Media Release

46/2009
13 August 2009

Indigenous Childcare: Performance Audit of Indigenous Professional Support Units

Lindsay Tanner, Minister for Finance and Deregulation announced the publication of a new Performance Audit of Indigenous Professional Support Units completed by the Office of Evaluation and Audit (Indigenous Programs) in the Department of Finance and Deregulation.

Indigenous Professional Support Units (IPSUs) provide professional development, advice and resources for eligible Indigenous child care services. IPSUs are managed under the Professional Support Program, which in turn, is a component of a larger inclusion and Professional Support Program (IPSP) that aims to support and enhance the inclusion and professional development needs of child care services.

The audit examined the management of IPSUs by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and service delivery arrangements.

Overall, the audit found that IPSUs have been effective in assessing and addressing Indigenous child care services’ needs. The report recommended that DEEWR should review program planning, design and performance monitoring and reporting arrangements to strengthen program management arrangements.

DEEWR provided an overall response to this audit in which it agrees with the recommendations of the audit, which are consistent with the Department’s approach to further developing the IPSP.

Further information
The full report is available on the Department of Finance and Deregulation’s website at: http://www.finance.gov.au/oea/publications-and-reports.html

-ends-

Back to top