ACT Care and Protection Service delivering quality support

The ACT's child protection services are delivering good quality support to vulnerable Canberra families, today's Report on Government Services by the Productivity Commission shows.

The 2009-10 data showed a significant drop in the ACT for re-substantiation rates - instances when Care and Protection has been called in more than once to help the same child - which fell from 35 per cent in 2008-09 to just over 25 per cent.

Community Services Minister Joy Burch said this indicated Care and Protection's initial assistance to children in need was proving to be more effective more often.

"Child protection is a challenging environment to work in, and these results reflect the dedication and effectiveness of our Care and Protection workers, who work with some of the most vulnerable in our community," Ms Burch said.

The report also showed the ACT had a nation-leading response time for the start of investigations into child welfare issues, with more than 92 per cent underway within seven days of the receipt of a notification.

The data also showed the ACT had the second highest proportion of all children in out-of-home care placed with relatives in kinship care arrangements.

"The ACT Government has responded to this trend in recent years by committing more than $800,000 since 2008 for a variety of services to support grandparents and kinship carers.

"In the 2011-12 Budget we provided a further $1.7 million over four years for up to four kinship care support workers. ACT foster carers also have the highest foster care subsidies in Australia."

"There is always room for improvement, which is why there are reviews into the child protection system underway that will result in further improvements to support for vulnerable families."