APHSA -- American Public Human Services Association’s Post

Dear Premier Steven Miles, If you are serious about keeping Queensland’s communities safe, you must get Queensland children out of adult watchhouses immediately. Putting children in watchhouses does not keep our community safe. Children who go into watchhouses are not rehabilitated; they reoffend. 80% of Queensland children who are sentenced to detention are back in the youth justice system within the year. There are more children in watchhouses right now then there have been for the past five years. Children are being locked up for crimes as menial as stealing food because they are hungry and can’t get food at home. Children in watchhouses are being physically and sexually abused. We know that children in watchhouses are often deprived of fresh air or sunlight. More than half of children who enter the youth justice system come from households that experience domestic and family violence, a third have unmet housing needs, and a third have disabilities or mental health issues. Because of these factors they have overwhelmingly disengaged from school and many are using substances. What these children need is safe accommodation and wrap around services to get them back into stable homes and school. The Queensland Police Union has warned that if overcrowding in watchhouses continues, a child is going to die. As a Queenslander, I find these facts unconscionable. Queenslanders should be able to expect a government that can keep our community safe, uphold victims’ rights and treat children humanely. Yours sincerely, Dave Foreman https://lnkd.in/gkRSGDQj Change the Record

The ALS Association advocates for changes in laws and policies that affect thousands of people living with #ALS and their families. Learn more about being a voice for people with ALS at https://lnkd.in/eZBkjVut

Efficiently and effectively eliminate terrorist criminals is essential for stability, harmony, fruitfulness and creation enhancement. Integrity intelligent cooperation works well and fast for the achievement of that target.

Share, Sign, Support ⬇ https://lnkd.in/ewuvPNX7 We are calling on the Government and family courts to ensure there are no further avoidable child deaths as a result of unsafe child contact with a perpetrator of domestic abuse. In 2020, a ground-breaking report on the family court, called the ‘Harm Panel Report’ made a number of recommendations to ensure the culture of the family court changes and puts children's safety at the heart of any decisions about contact, including reviewing the 'presumption of parental involvement'. We are calling on the government to make their commitment to children’s safety clear, once and for all, by implementing all the recommendations in Harm Panel report. https://lnkd.in/eHqhnQcV

The Auditor-General for New South Wales, Bola Oyetunji GAICD, has tabled in NSW Parliament a report titled 'Safeguarding the rights of Aboriginal children in the child protection system'. This report examined whether the Department of Communities and Justice and funded non-government organisations are safeguarding the rights of Aboriginal children who come into contact with the child protection system. This audit considered governance and accountability; policies and practice; and quality assurance. Read this report: https://bit.ly/3XdLTeG   #AONSW #ChildProtection #DCJ

We analysed over 3,000 recommendations from 61 reports and inquiries into child protection and youth justice systems in Australia between 2010 and 2022. What did we find? Six themes repeatedly emerged across the research, suggesting a wealth of existing evidence on how best to support vulnerable children and young people that can guide effective reform. Read the full report now: https://loom.ly/1VK7svc This report was a collaboration with Australian Institute of Family Studies, funded The Ian Potter Foundation. #ChildProtection #YouthJustice

Excellent evidence base for a National Plan for Children. Let's hold governments to account for failing to follow the clear evidence. With special focus on the unique opportunity for leadership from the Federal Government.

We're dedicated to working with communities to protect the most vulnerable in our state. Our #FiscalYear2024 Annual Plan offers a structured framework to safeguard and enhance the well-being of those we serve. Primary Goals: ✅ Child Protection Evolution ✅ Strengthening Families and Communities ✅ Support and Retain Workforce Read the Annual Plan 👇 https://ow.ly/JMYo50QubjU #AnnualPlan #TeamDFPS

Fams NSW shared a great post about early intervention, especially relevant after the recent damning report on child protection in New South Wales: https://lnkd.in/eJKeqaTv The report points out that the child protection system is not working well, costing too much in crises, and not improving outcomes for kids and families facing complex issues. Given these problems, should we make it a priority to include the voices of young people in these discussions? I reckon we should work together to codesign solutions that go beyond just using evidence (evidence based practice) and focus also on what really works in practice (practice based evidence). I'd love to hear your thoughts on why involving children and young people is important in creating effective solutions for the future. #ChildProtection #EarlyIntervention #FamsNSW #YouthVoices #CoDesignSolutions #EvidenceInPractice #NSWReport #FutureSolutions #livedexperience