Improving child safety in Queensland

The Microsoft Solutions and Development Centre (SDC) has successfully launched the Integrated Client Management System (ICMS) Release 4.0 to the Queensland Department of Child Safety and Queensland Department of Communities. Both the Sydney and Brisbane SDC teams worked hard to deliver this new and enhanced version of ICMS, which will help these agencies to improve the lives of children and young people throughout Queensland.

The ICMS system was initially deployed following an inquiry that recommended changes to the way child services were provided and managed in Queensland. The report was particularly concerned with the poor state of information technology (IT) systems relating to child safety management.

The ICMS system features include:

· Allowing Child Safety Officers a complete, integrated view and history of each client, wherever they are in the State, provided in real time;

· Improved security, ensuring only authorised officers access to sensitive client information;

· Improved reporting, allowing the preparation of specific operational and management reports using live data; and

· Improved staff satisfaction, approximately 90 percent of staff surveyed in the Department said they were satisfied with the new system.