Background checks for adults working with children in the ACT will be strengthened as part of the territory’s response to the Royal Commission into institutional child sex abuse.
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The ACT government has agreed to overhaul the background check process despite warning last year that proposed changes bringing the territory in line with other jurisdictions could create a “fragmented system”.
On Friday morning the ACT government released its formal response to the Royal Commission, following the federal government’s reply to the commission on Wednesday.
While the ACT’s response outlined several specific measures to strengthen child protection, it also noted the difficulties of implementing some of the commission’s broader reforms.
One recommendation made by the commission was a set of 10 compulsory safety standards to be followed by all organisations working with children.
These standards included minimising the opportunity for abuse in person and online, and requiring institutions to develop policies describing how children would be kept safe in their care.
The ACT government said it would soon begin consultations to gauge how such standards might work in the territory.
“The ACT government will commence consultation in mid-2018 to understand the impact of the child safe standards on the complex regulatory environment that exists in the ACT in government and non-government sectors.”
One of the highlight measures singled out in the ACT’s response was an overhaul of the Working with Vulnerable People scheme.
“The ACT government has proposed to adopt a risk-based approach to monitor compliance, bringing the ACT into line with NSW and Victoria, and prepare the ACT government for the national harmonisation of working with children check schemes, as recommended by the Royal Commission.”
Last year ACT Minister for Children Rachel Stephen-Smith warned that such a move could have drawbacks.
"As we move down the path of national harmonisation of working with vulnerable children checks we need to take into account we have quite a comprehensive and streamlined system within our own jurisdiction where one check covers the field," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"We are now facing a national harmonisation system ... which could lead us to end up with a more fragmented system which might be more consistent with NSW in some aspects but we'll actually end up with potentially needing multiple cards within the ACT so those issues are a topic of ongoing discussion between jurisdictions."
Other measures outlined in the ACT government’s response were an extension of the reportable conduct scheme to cover religious organisations, and more training for youth justice staff.
“The ACT government will also undertake work to ensure that all staff employed at the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre have access to ongoing professional development opportunities specifically related to trauma-informed care.”
Earlier in June the Legislative Assembly voted to extend the mandatory reportable conduct scheme to cover material heard by priests in confession.
The clause around the confessional won't apply until March 31, 2019, so the government and the clergy can determine how the laws will work.
In March the ACT government announced that it had signed up to a new national scheme providing redress to child sex abuse survivors.
