Carers’ Rights Resources

PODCAST

Liana Buchanan – A legacy of advocacy for children & young people

Liana Buchanan has been a tireless advocate for children and young people. Appointed Principal Commissioner for the Commission for Children and Young People in Victoria in 2016, Liana was responsible for key initiatives like the Reportable Conduct Scheme and Child Safe Standards.
In March 2025 she was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC).
On her last day as Children’s Commissioner, Liana spoke with KCV about the work of kinship carers and about the challenges and successes in her nine years in the role.

PODCAST

New rules governing the CIMS

The Client Incident Management System (CIMS) is the program that investigates reports of incidents made against carers who may have mistreated children in their care. Reports against carers do not happen very often. However, over the years, KCV has witnessed some serious breaches of carers’ rights, particularly when a report is not upheld. Carers and children have been seriously affected by the unfairness of the processes and are not compensated for years of trauma when a report is not upheld.
In this podcast, lawyer Fleur Ward talks about how the DFFH has undertaken a review of CIMS procedures and has released a new set of guidelines. Carers need to be aware that it is quite easy for a report to be made and that if one is made, they need to listen to this podcast and contact their support agency immediately.

PODCAST

Physical punishment is harmful to Australian children

Evidence indicates that physical punishment can lead to increased anxiety or depression in adulthood, and the likelihood of people engaging in violence in later life.
There are alternative discipline practices that don’t involve physical punishment. These practices help increase children’s understanding of why certain behaviours are not desirable.
Sixty-six countries have legislated against the use of physical punishment on children and a further 27 countries have committed to doing so. Why is Australia not one of them?

This podcast relates to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child ‑ Articles 37, 39. Read a summary of the articles in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

This podcast links to the KCV Positive Discipline video

This podcast links to the KCV resource book on Non‑Physical Types of Discipline

PODCAST

Cyber safety for children and young people

Children and young people spend significant amounts of their lives online in the cyber world, but how do we ensure that their online experiences are safe?
In this podcast we speak with Susan McLean of cyber safety education organisation Cybersafety Solutions. Susan is acknowledged as Australia’s foremost expert in the area of cyber safety and young people, and answers many of the questions carers contemplate..

This podcast links to the KCV resource book on Cyber Safety

PODCAST

The Benefits of Play

What does the latest research tell us about the benefits of play for the wellbeing of children and young people? The report Australian Families: How we play has findings of great interest to kinship carers.
In this podcast KCV speaks with paediatrician and researcher Dr Anthea Rhodes. Anthea has clinical interests in the health needs of the vulnerable child.

This podcast relates to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child ‑ Article 31. Read a summary of the articles in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

GPV/KCV is pleased to launch its video on positive discipline. It is a feature in the GPV/KCV campaign to ensure that physical punishment of children is made illegal across Australia.

The video is recommended as a gentle reminder that positive discipline can work. The video should be viewed in conjunction with reading written materials on positive discipline.

Non-physical types of discipline for children and young people (booklet)
Reasons not to hit children (article)
Physical punishment in Australia (video)

GPV/KCV commends signing the petition to have physical punishment made illegal across Australia.

https://www.change.org/p/end-physical-punishment-of-children-protect-australian-children