Children's Policy Centre

I was delighted to speak at the recent National Conference of Catholic Social Services Australia and share our More for Children research. Over the past three years, Children's Policy Centre has been undertaking rights-based, child-centred research on children's experiences of poverty. My amazing colleague Cadhla O’Sullivan and I have heard what it is like for children when families are struggling and doing it tough. And we have learned what needs to change. Thanks to Institute of Community Directors Australia for publishing my talk. I shared our MOR Framework, which is a child-centred approach to understanding, assessing and - most importantly - responding to child poverty. And I shared what children have shared with us. I described the urgent steps that are needed to better support children - but also highlighted the importance of moving beyond patching to positive transformation of systems and structures to ensure no child grows up in poverty. Crawford School of Public Policy https://lnkd.in/gYZ9dnrk

Campaigns for attendance around Australia are reminding students and families that ‘every day counts’. Being at school is vital for supporting students not just with their learning, but also with their wellbeing. Official reports (by the Productivity Commission and AERO) highlight concerns about school attendance. These reports are valuable but they don’t tell the whole story. Our piece for the ‘EduResearch Matters’ blog is based on two large ARC projects. We fill in some of the gaps in official reports by sharing what we heard from school leaders in communities experiencing high poverty and from carers and case workers of student in out-of-home care. Attendance is an equity issue. We need a deeply inclusive approach to support students facing disadvantage to be at school, so they have the same access to the benefits of school as any other student in Australia.  With thanks to colleagues for the piece and the research team and partner organisations on the research! Anna Sullivan Emily Rudling Martin Mills Annemaree Carroll Deborah Lynch Sharon Bessell Daryl Higgins Michael Guerzoni Cadhla O’Sullivan Shelley Stokes Wojtek Tomaszewski Dale Murray Life Without Barriers Tom Brunzell, PhD Berry Street Key Assets (Australia) MacKillop Family Services Stronger Smarter Institute Allambi Care Anglicare Victoria Anglicare NSW South, NSW West & ACT @childcommtas

Children Australia (childrenaustralia.org.au) invites submissions of original articles presenting evidence, research, knowledge and opinion to improve welfare and/or wellbeing outcomes for children, young people and their families. The journal welcomes contributions from the many relevant fields of practice and research across service sectors. All articles are published open access and there are no fees for authors. Contact us at editor@childrenaustralia.org.au Our Editors-in-Chief, Sharon Bessell, Dave Vicary and A/Prof Tim Moore, are supported by a multidisciplinary and highly experienced Editorial Board: Dr Mandy Truong, PhD, Faith Gordon, Jemma Venables, Bruce Smyth, Philip Mendes, Teresa Libesman, Dominique Moritz, Leesa Hooker, Dr Annaley Clarke, Courtney Ryder, India Bryce, John Tobin, Mary Jo Mc Veigh, Sarah Morris, Wendy Hermeston, Michael Gaffney, Heather Morris, Elizabeth Fernandez, Leah Cave, David Giles, Dr Stephan Lund, Alex Masardo, Kate Fylan, Chris Goddard and Sue Foley . #ChildWelfare #ChildSafety #ChildWellbeing #Prevention #ChildrenAndYoungPeople #Families

Thank you so much to ANU Policy Brief, for supporting, sharing and promoting the work we do at The Children's Policy Centre. Such an important platform and the team are a joy to work with!

We want children and young people to tell us their thoughts about making complaints - how easy is it, do they understand the process, what would make it easier for them to speak up? Please share with children and young people in your networks to help us advocate for better services to meet their needs.

Seeking a new career opportunity? The Australian Government is seeking a qualified leader for the full-time statutory role of National Children’s Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission. This role focuses on advocating for children’s rights, leading research and education initiatives, consulting with stakeholders and reviewing policies affecting children. As a key member of the Commission, the Commissioner will contribute to governance and national human rights discussions. Learn more ➡️

“It’s hugely disappointing that none of the targets have been met. If we look at the report card, that’s a clear fail. And that’s unacceptable. Children can’t wait any longer." Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad spoke to media including 3 News and Stuff following the publication of yesterday's child poverty data. The figures show that the Government has not met any of its three targets and child poverty remains steady at around 11.7% to 13.7% - an estimated 156,000 children living in material hardship. That's enough children to fill Eden Park three times. Dr Achmad is calling for urgent action, saying children only get one chance at childhood, and can't wait for improvements in the economy for the problem to be addressed. 📣 Find the story on Stuff: https://lnkd.in/gmkNrWVE 📝 Read our media release: https://lnkd.in/g5RNzMwp

Great to see our centre director Sharon Bessell at this event today alongside a wonderful line up!