Changing our laws to keep Queensland children safe
Consultation report — Rethinking rights and regulation: towards a stronger framework for protecting children and supporting families
Contemporary child protection laws are an important part of the Supporting Families Changing Futures reform program to ensure children and young people are safe, protected and supported to reach their full potential.
Reinforcing children’s rights in the legislative framework
Strengthening children’s voices in decisions that affect them
Reshaping the regulation of care
Through consultation, we heard about the importance of ensuring children are aware of their rights and how to exercise them, the need to actively listen to children and facilitate participation in a way that is appropriate to their needs, and the importance of ensuring carers and care services are supported to deliver the highest standard of care possible.
We are considering the results of consultation and how we can incorporate this feedback to support a stronger legislative, policy and practice framework for the child protection and family support system.
The third and final stage of amendments commenced on 29 October 2018. Changes that have commenced at this time relate to:
The safe care and connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with family, community and culture including the right to self-determination and embedding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle in legislation, removal of reference to the Recognised Entity, introduction of the new concept of an independent person for a child or young person, and the ability to delegate functions and powers to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation.
Supporting Permanency and Stability for children, now and throughout their lives including introduction of a new permanency framework to promote timely decision-making, greater emphasis on all dimensions of permanency — relational, physical and legal aspects, stronger focus on achieving permanency goals and concurrent case planning, limitations on the use of consecutive short-term orders and the introduction of the permanent care order.
A contemporary information sharing framework including a greater ability for the family support system to share information and the publication of an Information Sharing Guideline by the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women.
Transition to Adulthood including a legal requirement for transition planning to commence from 15 years of age and the extension of support eligibility up to the age of 25 for young people who have been in care.
The review of the Child Protection Act 1999 commenced in September 2015 to identify the role and purpose of the legislation in improving opportunities and life outcomes for children, young people and families in contact with the child protection system.
Between September 2015 and December 2016, public consultation was held across Queensland through community forums, written submissions, meetings, focus groups and small group sessions to identify the priority changes needed to keep children and young people safe and able to reach their full potential, and to support families and communities to safely care for their children.
Through this consultation, we found that Queensland’s child protection legislation is generally operating well, however priority amendments and opportunities for broad legislative reform were identified.