The Department for Child Protection (DCP) has released a report and checklist on its implementation of recommendations from two Royal Commissions aimed at improving child protection in the State.
In a statement, the Department said the report Safe and well: Supporting families, protecting children highlighted the significant progress that had been made across the child protection system in the past 12 months.
Minister for Child Protection, Rachel Sanderson said the annual report was the second on the whole-of-Government Strategy, Safe and well: Supporting families, protecting children, which brought together the findings from the Child Protection Systems Royal Commission and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Ms Sanderson said the report showed the Department was refreshing priority actions for the next 12 months; that it was highlighting evolving strategic direction; its innovative programs of work were underway across Government; and included its achievements of the past year.
The Minister said that significant 2020/21 achievements included allocating a record $52 million into the Child and Family Support System for the next four years; piloting an internationally renowned specialised foster care program Treatment Foster Care Oregon; and transitioning the Family Group Conferencing pilot to an ongoing measure.
She said it also recruiting an additional 78 foster carers; increased the number of Aboriginal children and young people placed in care from 977 at 30 June 2020 to 1092 at 30 June 2021; launched a new online hub promoting priority access to services for children and young people in care and post-care as part of the recently expanded Investing in their future initiative; and announcing additional funding for Government preschools and schools to use for children in care.
“Bringing like recommendations together means that we can ensure the focus remains on their intent and ensuring a connected and coordinated approach that makes a real difference to South Australian children, young people and families,” Ms Sanderson said.
“In addition to the Annual Report, we have also published an update on all Royal Commission recommendations that have not been reported as completed in previous reporting periods,” she said.
The Department’s 42-page Annual Report can be accessed at this PS News link and its 43-page Royal Commission recommendations checklist at this link.
