The Common Approach to Assessment, Referral and Support (CAARS) Taskforce

CAARS project

The Common Approach to Assessment, Referral and Support (CAARS) project seeks to promote the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and families by identifying and responding to early indicators of need – before problems escalate into crises. CAARS commenced in April 2009 with the appointment of a high level taskforce to guide the development of the Common Approach – see previous updates for details of the project stages.

The fourth and final meeting of the CAARS Taskforce was held at Parliament House in Canberra on 17 June 2010 to consider the final CAARS report. The meeting was opened by Senator Ursula Stephens, on behalf of Hon Jenny Macklin MP, and Professor Fiona Stanley from ARACY.

The meeting commenced with presentation of the recommended Common Approach by the project consultants, the Allen Consulting Group. The Common Approach uses a ‘needs identification mechanism’ to enable practitioners such as doctors, nurses, teachers, child care workers and others to identify and respond early to indicators of vulnerability and need – before problems escalate into crises.

The CAARS Taskforce welcomed the final report and affirmed the recommended Common Approach and its accompanying guidance manual. In particular, the Taskforce affirmed the collaborative process that has resulted in this significant step toward transforming the concept of ‘shared responsibility for protecting children’ into a practical reality.

Taskforce members affirmed a process to pave the way for implementing the Common Approach in universal services across Australia, initially by:

• expanding the agreed Common Approach prototype to include training material, an online data base and website and supplementary documentation
• ‘live testing’ the Common approach prototype materials through a process of formative evaluation and then undertaking efficacy and effectiveness trials

Read more about the outcomes of the final meeting here.

The final report was presented through FaHCSIA to the Federal Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, The Hon Minister Jenny Macklin on 30 June 2010.

The CAARS project was funded by FaHCSIA under the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020. ARACY wishes to acknowledge the work of project consultants, the Allen Consulting Group, the contributions of CAARS Taskforce and Technical Working Group members, assistance from the NSW Commission for Children and Young People to arrange consultations with young people and the valuable input from participants of Phase 1 consultations workshops (September-October 2009) and Phase 2 consultations with five user groups and one group of young people (April 2010).
 

Documents for viewing/download:
	CAARS Taskforce Final Statement of Outcomes: (149Kb)
	CAARS Taskforce Members: (89Kb)
	March 2010 Update: (289Kb)
	CAARS Taskforce Interim Report: (11.5Mb)
	Meeting Report October 2009: (121Kb)
	CAARS Consultation workshops - summary of issues: (110Kb)
	Frequently Asked Questions: (93Kb)
	Meeting Report 18 June 2009: (138Kb)
	Terms of reference: (46Kb)
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