in the Australian social sector, as voted by their peers. Recognise the extraordinary people who quietly take action in their communities and influence the lives of those around them, by nominating them for an Award. Find out more and nominate.

Entries open to help design new Children's Rights font

Children and young people 3-18 years old are invited to choose their favourite letter of the alphabet and decorate it in a way that highlights a children's right, such as the right to play, to an education, a healthy environment, or the right to have a say or to be safe. Entries will go into the competition to be part of the Children's Rights Queensland TypeRights font, which will be used to brand educational materials about children's rights. Over 30 prizes are in the pool for winning designs. The competition closes 31st January 2021. Find out more and submit a design.

Can you help kids in care this Christmas?

The Pyjama Foundation has opened the call to raise funds to provide 45 children in foster care their very own special Pyjama Angel this Christmas. Every little bit counts toward this goal. Pyjama Angels are volunteers who are screened and trained to create positive relationships with children in care; empowering them with learning, life skills and confidence. Pyjama Angels implement the Love of Learning Program which is a learning-based mentoring program for children in care. The Love of Learning program is the only service of its type supporting children in care with evidence-based literacy and numeracy programs in the out-of-school environment in Australia. You can help more children access this incredible resource by donating your chosen amount.

Have your say

The Families in Australia Towards COVID Normal survey wants to understand how ordinary Australians have been adjusting to the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and where supports could be strengthened. Respondents must be over 18 and Australian residents and participants can opt in to the draw to win one of five shopping vouchers valued at $500 each.

The Australian Institute of Family Studies has been commissioned by ANROWS to survey family law system professionals, legal and non-legal, to understand their experiences and views about the parenting order enforcement regime. You are invited to take part if you are a legal professional (including judicial officers, barristers and solicitors) or non-legal professional (including FDR practitioners, family violence sector professionals, and professionals working in post-separation support services, such as parenting order programs). Find out more and participate. The survey will close 28th February 2021.

Thumbs Up to all who submitted candidates for PeakCare Awards. Thank you for your time and effort in ensuring that incredibly deserving candidates receive the acknowledgment they deserve. PeakCare looks forward to soon announcing all of the candidates and allowing the voting to begin!

Supervision: Unpacking Practice
Webinar - Wednesday, 13th and 20th January 2021
Presented by Lighthouse Resources

In your role as supervisor or supervisee do you aspire to having conversations that enable you to reflect and make decisions about your own practice? These Zoom sessions on consecutive Wednesdays will offer workers, whether they are supervisors, supervisees or both an opportunity to explore ways of having conversations that centre the knowledge and expertise of the supervisee. In doing so the supervisee has the opportunity to build on what they know and the supervisor has a tool to make this possible. Find out more and register.

Solution Focused Leadership
Brisbane - Monday, 15th to Tuesday, 16th February 2021
Presented by Compass Seminars

The Solution Focused Leadership approach focuses on solutions rather than concentrating on how to solve the problem, meaning your organisation's time and focus is spent on developing action steps towards solutions or your clients' improved outcomes. This workshop is about outcomes - how we construct them, how we achieve them and how we can lead others to make better ones. Find out more and register.

Gambling harm and intimate partner violence
Webinar - Wednesday, 9th December

In this free webinar, ANROWS will examine the connection between gambling and coercive control or economic abuse in intimate partner relationships, based on current research led by Professor Nerilee Hing. Professor Hing's research has found that while gambling does not directly cause IPV, it exacerbates it in serious ways, and that economic abuse is highly prevalent among women experiencing gambling related IPV. The webinar will also launch the practice guide ‘The dangerous combination of gambling and domestic and family violence against women’, developed to enhance practice across gambling help, financial counselling and domestic and family violence services. Find out more and register.

Families and food: identifying and responding to food insecurity
Webinar - Wednesday, 9th December

This free webinar, hosted by the Child Family Community Australia (CFCA), will explore strategies for identifying and supporting food-insecure families in the context of COVID-19. The webinar will: explore research evidence on the link between financial hardship and food insecurity; share insights into the impact of COVID-19 on socio-economic status and food security; consider what works in responding to food insecurity, particularly in a COVID-19 context; identify practical strategies such as the use of screening questions for identifying food insecure families. Find out more and register.

Untested Allegations of Sexual Abuse in Family Law Proceedings
Webinar - Thursday, 10th December

The Family Law Pathways Networks across Australia invite workers to join a free webinar by internationally recognised clinical family law expert Vincent Papaleo and registered psychologist Ben Jones. This session will focus on how to assess and manage family law cases where there are concerns about child sexual abuse. There will be information regarding how to critically examine the allegations, including any disclosures made by the child, as well as ancillary information that may be relevant to determining whether or not abuse may have occurred. Find out more and register.

QCOSS State Budget Analysis 2020
Webinar - Thursday, 10th December

QCOSS will hold its State Budget Analysis event at 8am online via Zoom. Join QCOSS and Minister for Communities and Housing, Hon. Leeanne Enoch MP to discuss the recently handed down Queensland State Budget and its impact on the community services sector. Email questions to events@qcoss.org.au. The event is free for QCOSS Members. Register now.

NDIS market transition in Queensland – draft findings
Webinar - Thursday, 10th December

During this free webinar hosted by National Disability Services, Queensland disability service providers will have the opportunity to hear the draft findings of the Queensland Productivity Commission investigation into the NDIS market transition in Queensland. The Draft Report, released 30th November, has followed consultation with the sector comprising written submissions, roundtable discussions and private interviews. The draft report finds targeted reforms are needed for the NDIS to reach its full potential. It sets out 39 recommendations. Find out more and register.

Human Rights in Action
Webinar - Thursday, 17th December

This final webinar from QCOSS in their free Human Rights in Action series will feature QCOSS Principal Advisor, Monica Taylor, discussing how to develop human rights skills for community service workers whose clients may need additional financial, medical, psychosocial and emotional support during this time of year. Find out more and register.

SNAICC National Conference 2021
Gold Coast - Monday, 30th August to Thursday, 2nd September 2021

The 9th SNAICC National Conference, Our Children Matter: Innovative Approaches to New World Challenges will be held in the lands of the Yugambeh People. Key themes will focus on the impacts of COVID-19 on communities, child safety and wellbeing, early years and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. This conference is the largest of its type in the Southern Hemisphere and provides the opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, policy makers, researchers, practitioners, government representatives, other non-government organisations and industry representatives to gather to share their work, learn from one another and make renewed commitments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Abstract submissions are now open until 19th February 2021 across five themes and numerous presentation types.

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PeakCare Queensland
PO Box 159
Paddington Qld 4064

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