Royal Commission Forum – April 2014

On the 30^th April 2014 the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare held a forum for community service organisations on preparing to respond to the Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse in a legal and practice context.

We would like to thank all the speakers for their time, invaluable information and insights into the Royal Commission and sharing information on how their organisation in preparing to respond to the Royal Commission.

There were approximately 70 participants in attendance, representing 36 community service organisations. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive with participants stating it was an informative and a worthwhile forum.  

The forum heard from the following excellent speakers:

• Jenny Hardy, Executive Officer, knowmore independent legal  service
• Christine Melis, barrister (experience in Royal Commissions)
• Scott Widmer, Director Royal Commission Response, Department of Human Services
• Allan Joy, CEO, Child and Family Services Ballarat 
• Julian Pocock, Director Public Policy & Practice Development, Berry Street

Ms Jenny Hardy, Executive Officer, knowmore and Ms Christine Meli, barrister provided excellent legal information and advice on preparing for the Royal Commission. Mr Scott Widmer, Director Royal Commission Response, Department of Human Services provided an overview of the Royal Commission’s work and how they are preparing to respond to the Royal Commission. Mr Allan Joy, CEO, Child and Family Services Ballarat and Mr Julian Pocock, Director Public Policy & Practice Development, Berry Street provided invaluable information on how they are preparing for the Royal Commission and importantly how they respond to past maltreatment and how past practices inform current policy.

The Royal Commission has a very comprehensive website where you can read the findings of the first case study and listen to live streamed public hearings. I strongly encourage you to take the time to read the material and watch the public hearings as it will not only assist you to prepare for the Royal Commission but to ensure that your organisation is child safe organisation.  More information on the Commission’s work can be found here on their website.

The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare has prepared written responses to the majority of the Issues Papers released by the Royal Commission. Currently we are preparing to respond to the Issues Paper on redress schemes. I encourage you to respond to this latest Issues Paper to have input into the Royal Commission’s recommendations to Government.

Please do not hesitate to contact Mary Kyrios on 9614 1577 or email Mary.Kyrios@cfecfw.asn.au to discuss the matters you think should be considered in this Issues Paper and also to provide your views on how the Centre can further assist your organisation to prepare to respond to the Royal Commission.