Dear Attorneys-General,
As a nation-wide community legal centre assisting victims and survivors of child abuse, Knowmore calls for Australia’s Attorneys-General and their ministerial colleagues in governments across Australia to demonstrate nation-wide leadership to keep children safe in childcare.
Almost every day, fresh allegations of abuse in childcare settings are reported by the media. While the recent round of reporting has been kickstarted by allegations of widespread abuse in Victoria, we know that the issue is not limited to Victoria, nor is it new.
Knowmore walked alongside victims and survivors as they shared their experiences with the landmark Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Many victims and survivors who spoke with the Royal Commission had experienced abuse in childcare settings. Many of our clients were motivated to speak with the Royal Commission because they wanted to improve systems and prevent harm – they did not want anyone else to experience the same harms and injustice that were a part of their childhoods.
While the Royal Commission has driven significant change, many sound recommendations remain outstanding, to the ongoing detriment of children, victims and survivors. We echo the comments of the National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds:
This is not the first time and it won’t be the last, unless governments across the federation take urgent action to implement the evidence-based recommendations from numerous inquiries over past decades that will help keep our children safe.
Knowmore welcomes the recent attention to safety in childcare by many governments across Australia. However, we are concerned that the commitment to action falls significantly short of what we know is required to prevent abuse, ensure safety in childcare and provide justice to victims and survivors.
As a nation-wide problem, safety in childcare requires a coordinated, nation-wide approach. Knowmore calls for cooperation between federal, state and territory governments to implement the following reforms:
- nationally consistent working-with-children checks, reflecting best-practice standards, including a centralised database and real-time monitoring
- nationally consistent reportable conduct schemes, reflecting best-practice standards, including effective protections for people who make reports
- nation-wide implementation and enforcement of the Royal Commission’s Child Safe Standards and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
- nationally consistent human rights laws that provide comprehensive protection for the human rights of children, victims and survivors
- a national information exchange scheme, enabling direct information-sharing for child safety purposes between relevant organisations, both within and across jurisdictions
- regular, mandatory training for all childcare workers to support child-safe practices
- safe staffing levels in all rooms of all childcare centres at all times
- increased funding for child safety regulators and support services for children, victims and survivors.
We also call for federal, state and territory governments to ensure ongoing access to meaningful redress and justice-making options for victims and survivors of child abuse, including ongoing access to legal and multidisciplinary support. We note that the current victims of crime schemes are inconsistent and inadequate for victims and survivors of child abuse, and that children who experience institutional child sexual abuse (including in childcare settings) after June 2018 are not eligible for the National Redress Scheme.
We hope that Australian governments will now deliver long overdue reforms for child safety, justice and healing. We stand ready to assist.
Yours faithfully,
Jackie Mead
Chief Executive Officer
Knowmore Legal Service
Cc:
The Hon Michelle Rowland MP
Attorney-General of Australia
The Hon Michael Daley MP
Attorney-General of New South Wales
The Hon Sonya Kilkenny MP
Attorney-General of Victoria
The Hon Deborah Frecklington MP
Attorney-General of Queensland
The Hon Dr Tony Buti MLA
Attorney-General of Western Australia
The Hon Kyam Maher MLC
Attorney-General of South Australia
The Hon Guy Barnett MP
Attorney-General of Tasmania
Ms Tara Cheyne MLA
Attorney-General of the Australian Capital Territory
The Hon Marie-Clare Boothby MLA
Attorney-General of the Northern Territory