Where we are up to
The Child Witness Service will work with the Victims Assistance Program's Aboriginal Support Workers and the Koori Justice Unit to engage with Aboriginal communities to design a culturally safe service response for Aboriginal child witnesses. There will be an initial focus on planning and the development of resources.
Background
The Child Witness Service is a program within the Department of Justice and Community Safety, designed to assist children and young people who are called to provide evidence at Court about a violent crime. It provides children and young people the opportunity to give evidence from a remote witness room, rather than in person in the Court setting. The program operates at all Courts across Victoria and it is independent from police and prosecutions.