NSW: Commission into DOCS

Sunday, May 18, 2008

The NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services has heard that the NSW Department of Community Services (DOCS) is expecting to receive more that 300,000 reports of abused or neglected children in the coming year. Figures show the number of reports has doubled in the past six years. DOCS informed the Commission that notifications grew by 5% over the past year. The DOCS Domestic Violence (telephone) Line received 27,000 calls in the past year. The Commission heard that 114 children died in 2006, despite the department knowing they were at risk.

Link to Inquiry

Things to Read, Watch & Listen

Forced Marriage

On November 1st 2023, Accredited Family Law Specialist and Page Provan Director Stephen Page presented a paper at the Brisbane Zonta Club about forced marriage. I acknowledge the Jagera and Turrbal peoples, on whose lands we meet today, their elders, past, present and emerging. Ruqia Hidari was aged 21 and living in Victoria, when, according to police,… Read More »Forced Marriage

ACT Government Surrogacy Bill

The ACT Government has today introduced a bill to amend the ACT’s surrogacy laws. The proposed changes are more incremental than fundamental. They include allowing a single person to undertake surrogacy, for the surrogate to be single if needed, a requirement for legal advice and counselling beforehand, a written agreement being required, that traditional surrogacy is… Read More »ACT Government Surrogacy Bill

Planning to resolve: ADR in ART

ADR can help resolve disputes in ART cases. ADR is not limited to mediation and arbitration. Other types of informal dispute resolution can resolve disputes. When assisted reproductive treatment cases go off the rails, they can have the next level of bitterness and volatility. There can be a keen sense of betrayal when things don’t… Read More »Planning to resolve: ADR in ART