4
Ex-Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and the Federal Government also signed a Compact with
the Third Sector – another first.
The Department of Human Services (split from Health in early 2010), our major
stakeholder, was in crisis for most of the year and subject to ongoing criticism about its
performance. This impacts on us through less funding flexibility and a tendency to revert
to more conservative risk taking.
Demand continues to rise, with the yearly Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing
(2009/10) showing:
57% increase in the number of children on Care and Protection Orders and 51%
increase in the number of children in Out of Home Care (now 35,985) over the past
five years.
The rate of children in Out of Home Care has increased from 4.9 to 7 per 1,000.
Indigenous children remain grossly over-represented – eight times more likely to be
substantiated and 10 times more likely to be in Out of Home Care.
Reports to Child Protection in Victoria were up 13% to 48,369. Interestingly, 71% of
Victorian reports were resolved without investigation, compared with NSW’s quoted
figure of 70% investigated. 54% of Victorian investigations were substantiated.
Compared with the other States, Victoria has the lowest rate of neglect (7%,
compared with the Northern Territory’s 50%) and highest rate of physical abuse.
At 30 June 2010, there were 5,469 children in Out of Home Care in Victoria, 6% more
than last year. Our rate (4.4 per 1,000) is less than half of NSW (9.9 per 1,000).
Only 1% (compared with the average of 24% and Northern Territory’s 64%) of children
on Child Protection Orders are returned within three months, which suggests better
targeting of intervention in Victoria.
For the first time, statistics on foster carers were included and this showed:
At 30 June 2010, there were 8,049 households nationally with a placement (Victoria
907).
Of the 1,612 households in Victoria who had a placement during the year, 495 exited
and only 351 entered.
C. REVIEW OF KEY AREAS
1.
Governance
1.1
The Board
The Board met 11 times in 2010.
Laurinda retired after her three terms as President and Paul Wappett was
elected. Kate and Laurinda were elected Vice-Presidents.
Neil Coventry resigned (December) after 7½ years on the Board.
The Register of Board Directors’ Interests was reviewed and updated in
December.
The Board undertook a Governance Effectiveness Review with a facilitated
discussion at a Board meeting in May. Issues discussed included: process for
review of CEO performance and remuneration; use of Board meetings; the need
for a question and answer sheet for the Board; reporting; quality and risk
management; Board membership and committees.
In May, the Board and Executive Management Team (EMT) met for our annual
1½ day Retreat which focussed on our new Strategic Directions.
Reports on our Aboriginal Strategic Plan were provided in April and October.