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Commission hosts National Operators’ Forum
The Commission hosted the National Operators’ Forum on 4-5 November 2010, which brought together representatives from jurisdictions across the nation to promote a better understanding of child-related employment screening systems, and explore actions to enhance national consistency.
Attendees at the forum consisted of representatives from the relevant Working with Children Check agencies across Australia, the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), and the Queensland Department of Communities.
In June 2010, the Community and Disability Services Ministers’ Advisory Council (CDSMAC) agreed to progress a nationally consistent approach to Working with Children Checks. Given this push at the national level, the theme of the forum was on moving towards a nationally consistent approach to these checks and exploring actions to enhance national consistency.
The forum also provided an opportunity for representatives to share information about their respective child-related employment screening systems and decision-making frameworks.
Participants discussed the commonalities and differences between jurisdictions to employment screening, risk management strategies and compliance functions, and the implications of these factors in the move towards national consistency.
Queensland Commissioner for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Elizabeth Fraser was pleased at the high quality of in-depth discussion at the forum.
“All attendees valued the opportunity to share information, expand understanding and achieve progress on some key initiatives, which will enhance safeguards for children and bring important matters affecting the safety and wellbeing of children to the attention of decision-makers,” she said.
Forum attendees networking over morning tea
Nigel Laity, Manager, Screening Unit, SA Department of Families and Communities and Bruce Kemp, Manager, Child Protection, TAS Department of Health and Human Services
Left to right: Sandie Van Soelen, Director, Working with Children Screening, WA Department of Community Development; Michelle Ganzer, Senior Policy Officer, Department of Health and Families, NT Government; and Donna Quong, Manager, SAFE_NT, NT Police Fire and Emergency Services
Allison Warring, Manager, Working With Children Check and Virginia Neighbour, Director, Operations – both from the NSW Commission for Children and Young People
Last Updated: December 7, 2010
