Victorian Numbered Acts

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CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES ACT 2005 (NO 96 OF 2005) - SECT 16

Responsibilities of the Secretary

    (1)     Without limiting any other responsibility of the Secretary under this Act, the Secretary has the following responsibilities—

        (a)     to promote the prevention of child abuse and neglect;

        (b)     to assist children who have suffered abuse and neglect and to provide services to their families to prevent further abuse and neglect from occurring;

        (c)         to work with community services to promote the development and adoption of common policies on risk and need assessment for vulnerable children and families;

        (d)     to implement or promote the implementation of appropriate requirements for checks to ensure that all persons employed, engaged or appointed by a community service to work with children

              (i)     are and continue to be suitable to work with children; and

              (ii)     comply with appropriate ethical and professional standards;

        (e)     to work with other government agencies and community services to ensure that children in out of home care receive appropriate educational, health and social opportunities;

        (f)     to publish and promote a Charter for children in out of home care to provide a framework of principles to promote the wellbeing of those children;

        (g)     to provide or arrange for the provision of services     to assist in supporting a person under the age of 21 years to gain the capacity to make the transition to independent living where the person

              (i)     has been in the custody or under the guardianship of the Secretary; and

              (ii)     on leaving the custody or guardianship of the Secretary is of an age to, or intends to, live independently;

        (h)     to conduct research on child development, abuse and neglect and to evaluate the effectiveness of community based and protective interventions in protecting children from harm, protecting their rights and promoting their development;

              (i)     to lead the on-going development of an integrated child and family service system;

        (j)     to give effect to any protocol existing between the Secretary and an Aboriginal agency.

    (2)     The statement of responsibilities of the Secretary under this section does not create, or confer on any person, any right or entitlement enforceable at law.

    (3)     The matters that may be addressed in the Charter for children in out of home care may include—

        (a)     the protection and enhancement of a child's identity and sense of self;

        (b)     treatment in care;

        (c)     quality of placement;

        (d)     support and provision of services.

    (4)     The kinds of services that may be provided to support a person to make the transition to independent living include—

        (a)     the provision of information about available resources and services;

        (b)     depending on the Secretary's assessment of need—

              (i)     financial assistance;

              (ii)     assistance in obtaining accommodation or setting up a residence;

              (iii)     assistance with education and training;

              (iv)     assistance with finding employment;

              (v)     assistance in obtaining legal advice;

              (vi)     assistance in gaining access to health and community services;

        (c)     counselling and support.



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