Mr. Cormac Quinlan:

I welcome Senator van Turnhout’s comments on the cross-sectoral responsibility for the implementation of the Children First Act 2015, the agency has always been very clear about giving the message that child protection is everyone’s responsibility. It is incumbent on ever sector to prepare for the impact of the legislation. An interdepartmental group has already been meeting to deal with the Act. That will be put on a statutory footing when the legislation is commenced. That then will support the implementation of the legislation across the sectors.

I will be leading a national implementation team that will examine our systems of response in respect of mandatory reporting, including our ability to acknowledge reports, gather information in respect of them and support other agencies in the development of safeguarding statements, and various other aspects of the legislation with which we are required to deal. In addition, we will provide information and advice. Our website was recently updated in respect of the enactment of the legislation. We will develop information, training and advice for people, including an e-learning element that will be accessible nationwide to other agencies. This depends on our information and communication technology, ICT, supports but we are planning and preparing for it.

We welcomed the committee’s report on adoption, which we will use in the context of our business case to request additional support under the legislation. While taking into account the Senator’s example of the case, we too have concerns about what “compelling reasons” means. We asked for further clarity on that so that we can respond as effectively as possible to those matters.