The Tasmanian Task Force on Sexual Abuse was set up in March 1989 to report into the adequacy of the services available to children who were victims of sexual abuse. It also considered the management of the perpetrators of that abuse. The Task Force reported in November 1989.
The Task Force made 41 recommendations. Some of them were:
Special contract care, recommended by the Task Force, placed children who were disturbed or had offended with families who were specifically trained and supported to look after them. Contract Care was an alternative to placing children in institutions such as Ashley Home for Boys. It could also be an interim step between coming out of Ashley and moving into private accommodation.
In special contract care children were placed in care for a specific length of time but that could be extended. An important aspect of the program was that children were placed in or near to their own family and community so that they could return when they finished.
Under the Special Contract Care Program, case workers worked out goals with the children and provided support so that they could attain them. One case worker supervised the child while another ran the program. This ensured that the case worker also received support. When children finished the Program, their caseworker remained with them.
Sources used to compile this entry: Tasmanian Task Force on Child Sexual Abuse: a report to the Minister for Community Services, November 1989.
Prepared by: Caroline Evans
Created: 18 June 2013, Last modified: 13 February 2019