Dealing with unregistered carers;  Many changes of management personnel;  Significant vacancies in professional stream (eight FTE at the time of  our visit); Workload issues especially in relation to the fact that reducing the  backlog of investigations has in effect relocated the bottleneck to the next stages of referral and case management process. Further information about the Joint Protocol which was developed in 2003 and revised at the end of 2006 was provided by the CE. The Senior Manager of Alice Springs Child Protection services noted in early 2011 that the protocol had not been actioned or implemented satisfactorily. A process for updating and the protocol is currently being undertaken that will involved DCF staff and NGOs, which will need to be accompanied by staff training to ensure ownership, knowledge and participation in its use will occur. Feedback from community agencies informed about this process has been positive. Visit to Youth Hub The Committee also visited the Youth Hub and met John Adams, the Youth Services Coordinator (DCF) and was also welcomed to the site by the Minister for Central Australia, Mr Karl Hampton. The Hub is an important component of the overall Alice Springs Youth Action Plan which was launched in 2009 to help make the community safer and help young people stay out of trouble. The CPEMRC was very impressed with what they saw and heard during this visit. The Youth Hub aims to provide a safe place for young people to meet, get information, learn new things and have fun. It provides a point for the coordination of youth services. Key elements of the Youth Hub include:- An integrated presence and approach between government and the non-  government sector to deliver support and services to the youth sector and their families; Youth related services to be available on site include: the Department of  Children and Families Family Responsibility Support Centre, Youth at Risk Team and Streetworks Outreach Service;
 Dealing with unregistered carers;  Many changes of management personnel;  Significant vacancies in professional stream (eight FTE at the time of our visit);  Workload issues especially in relation to the fact that reducing the backlog of investigations has in effect relocated the bottleneck to the next stages of referral and case management process. Further information about the Joint Protocol which was developed in 2003 and revised at the end of 2006 was provided by the CE. The Senior Manager of Alice Springs Child Protection services noted in early 2011 that the protocol had not been actioned or implemented satisfactorily. A process for updating and the protocol is currently being undertaken that will involved DCF staff and NGOs, which will need to be accompanied by staff training to ensure ownership, knowledge and participation in its use will occur. Feedback from community agencies informed about this process has been positive. Visit to Youth Hub The Committee also visited the Youth Hub and met John Adams, the Youth Services Coordinator (DCF) and was also welcomed to the site by the Minister for Central Australia, Mr Karl Hampton. The Hub is an important component of the overall Alice Springs Youth Action Plan which was launched in 2009 to help make the community safer and help young people stay out of trouble. The CPEMRC was very impressed with what they saw and heard during this visit. The Youth Hub aims to provide a safe place for young people to meet, get information, learn new things and have fun. It provides a point for the coordination of youth services. Key elements of the Youth Hub include:-  An integrated presence and approach between government and the non- government sector to deliver support and services to the youth sector and their families;  Youth related services to be available on site include: the Department of Children and Families Family Responsibility Support Centre, Youth at Risk Team and Streetworks Outreach Service;
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