The Policy and Regulatory Services Branch have primary responsibilities for coordinating policy development and planning processes within the Department.
This includes:
The annual reports to Parliament on the Department’s activities;
The development of policies, and their associated implementation plans and budgets, up to endorsement by the National Executive Council, such as the Integrated Community Development Policy and the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy;
Involvement in policy awareness strategies such as contributing to provincial workshops in West New Britain, Eastern Highlands, Simbu and East Sepik provinces on the Early Childhood Care & Development Policy in 2007; and
The three yearly corporate planning and annual operational planning processes of the Department.
The branch has 6 staff and 2 managers, including specialist publications, database and social mapping officers.
In the last twelve months, the Branch key achievements include securing National Executive Council endorsement of the Integrated Community Development Policy and the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, launching the 2007 Operational Plan that received national television and newspaper coverage and completing an annual management report.
In the coming year, the Branch expects to successfully implement the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, improve database management within the Department and also look at improving coordination between all agencies and the national stakeholders and donors.
