RECOMMENDATIONS
Chapter 6
Recommendation 1
6.16 The
Committee recommends that the Commonwealth government issue a formal
acknowledgement and expression of regret to former child migrants in accordance
with recommendation 30 of the Lost Innocents report; and that this
statement be issued in conjunction with, or as a part of, a broader
Commonwealth apology to people who experienced abuse and/or neglect in
institutional or out-of-home care as children.
Recommendation 2
6.21 The
Committee recommends that the Commonwealth government issue a formal statement
of acknowledgement and apology to children who suffered hurt and distress, or
abuse and assault, in institutional care, in accordance with recommendation 1
of the Forgotten Australians report.
Recommendation 3
6.25 The
Committee recommends that the Prime Minister write to relevant churches and
religious agencies requesting that they provide formal statements concerning
the need for such bodies to make reparation to children who suffered abuse and
neglect in their care in the last century, and addressing in particular the
issues of apology, redress and provision of services to care leavers, and the
implementation of the recommendations of the Forgotten Australians report;
the Committee further recommends that the Prime Minster cause the statements
provided by churches and religious agencies to be collated and tabled in
parliament.
Recommendation 4
6.38 The
Committee recommends that the Commonwealth government pursue all available
policy and political options to ensure that South Australia, New South Wales
and Victoria establish redress schemes for people who suffered neglect and/or
abuse in institutional settings or out-of-home care in the last century; and
that the remaining States make provision to ensure continued receipt of redress
claims.
Recommendation 5
6.39 The
Committee recommends that the Commonwealth government pursue the establishment
of State redress schemes through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG)
and other appropriate national forums.
Recommendation 6
6.45 The
Committee recommends that churches take steps to ensure that processes for
handling abuse allegations are consistent across all jurisdictions; and that
such processes conform to recommendation 7 of the Forgotten Australians
report.
Recommendation 7
6.48 The
Committee recommends that the Commonwealth government provide further financial
and other support for former child migrants to re-establish and develop family
connections.
Recommendation 8
6.52 The
Committee recommends that State governments which have not yet done so commit
funding to the Child Migrants Trust (CMT) for at least the next three years.
Recommendation 9
6.63 The
Committee recommends, in accordance with recommendation 33 of the Forgotten
Australians report, that the Commonwealth and States commit, through the
Council of Australian Governments (COAG), to implementing a whole-of-government
approach to the provision of programs and services for care leavers across
policy areas such as health, housing and welfare and community services and
other relevant policy areas.
Recommendation 10
6.64 The
Committee recommends that the Commonwealth and State governments reconsider the
previous responses to recommendations 25 to 28 of the Forgotten Australians report
with a view to explicitly recognising and meeting the needs of older care
leavers in the funding and development of health, housing, aged care and
education programs; and ensuring that appropriate services are provided.
Recommendation 11
6.67 The
Committee recommends, in accordance with recommendation 39 of the Forgotten
Australians report, that the Commonwealth, in co-operation with State
Governments, establish courses of study at selected tertiary institutions that
focus on child protection and related issues, especially early childhood and
family studies, psychology, conflict management, the impact of institutional
care and social policy to address issues in these areas.
Recommendation 12
6.72 The
Committee recommends that the Commonwealth government pursue the reform of national
freedom of information (FoI) and privacy legislation to ensure that care
leavers are not hindered in their access to information about their childhoods
and families; and that current and future reviews of Commonwealth and State FoI
regimes explicitly address this issue.
Recommendation 13
6.79 The
Committee recommends that the Commonwealth government provide recurrent funding
to the Alliance for Forgotten Australians (AFA) and Care Leavers Network
Australia (CLAN) to enable these groups to continue providing adequate services
to care leavers on a national basis.
Recommendation 14
6.80 The
Committee recommends that the Commonwealth government provide funding to the
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
(FaHCSIA) to administer a fund for providing operating grants to care leaver
advocacy and support groups.
Recommendation 15
6.91 The
Committee recommends that the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency
Management (Police) develop and implement a national policy on the prosecution
of, and data collection and sharing about, historical crimes of sexual and
physical abuse of children in care; and that the establishment or further
development of specialist State police units be considered as part of this
policy development process.
Recommendation 16
6.94 The
Committee recommends that the States consider establishing an annual
remembrance day for care leavers, similar to that held by Queensland each year
during Child Protection Week.
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