From 1 July 2014, the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) will provide strong oversight on the progress of the Queensland Government's child protection reform agenda to comprehensively transform the way Queensland's most vulnerable children are protected from harm.
The commission was established as part of far-reaching recommendations from the Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry (Carmody Inquiry).
The QFCC will promote the safety, wellbeing and best interests of children and young people, promote and advocate the responsibility of families and communities to protect and care for children and young people, and improve the child protection system.
Specifically, the priorities for the QFCC will be to:
Provide public education to help families and communities understand their role and responsibilities in protecting and caring for children and young people.
Support the development of strong partnerships between government and non-government service providers, particularly through the establishment of an Advisory Council, aimed to improve the shared role between government and the non-government sector in the delivery of Queensland's child protection system.
Work with the non-government service providers to help build the knowledge, skills and capabilities of the organisations and workforces, particularly those with limited resources.
Provide expert views and advice on current research and child protection best practice.
Monitor, review and report on the performance of the Queensland child protection system in line with the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2009-2020.
The QFCC will, with advice from consumer, provider and expert groups, regularly run an independent ruler over the Queensland Government $409 million reform road map as it is rolled out, assuring the government and the community that its major investment is being used wisely.
But most importantly the Commission will be working to confirm that the right outcomes are being achieved by the new services to enable more children to live at home safely.
For more information on the Queensland Family and Child Commission visit www.qfcc.qld.gov.au
