Implementation of the Commission of Inquiry Recommendations (07 Jun 2024)
Hello everyone,
Since the release of the Tasmanian Government’s Response to the Commission of Inquiry: Keeping Children Safe and Rebuilding Trust late last year, agencies have been working together to implement Phase 1 of our response, and to identify the best way to implement Phase 2 and 3 recommendations. This has included detailed cross-agency analysis of the most complex and largescale reforms, identifying workstreams of common and dependent recommendations, and working together to ensure consistency in our approach to improve child safety and wellbeing across all of our services and workplaces.
The Child and Youth Safety and Wellbeing Secretaries Subcommittee is leading this workstreams approach - by working across agency boundaries, we have the opportunity to understand how recommendations work together and how agencies can collaborate to achieve lasting and real change for children.
The workstreams include information sharing; professional development and training; regulation and monitoring; complaints and incident management; Out of Home Care reform; Youth Justice reform; Child Safe Cultures; Child and Community Voice; Tasmanian Aboriginal People; Workforce; and Harmful Sexual Behaviours.
These workstreams are also informing the creation of our Child and Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response Strategy and Action Plan to change culture and systems, informed by consultation with children, young people and adult victim-survivors. To inform the Strategy and Action Plan, we have undertaken targeted consultation with victim survivors; children and young people; Tasmanian Aboriginal people; people from CALD communities; people with disability; people from LGBTIQA+ communities as well as service providers, researchers and subject matter experts. They’ve told us how we can improve the system to better prevent, respond and identify child sexual abuse.
We have made significant progress on recommendations due for delivery by 1 July 2024, with nine recommendations already completed. The recommendation status is available on the Keeping Children Safe website.
While we have made important progress over the past five months, we know our work is far from over. Together we must continue to build a safer future for all Tasmanians, guided by the voices and experiences of those who have suffered abuse. The public service is dedicated to creating lasting change, and I invite each of you to join us in this crucial mission to keep all children and our vulnerable safe in our care and service.
Woolcott Review
The Woolcott Review is looking at the actions of government agencies, their impacts, resources and responses to information and concerns raised by the Commission. This review is being run by former Australian Public Service Commissioner Peter Woolcott AO.
The independent reviewer, Peter Woolcott is inviting the public to make a submission to the Review into the actions taken in response to the information and concerns raised by the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings.
The Review process is being conducted in both a trauma-informed and confidential manner as outlined in the Terms of Reference (ToR). The ToR are clear that the independent review must ensure that where necessary appropriate confidentiality arrangements are made for persons assisting the Review. Mr Woolcott has committed publicly that the review process is private and safe.
This is an independent process and confidentiality will be maintained. Any retribution or reprisal towards those providing input into the review, in good faith, will not be tolerated. If you are concerned about reporting misconduct or wish to make a protected disclosure relating to the reporting of misconduct, please contact my office.
The Review outcomes will outline future improvements to the policies, procedures including the employment framework and employment directions, systems and culture relating to employment in the Tasmanian State Service.
If you would like more information about the implementation of the Commission of inquiry recommendations and/or the Woolcott Review, I encourage you to visit the Keeping Children Safe website at keepingchildrensafe.tas.gov.au.
Kind regards
Kath
Kathrine Morgan-Wicks
Head of the State Service
Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet
07 Jun 2024
