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The Office for Children annual report, which includes the Office for Children, the Commission, and the Children's Guardian reports, is also available for download.

Highlights of the Commission’s annual report for 2008-2009 are provided below.

Year at a glance

Child-related employers adopt practices that reduce risk of harm to children

Intermediate results

Organisations are child-safe and child-friendly

Organisations improve management of child safety risks

Organisations identify their child safety risks

Results

• 214,559 background checks conducted
• 560 estimates of risk undertaken
• 73.59% of preferred applicants assessed as high risk were not employed
• 54 Prohibited Persons applied for a review of their status
• 17 section 33H orders granted
• Certificate for Self Employed People launched
• Child-safe Child-friendly web pages accessed 18,607 times
• 33 Child-safe Child-friendly presentations delivered, attended by 865 people

Plans for the future

• Expand the Working With Children Check as stipulated in the Children Legislation Amendment (Wood Inquiry Recommendations) Act 2009
• Commence verification of Prohibited Employment Declarations
• Develop online applications for the Working With Children Check
• Extend Child-safe Child-friendly program

Child deaths are prevented

Intermediate results

Child Death Review Team (CDRT) recommendations are implemented

CDRT recommendations are agreed

CDRT identifies factors contributing to preventable child deaths and recommendations made

Results

• Tabled Trends in Child Deaths in New South Wales 1996–2005, including nine recommendations
• Tabled 2007 CDRT annual report, including one recommendation
• Attended the fourth annual meeting of Australian and New Zealand Child Death Review Teams (ANZCDRT)

Plans for the future

• Table the 2008 CDRT annual report
• Work with the Ombudsman to transfer the CDRT to the Ombudsman’s Office

Children benefit from improved legislation, policies, practices and services

Intermediate results

Commission’s recommendations to improve children’s well-being are implemented

CCYP recommendations to improve children’s well-being are agreed

CCYP identifies factors contributing to children’s well-being and makes recommendations

Results

• Made 24 submissions to formal inquiries, including the Australian Government 'Which Way Home? A New Approach to Homelessness' Green Paper on Homelessness, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Draft Children’s Television Standards 2008, and the NSW Review of Children's Services Regulation 2004
• 335 public engagements on children’s issues
• Released 12 publications

Plans for the future

• Develop an inter-agency model of working to reduce childhood injury
• Increase the participation of children and young people in activities and debate on Environmental Sustainability
• Release a compendium of papers on involving children and young people in research

Children participate in the decisions that affect their lives

Intermediate results

Organisations help children to be effective participants in decision-making

Organisations and agencies make changes so children can participate in these decisions

Decision-makers know the value of having children participate in making decisions that affect their lives

Results

• Young People’s Reference Group re-established
• Provided support for the Youth Advisory Council
• The views of children included in submissions, including the NSW Joint Parliamentary Committee on Children and Young People Inquiry into Children and Young People 9-14 Years in NSW  and the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission interim report A Healthier Future for all Australians

Plans for the future

• Conduct a forum on youth homelessness
• Conduct Youth Week 2010
• Recruit the Young People’s Advisory Committee for Youth Week
• Develop new ways of including primary school age children in the Commission’s work

Hardcopy: Not Available

Download this publication


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