What happens to children in their early years matters a great deal. Improving children’s development through the critical early period can have transformative social and economic impacts.
The Local Government sector supports the development and well-being of children and young people through providing services and infrastructure such as public libraries, playgrounds and sporting and recreational facilities.
Many Local Governments also directly deliver services for children and young people including childcare centres, holiday programs and youth services. The responsibility for implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual is shared across all levels of Government and all organisations working with children.
How we help
Local Governments are uniquely placed to demonstrate leadership in the community with respect to supporting a culture that protects children and young people from harm. WALGA works closely with State Government and other organisations to advocating for capacity building support, guidance and funding for Local Governments to play this vital role.
To support sector implementation of the National Principles, WALGA collaborated with Local and State Government to co-designed the Child Safe Awareness Policy Template. The policy aims to support local governments to introduce and integrate recommended child safety functions.
WALGA represents Local Government in a number of key forums including the Connecting Early Years Networks (CEYN) Team and the State Government’s Childs Safe Organisations Working Group.
Priorities
WALGA advocates for funding, capacity building and sector consultation with State Government on key issues within the Children and Young People portfolio.
This work ongoing consultation on the WA Action Plan for Young People and a call to prioritise the establishment of a Child Safeguarding Independent Oversight Body to oversee and support the implementation of the recommendations from the Royal Commission in the 2024-25 State Budget Submission.
Resources
The Commissioner for Children and Young People has developed a range of resources to support Child Safe Organisations WA.
Further information on Child Safeguarding is available on the Government of Western Australia.
