JMI advances a new direction and vision for child protection and out-of-home care in NSW

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.

This project showcases the new way forward for policymaking in NSW – bringing government, experts and practitioners together to address complex and critically important issues. While the child protection system has undergone a range of reforms over the years, we need a ‘system reset’ to better deliver for children, their families, and wider communities and make real headway to improve outcomes.

Libby Hackett, CEO of the James Martin Institute for Public Policy

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 sets out a new vision based on what we know can change lives. This is not about tweaking our current system; it’s about reimagining the entire sector, based on the most up-to-date understanding of trauma, neuroscience and lived experiences.

Jarrod Wheatley OAM, Chair of the Centre for Relational Care

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

This report will be a guiding light as we embark on significant reform of the system.

The Hon. Kate Washington MP, NSW Minister for Families and Communities

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