Heartfelt letters, voice recordings and drawings from children and young people to their parents are among the powerful approaches used by child advocates in family group conferences (FGC) to help parents and families keep their children safe.

Family Group Conferences are delivered by Relationships Australia SA (RASA) and Aboriginal Family Support Services (AFSS) in partnership with the Department for Child Protection (DCP).

They bring parents, extended family members and support networks together to develop an environment that helps keep children and young people safe, most often at home or within the extended family structure. Family group conference services are offered statewide and continue to demonstrate the importance of hearing directly from children and empowering families to make lasting changes together.

The State Government has invested an additional $5.8 million over five years into family group conferencing from 2025-26, bringing the total commitment for this program to $42 million since coming into office.

Child advocates play an important role in ensuring the views, wishes and feelings of the children are heard throughout the process. A child advocate can either be an independent person or someone who is part of the child or young person’s natural support network who is carefully trained to provide this role.

During 2025-26, 346 FGCs were held involving 614 children and young people. This included 158 conferences involving at least one Aboriginal child, for a total of 281 Aboriginal children and young people. Significantly, as of 30 June 2026, 88% of these FGCs were successful, meaning that more than 4 out of 5 children were in the care of their families or extended family after the FGC without the need for a child protection order.

DCP is currently consulting with stakeholders regarding enhancements to the FGC program, which will be expanded under the state’s new Children and Young People (Safety and Support) Act 2025 expected to be implemented next year.

Quotes attributable to Alice Rolls MP, Minister for Child Protection

Family Group Conferencing continues to provide a powerful framework for family-led decision making, helping families identify solutions and create meaningful change for their children.

Personal messages shared by children, whether through letters, drawings, voice recordings or treasured keepsakes, provide a powerful reminder of the love they have for their families and the hopes they hold for the future.

Child advocates say these simple yet deeply meaningful gestures can have a huge impact. A letter describing how much a child misses a parent, a recorded message expressing their hopes for home, or a cherished item shared during a conference can encourage parents to reflect on their choices and strengthen their commitment to positive change.

By creating safe opportunities for children to share their experiences and perspectives, child advocates help ensure children's voices remain at the centre of decision making, supporting stronger family relationships, improved parenting and better outcomes for children.

Quotes attributable to Sarah Decrea, Executive Manager, Children's and Young People's Services, Relationships Australia SA

The child’s voice is at the heart of the Ngartuitya Family Group Conferencing process, and child advocates play a vital role in ensuring that voice is heard, understood, and meaningfully considered in decision-making.

When an advocate is someone already known and trusted by the child and is part of their family or community network, they bring valuable insight, connection, and cultural understanding to the process. Their involvement helps centre the child’s perspective within family discussions while reducing reliance on external professionals, further empowering families to make decisions and develop solutions together.

Ngartuitya Family Group Conferencing provides children with a safe and supported space to express their views and have those views witnessed by the people making decisions about their lives. It gives children the opportunity to influence decision making by helping adults understand how family challenges, conflict, or other adult concerns can create significant worry, hurt, and uncertainty for them.

The process strengthens collective responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of children. Everyone in the family circle, including family members, DCP, and service providers, shares responsibility for creating and maintaining safe family environments.

Through active efforts, shared planning, and collaborative decision-making, all participants work together to ensure the best interests of the child remain at the centre of every conversation and action.

Attributable to Megan Waters, Operations Manager - Early Intervention, Aboriginal Family Support Services

For AFFS, it is a privilege to create a space where Aboriginal children can be heard — where they can speak about the trauma and pain they are experiencing, while also showing an extraordinary understanding of the struggles their parents are facing.

Above all, these children want to feel safe, loved and connected to their family.  For them, safety should not have to mean separation.

When it is not safe for a child to remain with their parents, every effort should be made to keep them connected to their extended family, culture and community. Because children deserve to grow up knowing who they are, where they come from and where they belong.

That is what cultural safety means — keeping children connected to family, culture and identity, while creating the safety they need to grow and thrive.