SA Government to consider 189 recommendations of national child abuse royal commission

STATE Governments have been urged to pass new laws, improve training for staff, better support carers and share more data to reduce child abuse in future.

• Royal Commission delivers recommendations
• PM praises victims after royal commission delivers recommendations

STATE governments must pass new laws, improve training for staff, better support carers and share more data to prevent harm to children.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse makes a raft of recommendations to state and territory governments to ensure a consistent approach across the country.

Child Protection Reform Minister John Rau said the South Australian Government would need time to consider the recommendations delivered yesterday and their relevance to SA.

Greens MP Mark Parnell has already pledged to introduce legislation when Parliament resumes after the March state election to ensure the “so-called sanctity of the confessional cannot be used to hide or ignore criminal behaviour” in religious institutions.

Under state laws passed this year — prompted by the Nyland Royal Commission into SA’s child protection system — Mr Parnell said the “sanctity of the confessional” could still be raised as a defence unless it was specifically excluded. “This is what the Greens’ Bill will seek to do,” he said.

National royal commission has urged state governments to make changes to prevent harm to children..

Opposition child protection spokeswoman Rachel Sanderson said the Liberals supported a recommendation to appoint a federal minister for child protection — a policy her party would enact at a state level if elected in March.

Ms Sanderson also praised recommendations for more training of university students studying to become teachers or social workers to recognise signs of child abuse.

Other recommendations for state and territory governments include:

BETTER matching of children with carers or placements in state-run homes.

GIVING carers more information about children coming into their care, particularly those with developmental issues.

INTRODUCING laws to make failing to protect a child from risk of abuse within an institution a specific offence.

PROVIDING guidance to teachers on preventing and responding to child sexual abuse in schools.

CREATING a national curriculum for internet safety education for children.

SETTING up a register of staff, foster families and relatives taking care of children.

REQUIRING authorities to report progress on key indicators including improved health and wellbeing of children in state care, those who return to their parents and those who remain permanently in state care.

Mr Rau said the Attorney-General’s and Child Protection departments would work with other agencies, interstate authorities and the Federal Government to make the changes.

“The SA Government has already implemented significant reform to improve child protection in South Australia ... (following the Nyland Royal Commission) including a suite of new child safety legislation,” he said. “The (commission’s) final reports provide an opportunity to assess whether there are opportunities to further improve our responses.”