The Responding to Abuse in Care Legislation Amendment Bill will have its first reading debate after the apology at Parliament.
The changes include:
– Removing strip searches of children in care and provide new search powers for people visiting youth justice facilities
– Strengthen restrictions for people working with young children, including closing a loophold which allows people with overseas convictions to work with children
– Enforce better record keeping by government agencies by giving the Chief Archivist more powers, including giving deadlines by which agencies must respond to record-keeping problems
– Amend the Crimes Act to include disability in the definition of vulnerable adult.
The opposition parties will also support the bill.
Lead Coordination Minister Erica Stanford said it would be just the first step in the government’s response.
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour said the government wanted to see every child raised in a loving and stable home.
“We heard from the Royal Commission of Inquiry how strip searches were used in dehumanising and traumatising ways. Removing them will not just minimise, but will eliminate, one of the most restrictive and inappropriate powers in the care system,” she said.
She said the new search powers would help ensure safety for children and young people in secure residences, allowing visitors, staff and contractors entering the facilities to be scanned.