Object, Principles and Provisions of Legislation
The Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1997, is strongly based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and reflects the view that all efforts should be directed towards accurately balancing assessment of safety and risk with strengthening positive aspects in the individual, family and community systems. This legislation also makes provision for the appointment, responsibilities and powers of the Commissioner for Children.
Responsibilities under the Act involve a wide range of people as well as a wide range of possible options in promoting the care and protection of children and young people. These include community education, prevention and early intervention, support to families, partnership building with children, young people, families and community-based services as well as legal intervention and placement of children in either short-term or longer term out of home care.
The object of the Act (Section 7) is to:
Provide for the care and protection of children in a manner that maximises a child's opportunity to grow up in a safe and stable environment and to reach his or her full potential.
Child and Family Services core practice principles:
The Child/Young Person: Promotes a holistic approach to the development/welfare/protection needs of the child or young person within the care and protection mandate to best ensure safety and wellbeing.
Child Centred Family Focused Practice: A strengths-based approach honours the uniqueness of every family network and experience, builds resilience, and encourages genuine partnership, and places the child or young person's safety and best interests as paramount.
Client Perspective: Values the client voice by promoting clear and honest practice, enabling client choice and involvement.
Inter-agency Relationships: Places care and protection services within a continuum of child and family health, welfare and education services and enables collaboration and shared responsibility for the protection of children.
Professional Practice: Views professional practice as essential to comprehensive assessment and partnership-based practice, which engages both families and other service providers.
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