NSW has a new government – here are six actions Labor can make to transform out-of-home care
‘NSW has a new government – here are six actions Labor can make to transform out-of-home care’ blog article was written by Kelly Royds, Head of Knowledge Mobilisation and Innovation at the Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care (CETC).
The new premier, Chris Minns, and his team have promised a “fresh start” for NSW, and now they have the chance to deliver on that promise.
Mr Minns acknowledged the many challenges that lie ahead for the state over the next few years in his acceptance speech. “The team I lead is ready for the challenges and opportunities of government and will not let the people of this state down,” he said.
A core challenge and opportunity for the NSW Government is to acknowledge that our out-of-home care system is in crisis, and in urgent need of transformation. The current system has insufficient capacity to meet the quantity and complexity of cases in out-of-home care.
The recent inquiries into the welfare of children in out-of-home care, including the report on the child protection and social services system (The NSW child protection and social services system report, 2022), highlight the urgency of addressing this issue. The new government needs to invest in significant reform that is beyond the political cycle to make sure that the experience of being in out-of-home care is no longer a risk factor for further danger and traumatisation.
It is time for the new NSW Government to make a change. We have written an Agenda for Change for the NSW Government to ensure a safe and trauma-informed out-of-home care system for children, young people and families. In it, we call on the NSW Government to make six critical changes.
- Action 1. Plan for generational change
- Action 2. Improve the availability and quality of specialist trauma services for children and carers
- Action 3. Resource a trauma-informed out-of-home care system with staff that are adequately trained and supported
- Action 4. Keep children and young people safe and out of Alternative Care Arrangements
- Action 5. Invest in state-wide research and evaluation to review and improve the quality of out-of-home care services
- Action 6. Strengthen oversight and accountability
Want to read more?
To read Agenda for Change, please click the button below.