Berry Street Web Docs Annual Report 2016 | Page 23

Knowledge Development & Advocacy

ADVOCACY
Advocating for our clients is part of
the DNA of all Berry Street staff.
Across a range of policy areas and
through regional, state, national and
international forums, Berry Street
is often the only child and family
services organisation from Victoria
that is strongly engaged in public
policy debates and issues.
We choose to pursue policy change
in response to historical failings in
child welfare and to be an active
player in Royal Commissions and
Parliamentary and Government
Inquiries. We do this because
the insights from our work with
vulnerable children and families
need to be shared if we are to see all
children enjoy a good childhood.

OUR ADVOCACY
PRIORITIES INCLUDED:
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Public Advocate, Law Institute of
Victoria, Mental Health for Young
People and Their Families and the
Victorian Aboriginal Child Care
Agency, we highlighted some of
the unintended consequences
of the new Permanent Care
Legislation, which commenced
in March 2016. We were pleased
that Minister Mikakos asked the
new Commissioner for Children
and Young People to undertake
a review of the legislation six
months after its commencement
Leading the sector’s commitment
to empowering Aboriginal
Community Controlled
Organisations (ACCOs), which was
encapsulated in the Beyond Good
Intentions agreement. This was
subsequently endorsed by the
Aboriginal Children’s Forum and a
working group was established to
progress implementation
Developing a major submission
focussing on the impact of family
violence on children for the
Victorian Royal Commission into
family violence with Emma Toone
(Program Manager, Infant & Child
Therapeutic Responses) providing

ANNUAL REPORT 2016

testimony. We were pleased that
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cites our work in Take Two as
needing to be expanded
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successful leaving care pilot
program, Stand By Me. Although
the Victorian Government did not
extend its coverage beyond 18 as
we argued, the Commonwealth
has committed to a trial through
the National Framework for
Protecting Australia’s Children
and the South Australian
Government is considering
introducing it
Continuing our contribution
to the Royal Commission into
Institutional Responses to Child
Sexual Abuse, particularly around
fair and equitable redress
for survivors
Understanding the harm the
‘debate’ on Marriage Equality
means for children, we developed
a statement on Marriage Equality
which was sent to all Federal MPs
and promoted widely through
social media
Using the opportunity of the Royal
Commission into Family Violence
to raise awareness of the damage
caused by family violence,
especially to children

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