On 15 December 2017 the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse presented a final report to the Governor-General, detailing the culmination of a five year inquiry into institutional responses to child sexual abuse and related matters. This final report details the Commission's findings and recommendations, including recommendations regarding children in out of home care. It also contains the Commission's conclusions in respect of the institutions examined in its public hearings. The Commissioners "listened to the personal stories of over 8,000 survivors and read over 1,000 written accounts."
It is remarkable that in so many cases the perpetrator of abuse was a member of an organisation that professed to care for children. Just as remarkable was the failure of the leaders of that institution to respond with compassion to the survivor.
This Final Report is organized into 17 volumes, each volume constituting a "self-contained report" on a particular topic or institution. Volume 12 focuses on children in out of home care, and highlights the particular needs and vulnerability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island children as well as children with disabilities, children in residential care, and care-leavers. Each volume contains recommendations for preventing and addressing child sexual abuse.
Valuing children and their rights is the foundation of all child safe institutions. Improving child safe approaches in institutions will reduce the risk of sexual abuse. The best interests of children must be the primary consideration.
