More than 900 South Australians contributed to the review of the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 and canvassed a range of opportunities to improve and strengthen the legislation and support better outcomes for families, children and young people across the state.

The review’s findings will contribute to consideration of legislative change with a draft bill also to be subject to further widespread consultation before any changes are debated in Parliament.

Key themes emerging from the first round of consultation include:

• More deeply embedding all elements of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle to better empower Aboriginal people to lead decision-making for Aboriginal children, young people, their families and communities.
• Incorporating a public health approach to child protection and a greater emphasis on the provision of intensive, targeted and therapeutic supports for families where children have been the subject of a notification.
• Requiring consideration of a child’s best interests in all decision-making under the Act, while retaining children’s safety as the paramount consideration.
• Requiring more support and earlier planning for young people to transition from living in care to independent adult life.
• Ensuring serious cases are more readily identified through a consideration of the threshold for reporting concerns.
• Embedding the Statement of Commitment to foster and kinship carers and strengthening the participation of carers in significant decisions relating to children in their care.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard MP

I wholeheartedly thank the many South Australians who, through the initial public consultation process held last year, provided such thoughtful feedback to inform this report.

Amongst a comprehensive vision to achieve positive reform, we are determined to progress legislative change that strengthens outcomes for children, young people and their families.

We heard from such a wide range of people across the state - young people, carers, government and non-government stakeholders, Aboriginal organisations and communities and other community members.

Each of them generously and actively shared their experiences and thinking about how we can strengthen the legislation to improve outcomes for children and young people.

Their generous input will be crucial as we consider the range of options and opportunities articulated in this report. I look forward to continuing the conversation with South Australians as we work toward the introduction of legislation and progress reform that helps improve children’s lives.

The report can be viewed at: www.childprotection.sa.gov.au/CYPSActReview