Community partners, academics, and government representatives came together on Tuesday to discuss the next steps in the ACT Government’s ongoing reform program for child, youth, and family services.

The forum was convened by Rachel Stephen-Smith, ACT Minister for Families and Community Services, and brought together more than 70 participants.

The reform agenda aims to provide earlier supports for children, young people, and their families, reducing the need for crisis or statutory services. “This will mean people can access the supports and services they need, when they need it, addressing problems early to ensure long-term wellbeing,” Ms Stephen-Smith explained.

The forum follows on from one held in March 2021. Since then, the sector has provided critical input and advice on several reforms, including:

Next Steps for Our Kids: the ACT strategy for strengthening families and keeping children and young people safe (Next Steps) – the ACT Government’s plan to reform out of home care and child protection in the ACT over the next eight years.

• ACT Government takes Next Steps for child protection (4 June)

Best Start for Canberra’s Children: the First 1000 Days Strategy – which sets out how the ACT Government will ensure early and improved support for children and families in the first 1000 days of life.

• ACT strategy for children’s first 1,000 days (4 November)

Raising the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility – the ACT Government’s commitment to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility in a staged way to 12 and then 14.

• ACT to raise minimum age of criminal responsibility (3 November)

Implementing the recommendations of the Our Booris Our Way Review into the over-representation and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people, and families in the child protection and out of home care systems.

• Chair appointed to Our Booris, Our Way committee (7 December)
• Bill to recruit Aboriginal child commissioner passes Assembly (29 November)

“Canberra can be a leader in how we collectively support children, young people, and families who are experiencing risk to their safety and wellbeing” said Ms Stephen-Smith.

“We have done the work to establish a clear, co-ordinated set of strategies and reforms to guide changes to legislation, policy, and practice over the remainder of this decade. This forum was an opportunity to come together and continue our collaborative work on implementing this vision.

“I thank all the participants for their valuable contributions and for their dedication to changing the lives of ACT children, young people, and families for the better.”