Terms of reference (Child Protection Partnership Forum 2010–2012)

Background

The Child Protection Partnership Forum (Forum) contributes to the Department of Communities' strategic objective of engaging with the non-government sector to provide better pathways to services for Queenslanders and to provide client-centred, accessible and coordinated service systems by embedding a 'no wrong door' approach to service delivery and streamlining associated systems and processes.

Established in 2005 as a joint government and non-government body with a strategic advisory role in building a new child protection system, the original Child Protection Partnership Taskforce was a response to the 2004 Blueprint, which contained the Queensland Government's response to the CMC Inquiry into Child Abuse.

After an evaluation of Taskforce's two year term, the Statewide Child Protection Partnership Forum was established in 2007. An evaluation of Forum's two year term indicated support for Forum to continue as it is the only mechanism where government and non-government partners come together to address complex issues around the child protection system. Forum has now commenced a further two year term from June 2010 to 2012.

Purpose

Forum is a place for government and non-government to engage and work together using the collective knowledge and resources of members to support innovative problem solving and develop strategies to address complex issues relating to the safety and well being of children and their families who are:

• at risk of entering the child protection system
• already in the child protection system or
• transitioning out of the child protection system.

Functions

• Identify and critically examine strategic child protection issues to envision optimal client and service delivery outcomes and the dependencies required to achieve and measure these outcomes
• Collaboratively strategise collective responses to existing and/or emerging complex child protection issues
• Provide a child and family wellbeing perspective to these issues
• Identify opportunities for joint submissions to state, federal or community processes
• Operate as a model of collaboration that demonstrates the principles of the Compact in action
• Oversee the progression of a workplan through the Forum's work groups.

Work Plan

A work plan outlining actions, timeframes, deliverables and benefits will be developed at the commencement of the term of operation with progress reports to each Forum meeting and an annual review of work plan priorities.

Working in Partnership

Forum aims to operate as a genuine partnership and will strive to achieve this by operating in accordance with the principles of the Compact and demonstrating a genuine commitment, by all members, to share knowledge, resources, responsibility, benefits and burdens to achieve common or complimentary goals.

Term of Operation

Two year term, commencing June 2010, with four meetings per year generally held from 10.00 to 3.00pm. Meetings or out-of-session communication may occur more frequently to progress work activities. Terms of reference will be reviewed at the completion of this term.

Chair

The role of chairperson will be shared by the Deputy Director-General, Child Safety, Youth and Families and Community Participation, Department of Communities and a nominated non-government Forum member (commence NGO chairing December 2010) in a turn about arrangement for each meeting.

Meeting dates for 2010/2011

• 24 June 2010
• 24 August 2010 (Planning session)
• 22 September 2010
• 1 December 2010
• 16 March 2011
• 15 June 2011
• 14 September 2011
• 7 December 2011

Working Groups

Work plan priorities will generally be progressed through a working group structure. The chair of each working group will provide a written update to the secretariat, for pre-circulation to Forum members, six working days prior to each Forum meeting. Chaired by a member of Forum, membership is based on expertise and will include:

• Forum members
• service provider representatives
• Principal and Regional Planning and Partnership Officers
• Other government and non-government members as required.

Secretariat

The Planning and Partnership Program Support Officer and Principal Planning and Partnership Officers provide secretariat support & resourcing to the Child Protection Partnership Forum and working groups.

Agendas and minutes

1. Four weeks before Forum, the secretariat will email members calling for agenda items and, for every second meeting commencing December 2010, nomination of the NGO chair.
2. Two weeks before Forum, a small (up to four) sub-set of Forum members, including the chair/s, will meet to finalise the agenda.
3. Three working days (minimum) before Forum, the secretariat will circulate the agenda and papers.
4. Standing agenda items will include:
   • Endorsement of previous minutes, record of actions
   • Information updates on:
     • Child Safety Directors Network
     • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Taskforce on over-representation
     • Helping Out Families implementation working group
     • Upcoming consultations and opportunities for engagement
   • Summary of decisions and actions
   • Confirmation of confidential matters
   • Items for inclusion in the Communique
   • Process Reflection

Draft minutes, including action items will be forwarded to Forum members as soon as practicable after each meeting. Forum members will be responsible for advising the secretariat of any requested amendments to the minutes and for implementing nominated actions between meetings as specified in the record of actions.

Membership

Child Protecton Partnership Forum Membership List 2010-12

Role of Members

Members will be sufficiently senior to represent the views of, and provide expertise and advice in relation to, their department or agency. In preparing for meetings, members should consult within the agency whose views they represent. If a member is unable to attend, they must nominate a proxy to the Secretariat and brief the proxy to enable their constructive participation at Forum.

Individually, the role of members is to:

• Participate in the partnership following the principles embodied in the Queensland Compact
• provide advice and support to the working groups and implementation of specific projects
• contribute to the collective knowledge and expertise of members to support innovative strategising to address complex issues
• problem solve to overcome the challenges of collaboration and partnership which may arise
• actively contribute to the identified work priorities
• support and respect ongoing positive, open and candid communication
• be informed, identify implications and opportunities within and for their agency.

Governance

Child Protection Partnership Forum - Governance Framework 2010-12

Governance Framework 2010-12 diagram (PDF, 33 KB) Governance Framework 2010-12 diagram (RTF, 34 KB)

Reporting and Communication

A Communique summarising Forum's key discussions and outcomes will be prepared by the secretariat following each meeting and made available to members and key stakeholders on the Department of Communities website.

Work groups will provide a progress report at each Forum and the secretariat will prepare a work plan progress report for consideration at each Forum.

While there is no legislative or procedural requirement for Forum to report on its activities, an annual activity report against work plan commitments will be prepared for members and key stakeholders.

Evaluation

An evaluation of Forum will be undertaken to inform the final meeting of Forum's two year term. Terms of reference will be reviewed based on the outcomes of this evaluation. Workplan progress reports will be provided at each Forum meeting with an annual review of priority areas.