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The Child Safety Commissioner

The Office of the Child Safety Commissioner is an organisation that makes children a priority. The Commissioner provides advice to both the Minister for Community Services and the Minister for Children on issues impacting on the lives of children, in particular vulnerable children. This is achieved through listening to children, advocating on their behalf, being impartial, leading on child-safe practices, acting with integrity, and being held accountable.

Our core functions include:

	Promoting child-safe environments
	Monitoring Victoria's out-of-home care system
	Conducting inquiries into the deaths of children known to the child protection service system and into other matters referred by the Minister for Children
	Reviewing the administration of the Working with Children Act 2005 and educating and informing the community about the Act
	Providing advice to the Minister for Community Services

what we're currently doing
	Collaborating on a policy that will support children in care having suitable access to computers
	Evaluating the impact of a performance in schools about 'keeping safe and showing respect for others'
	Work is underway to develop a Victorian Infant safe sleeping policy for health and welfare practitioners working with infants and their families. Guided by the OCSC SUDI/SIDS working group, the policy will aim to provide consistent safe sleeping information for health and welfare practitioners including evidence-based and best practice strategies which take into consideration the needs of the infant and the family. For further information contact Natalie Duma or Chris Walsh at the Office on 8 6015884
	Delivering the Be.Heard survey across the Southern Metro and Hume regions of Victoria in partnership with the CREATE Foundation, to hear about children's experiences in care
recently completed
	Co-hosted with DHS a forum: Kinship Care - making a difference. A two day forum held on 24-25 June for kinship carers and professionals. Papers presented are available.
	Hosted a debutante ball for children in care at the Melbourne Town Hall on Thursday 21 May, attended by 600 people. Featured on the front page of the Sunday Age on 24 May 2009.
	Hosted a young people's photo exhibition at The Atrium, Fed Square on Tuesday 10th Feb at 11 am
	Facilitated a public forum on FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) on 27 February 2009
	Finalised a research report with the Felton Chair re the impact of frequency of court-ordered access on infants
	Submissions
	National Human Rights Consultation [pdf, 32kb]
	Sentencing Advisory Council's discussion paper: Maximum penalities for sexual penetration with a child under 16
	Victorian Government's Vulnerable Youth Framework discussion paper
	Australian Government's Quality Standards & the Early Years Framework
	Victorian Government: Tobacco Control Strategy 2008-13
	Australian Government's paper - Australia's children: safe and well. A national framework for protecting Australia's children.
	Victorian Government's paper - Because Mental Health Matters: a new focus for mental health and wellbeing in Victoria.