The James Martin Institute for Public Policy has released a new report aimed at reorienting the child protection system in NSW. 

A new pioneering report by JMI, the culmination of a project undertaken in close collaboration with the NSW Department of Communities and Justice and the Centre for Relational Care, articulates concrete steps to advance a course change on child protection in NSW.

Supporting children and families to flourish outlines 11 key opportunities to focus the system on the holistic needs of children and towards empowering families and communities through a relational approach to care. It identifies key areas for action, including legal, regulatory, policy and frontline reforms that put people first and build their capabilities.

Overarching the tangible opportunities set out in this report is a new vision for what a relational approach can achieve in child protection in NSW. The report highlights the potential to forge a new social compact around a child and family support system.

A relational approach aims to create the conditions for families to take charge of their own futures, enabling better wellbeing outcomes that help families thrive. This is especially important for First Nations families and communities, who are disproportionately affected by the current system, to empower Aboriginal-led reform efforts.

This report is the product of extensive collaboration with many experts from government, academia, and practitioners with direct experience of the system.

Read full media release from the Minister for Families and Communities here.