"Looking back at the past five years since I began in the role of national children's commissioner, I am struck by how difficult it has been throughout this time to get political attention on the unmet needs of our most vulnerable children, who continue to be left behind. Far too many of these children end up in the overwhelmed child protection and justice systems because of poverty, disabilities, health and learning problems, discrimination and disadvantage."
"To illustrate, the confronting data on the prevalence of child abuse in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study received nothing like the media and political attention given to, for example, the issue of workplace sexual harassment. Risks to the safety of our most vulnerable children have long been regarded as state and territory responsibilities, with the commonwealth government remaining at arm's length."
Many of Australia's most vulnerable children are being left behind, entering overwhelmed child protection and justice systems due to poverty, disability, health and learning problems, discrimination and disadvantage. Fragmented policy and service systems across the federation undermine child safety and wellbeing. The Commonwealth has largely remained at arm's length, treating child safety as a states' responsibility, and post-COVID priorities have sidelined vulnerable children's unmet needs. Confronting data on child maltreatment has received little political or media attention. Longstanding recommendations have not been implemented, while some jurisdictions have regressed with harmful youth justice practices and lowered age of criminal responsibility.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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