The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse today commenced an important new phase of its work with the release of an Issues Paper on the Working with Children Check.
Royal Commission CEO Janette Dines said that Working with Children Checks are a type of screening process used to determine if a person is suitable to undertake child related work. Each state and territory has its own procedures and requirements. "We want to hear what the public thinks about these schemes" Ms Dines said.
Ms Dines said that this is the first in a series of Issues Papers relevant to the Royal Commission’s terms of reference. Individuals as well as government and non-government organisations have until 12 August 2013 to lodge a submission.
"What the public says in response to Issues Papers will help the Royal Commission to identify best practice that will prevent and better respond to incidents of child sexual abuse in the future" said Ms Dines.
The Working With Children Check Issues Paper is available on the Royal Commission’s website.
Submissions can be emailed to solicitor@childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au or posted to GPO Box 5283, Sydney NSW 2001.
Listen to an interview or read a transcript of interview with the Royal Commission CEO Ms Janet Dines on this topic, on ABC’s The World Today program
