As the Chief Executive, I am pleased to present the annual report for the South Australian Department for Child Protection (DCP) for the year 2023-24.

This year, the department has continued in its design and delivery of a transformative reform agenda for the child protection and family support system. Guided through our strategic framework, our key directions are also shaped and informed by all our sector partners – the incredible child protection and family support sector workforce, child protection governance, families, carers and most importantly the children and young people we work with every day.

As we consolidate and build upon the strong foundations for reform, I am thrilled to advise that we have made some significant progress in realising our shared vision and aspirations for South Australia’s children and young people. Critically, through continued investment in family support, family led decision making, family group conferencing and reunification services, we are continuing to see a reduction in the growth rate for children and young people requiring out of home care, including Aboriginal children and young people.

Our efforts towards Closing the Gap are beginning to show small but promising signs of progress. We have continued to grow the Aboriginal workforce and the proportion of Aboriginal led service delivery through targeted strategies. We are seeing the particular success of family group conferencing as a powerful way to engage with Aboriginal families to make decisions about keeping children safely at home, with an expanded program this year and plans to continue to expand this into the future. This year we also supported the next phase of the establishment of Wakwakurna Kanyini - the first state Peak Body for Aboriginal Children and Families - who alongside the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations Network (SAACCON) and other key partners will provide critical governance over the reform wherein we work together towards the goal of an Aboriginal-led sector.

While these are important steps towards reducing over-representation, we know that as a department and a government we cannot be complacent. This year we also received the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People’s final report ‘Holding on to Our Future’, which provides both strong advocacy and clear guidance on the ways we must improve. We are committed to that journey, to be transparent and accountable, and to continue to reflect, learn and improve.

As a department, we are making every effort to give all children and young people in care the best opportunity to feel safe and supported. A range of programs are underway to support children and young people in care, and leaving care, including collaborations with government and community organisations who are all playing their role in keeping South Australia’s children safe. This year, we have increased access to new developmental and recreational opportunities for children and young people, as we have been consolidating existing partnerships and creating new partnerships with government agencies, community groups and other bodies.

Alongside this we have implemented strategies to build our capacity to ensure young people can grow up in family-based settings, and more broadly to ensure that all children receive the therapeutic and other supports they need to heal and thrive. In this context, it is important to acknowledge our kinship and foster carers who are so essential to enabling children and young people grow up in safe and loving family environments. It is well evidenced that children and young people who grow up in family-based care settings have the best opportunity to thrive and develop a strong sense of belonging and identity, leading to improved outcomes later in life. We will continue to work with carers, and to support them through targeted initiatives such as the Statement of Commitment, the Carers Voice website and dedicated training to support carers in their role.

We continue to work to amplify children’s voices through our practice and through our governance. This includes our stellar child and young person representative group, No Capes for Change, alongside a number of local Youth Advisory Groups and CREATE. These sit as part of the broader governance mechanisms established to guide the government in its reform journey including the Child Protection Expert Group, the Carer Council and the Direct Experience Group. I want to acknowledge their contribution and that of existing peaks, other governance, advisory, advocacy and oversight mechanisms who continue to partner with the department to support a joined-up approach to our work.

As always, central to our success is the incredible contribution of the department’s workforce, particularly those who directly support children, young people, carers and families. I am grateful to lead an organisation of skilled and dedicated child protection practitioners and professionals that have children and young people at the heart of all we do. I am incredibly proud of how much we have accomplished as we continue to work each day to keep children safe at home and to improve the lives of children and young people in care.

Jackie Bray
Chief Executive

Performance at a glance

The DCP Strategic Plan 2022-2026 sets out seven key departmental priorities to deliver on its vision for all children and young people to grow up safe, healthy, connected and feeling loved so they reach their full potential:

• Leaders in practice excellence
• Closing the gap
• A child protection and family support system that meets the needs of children and young people
• A thriving workforce
• Active and collaborative partnerships
• Working alongside carers
• Quality service and safeguarding.

This year, the department progressed a program of improvement and reform activities against each of these priorities, set out in the DCP Action Plan 2023-24.

Keeping children safe at home and improving outcomes for children and young people in contact with the child protection and family support system requires sustained effort, not just by DCP but from others across government and the community.

DCP has sought to maximise outcomes for children, young people and families through building effective partnerships with other government agencies, non government organisations, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and community groups, and by establishing clear accountability and governance for our performance across government.

Notwithstanding the continued growth in demand for services in 2023-24, DCP has continued to improve its performance in a range of areas, including:

• Slowing the rate of children and young people entering care to the lowest rate in over a decade Continuing to invest in family support, family led decision making, family group conferencing and reunification services
• Adding Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation (KWY) as a recognised Aboriginal organisation for consultation regarding the placement of an Aboriginal child or young person in care
• Expanding the scope of the Taikurtirna Warri–apinthi Program to include all DCP country offices to assist with identifying placement options for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants, children and young people with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kin and community
• Providing funding to SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children to support the establishment of Wakwakurna Kanyini, the peak body for Aboriginal children and families
• Recruiting 10 additional principal Aboriginal consultants to increase frontline support
• Implementing strategies to ensure young people can grow up in family-based settings
• Expanding our programs to support young people leaving care, including transitioning to a new post care model and implementing Stability Post Care Individual Packages for young people
• Approving 313 new family-based carers
• Establishing the Kinship Care Learning and Development program, which includes tailored training packages for kinship carers, while also creating opportunities for carers to engage in the review and development of departmental policy, programs and reform through the new Carers Voice webpage
• Introducing flexible respite support payments to assist carers in their caring responsibilities
• Establishing the Carer Council
• Launching the Child Protection and Family Support Sector Workforce Strategy, the first of its kind for South Australia
• Hosting the inaugural Child Protection and Family Support Symposium to help inform the Child Protection Expert Group in developing a 20-year vision for child protection and family support in South Australia.

Agency specific objectives and performance

Corporate performance summary

During 2023-24, DCP continued to progress and deliver on key corporate initiatives,
including having:

• Developed the Child Protection and Family Support Sector Workforce Strategy and releasing it for sector consultation.
• Hosted the inaugural Child Protection and Family Support Symposium to inform a South Australian 20 year vision for child protection and family support.
• Worked in partnership to renew Memorandums of Administrative Arrangements (MoAAs) with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and established new MoAAs with the Office of the Public Advocate and the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations Network.
• Together with other agencies, opened a new multi-agency facility on the APY Lands to provide community safety and child protection services.
• Increased procurement from Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) to 10.23%.
• Implemented a new licensing framework for service providers to uphold and  strengthen the delivery of high-quality services that safeguard children and young people.
• Developed a comprehensive business case for the replacement of the department’s electronic client case management system.
• Relocated the Whyalla DCP office to new premises and undertook planning to move DCP staff from Netley Commercial Park to the new facility at Keswick.
• Hosted the third annual South Australian Child Protection Awards, recognising the outstanding achievements of children and young people, carers, volunteers, staff and organisations from across the child protection sector.

Employment opportunity programs

Agency performance management and development systems

Work health, safety and return to work programs

*number of claimants assessed during the reporting period as having a whole person impairment of 30% or more under the Return to Work Act 2014 (Part 2 Division 5)

**before third party recovery

Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/workhealth-
safety-and-return-to-work-performance-for-dcp

Executive employment in the agency

Data reflects the number of employees under an executive contract as at 30 June 2024. This figure does not include vacancies or persons employed on executive backfill arrangements (non-executive contracts) at this date. The Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment has a workforce information page that provides further information on the breakdown of executive gender, salary and tenure by agency.

Financial performance at a glance

The following is a brief summary of the overall financial position of the agency. The information is unaudited. Full audited financial statements for 2023-2024 are attached to this report.

Consultants disclosure

The following is a summary of external consultants that have been engaged by the agency, the nature of work undertaken, and the actual payments made for the work undertaken during the financial year.

Consultancies with a contract value below $10,000 each

Consultancies with a contract value above $10,000 each

Data for previous years is available at:
https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/consultants-utilised-in-department-for-childprotection
See also the Consolidated Financial Report of the Department of Treasury and Finance for total value of consultancy contracts across the South Australian Public
Sector.

Contractors disclosure

The following is a summary of external contractors that have been engaged by the agency, the nature of work undertaken, and the actual payments made for work undertaken during the financial year.

Contractors with a contract value below $10,000

Contractors with a contract value above $10,000 each

Data for previous years is available at:
https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/contractors-utilised-by-dcp
The details of South Australian Government-awarded contracts for goods, services, and works are displayed on the SA Tenders and Contracts website. View the agency list of contracts.
The website also provides details of across government contracts.

Risk and audit at a glance

DCP maintains a robust risk and internal control environment supported by an effective Internal Audit and Risk function, Performance and Risk Committee (PRC) and associated internal audit and risk management frameworks.

The department has a rolling three-year Internal Audit Plan that is reviewed annually and updated to reflect current risks and priorities. Progress against the plan is monitored and reported to the Senior Executive Group (SEG) and PRC on a regular basis, along with the status and progress of actions arising from internal audit, Auditor General and Control Self-Assessment reviews.

In line with the Risk Assessment Framework, strategic and operational risk registers are formally reviewed on a six-monthly basis. All strategic, operational and fraud risks are recorded and monitored using the Risk Console system to improve the efficiency and usefulness of risk monitoring, review and reporting. Additionally, the Internal Audit and Risk team facilitated a workshop with SEG members and PRC members to identify any emerging or new strategic risks for the department.

For 2023-24, the key ongoing areas of risk included the:

• Need for continued focus on, and progress tracking against, high priority internal audit and Auditor General action items.
• Tight fiscal environment, budgetary pressures and the case mix (particularly out of home care).
• Difficulty across government in identifying and addressing the underlying issues contributing to the high number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care.
• Need for management to continually review existing and emerging risks in the context of the child protection environment and the department’s risk appetite.

The overall internal audit opinion for 2023-24 did not identify any significant issues, concerns or risks that indicated the overall risk and control environment was not effective.

Fraud detected in the agency

NB: Fraud reported includes actual and reasonably suspected incidents of fraud.

*One investigation continuing, one finalised in 2023-24
**Investigation continuing

Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud

DCP is committed to the prevention, detection and control of fraud, corruption and other criminal conduct, misconduct and maladministration in connection with the activities of the department. Fraud risks are identified as part of the department’s risk management activities and are captured in a Fraud Risk Register.

The DCP Fraud and Corruption Control Framework, adopted from the South Australian Public Sector Fraud and Corruption Control policy, aligns with Australian Standard – AS 8001:2021 Fraud and Corruption Control. It is designed to assist in the prevention, detection and response to activities labelled or defined as fraud.

DCP continued to undertake a range of corporate and operational activities to prevent and detect fraud in accordance with the Framework, including regular review of financial management policies and procedures, a comprehensive internal audit program, undertaking strategic and operational risk assessments, and raising the general awareness of fraud amongst staff.

The DCP Internal Audit and Risk team carried out operational risk assessments across key areas of the business, with regular reviews of fraud risks pertinent to specific business functions. Operational risk registers were continually assessed and updated, in line with the Risk Assessment Matrix. Fraud risks continued to be captured through operational risk workshops and through the Fraud Risk Register.

DCP addresses any suspected, alleged or proven instances of fraud, corruption or other criminal conduct, misconduct or maladministration by employees or other public officers, including through:

• Investigation by appropriately skilled and experienced personnel who are
  independent of the business unit in which the alleged conduct occurred.
• Reporting to the Office for Public Integrity or Ombudsman.
• Involvement of other authorities such as South Australia Police.
• Compliance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018.

Public interest disclosure

Number of occasions on which public interest information has been disclosed to a responsible officer of the agency under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018:
0

Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/publicinterest-disclosures-for-the-department-for-child-protection
Note: Disclosure of public interest information was previously reported under the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1993 and repealed by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018 on 1/7/2019.

DCP’s capacity to report on section 156(1)(a)(ii) and (iii) is in development. As at 30 June 2024:

• The rate of case plan completion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in care is 93.8%.
• 93.5% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in care  have a current and approved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural  Identity Support Tool.

• As at 30 June 2024, all children and young people in care were allocated to a Primary Assigned Case Worker.
• DCP has reviewed the Data & Analytics Hub report with the intention to better support service provision through access to enhanced data analysis and operational reporting, including monitoring how many children and young people have had face to face contact with their allocated case worker.
• As at 30 June 2024, 94.0% of children and young people had a current and approved case plan.
• In the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, a further 4 recommendations of the Child Protection Systems Royal Commission were completed. As at 30 June 2024, of the 260 recommendations, 250 recommendations were completed and 6 recommendations were yet to be completed (noting 4 recommendations were not accepted).
• To meet the reporting requirements of section 156(1)(e), DCP has published a comprehensive multi-agency annual report outlining the state government’s progress implementing the Child Protection Systems Royal Commission recommendations. This report is available on the DCP website via the following
  link: www.childprotection.sa.gov.au/research-and-publications/publications/childprotection-
  systems-royal-commission
• As of 1 July 2023, 393 children and young people were placed with a temporary carer.
• Of these 393 children and young people:
  • 318 children and young people remain in care as at 30 June 2024
  • 75 children and young people are no longer in care as at 30 June 2024.

This annual report details the role of the Minister and the extent to which the Minister has performed the Minister’s functions for the 2023-24 financial year. In addition, to help ensure outcomes for children and young people are at the centre of our efforts, the Minister has:

• Committed to improving the South Australian child protection and family support system and its capacity to meet the needs of children, young people, families, carers and communities:
  • Hosted the inaugural Child Protection and Family Support Symposium to reimagine the system of the future.
  • Prepared the Child Protection and Family Support Sector Workforce Strategy, the first of its kind for South Australia.
  • Broadened our learnings in contemporary child protection practice, through travelling to Scotland and England in the United Kingdom to understand how these jurisdictions have engaged their communities in whole of system change and to further inform our approach to child protection reform in South Australia.
• Continued engagement of the NEWPIN Program through a joint State-Commonwealth Social Impact Bond arrangement, supporting families to promote wellbeing, improve parenting capacity and develop positive family relationships including reunification.
• Engaged with new governance groups established by the Minister to support and inform child protection and family support services and reform:
  • Chaired the Chief Executive Governance Group which drives child protection and family support system reform across government.
  • Referred matters for advice to the Child Protection Expert Group.
  • Appointed and consulted with members of the Carer Council.
  • Appointed and consulted with members of the Direct Experience Group.
• Increased funding to the Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People to support the Guardian in delivering her statutory functions.
• Introduced flexible respite support payments to assist carers in their caring responsibilities.
• Signed the Partnership Agreement on behalf of South Australia between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders that underpins implementation of Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031.

Appointed the inaugural Social Workers Registration Board to support the registration of social workers and commenced implementation planning for the Scheme.

The following information summarises the delivery of programs/services that relate to the provision of family support services and intensive services to children and young people who are at risk and their families.

The Report on Government Services (ROGS) details this information. It is published in January each year and is available from
https://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/report-on-government-services

Figures may be different from those nationally reported, due to timing and the reconciliation process.
* This number has been revised since its inclusion in the 2022-23 Annual Report.

Number of public complaints reported

Public complaints received by the Complaints and Feedback Management Unit (CFMU) within the Office of the Chief Executive.

* The allocation of sub-category is driven by the content of the complaint. Therefore, these figures relate to the complainants’ views of the department.
^ On 1 July 2022, DCP updated its recording systems and the classification of communications received by the Complaints and Feedback Management Unit (CFMU) to align with DCP’s Complaints and Feedback Management Procedure. In 2023-24, CFMU responded to 925 contacts, in addition to the reported complaints, relating predominantly to communication quality and process.

Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/dataset/publiccomplaints-
received-by-dcp-complaints-unit

Service Improvements

Compliance Statement