Community Services Ministers met on Kaurna Country in Adelaide on 19 July 2023. As part of this meeting, Ministers welcomed the opportunity to again join with representatives of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group (Leadership Group) and representatives of the National Coalition on Child Safety and Wellbeing to discuss the implementation of Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2021-2031 (Safe and Supported).
Ministers and the Leadership Group acknowledged the importance of continuing to honour their commitment to shared decision-making, and reflected on the importance of working together in a way that meets the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Ministers and the Leadership Group agreed they would come together in a new forum that is jointly chaired and upholds equal representation and authority to focus on making decisions to implement, monitor and evaluate the action plans under Safe and Supported.
Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC - National Voice for Our Children and Chair of the Leadership Group said Safe and Supported represents a significant achievement in shared decision-making between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. "Our communities and leaders need to lead the reform, design and delivery of services. The recent Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report from the Productivity Commission highlights the urgency of this, so we can start to see impact at the grassroots, changing the trajectory of life outcomes for our children" Ms Liddle said.
Ministers and the Leadership Group reaffirmed their commitment to formalise these decision-making arrangements through a Partnership Agreement between the Australian Government, state and territory governments and the Leadership Group that will document how governments will work with First Nations people to implement Safe and Supported. The Partnership Agreement will align with Priority Reform One under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap - Formal Partnerships and Shared Decision Making.
As Chair of Community Services Ministers, the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP, said the Partnership Agreement provides the foundation to ensure we all continue to work in genuine partnership with First Nations people to deliver Safe and Supported which aims to make a real difference in the lives of First Nations children and young people.
"I would also like to recognise the leadership of SNAICC - National Voice for Our Children, as part of both developing the Partnership Agreement and in implementing Safe and Supported's Action Plans," Minister Rishworth said.
Following Safe and Supported shared decision-making meeting with the Leadership Group, Ministers discussed a number of other important national matters.
This included positive discussions about renewing cooperation and boosting national momentum to address the effects of forced adoption policies and practices.
Ministers welcomed Dr Leanne Beagley, CEO of the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse (National Centre), who spoke about the National Centre's Five Year Strategic Plan.
Ministers also discussed the issue of physical and sexual abuse insurance or indemnity for non-government out-of-home care and youth homelessness providers. They endorsed the continued collaboration and information sharing of the Interjurisdictional Working Group, which was established to consider this matter.
Lastly, Ministers were informed on progress to implement the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse. Ministers considered the implications of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study on existing programs and policies which prevent or respond to child maltreatment, and plans for a second wave of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study.
