Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031

Children and young people in Australia have the right to grow up safe, connected and supported in their family, community and culture. They have the right to grow up in an environment that enables them to reach their full potential.

Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021 – 2031 (Safe and Supported) recognises that all Australians need to work together to keep children and young people safe and achieve the best outcomes for those who are vulnerable and/or experiencing disadvantage.

Safe and Supported was developed by the Australian Government and state and territory governments in partnership with:

Families Australia and the National Coalition on Child Safety and Wellbeing were also consulted. 

Our shared goal is for Safe and Supported to make significant and sustained progress in reducing the rate of child abuse and neglect and its impacts across generations.

Safe and Supported will be implemented through 2 sets of action plans. These  outline the actions and activities needed to improve outcomes for children and young people at-risk.

It will be delivered through governance arrangements set out in the action plans. Read more about the Safe and Supported action plans.

Safe and Supported Focus Areas

We will improve outcomes through actions in 4 Focus Areas:

  1. A national approach to early intervention and targeted support for children and families experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage.
  2. Addressing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in child protection systems.
  3. Improving information sharing, data development and analysis.
  4. Strengthening the child and family sector and workforce capability.

Priority groups

Safe and Supported sets out a national 10-year framework to improve the lives of children, young people and families.

Safe and Supported priority groups include:

  • children and families with multiple and complex needs.
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people experiencing disadvantage or who are vulnerable.
  • children and young people and/or parents/carers with disability experiencing disadvantage or who are vulnerable.
  • children and young people who have experienced abuse and/or neglect, including children in out-of-home care and young people leaving out-of-home care and transitioning to adulthood.

The best interests of the child are at the centre of Safe and Supported and its Action Plans. Everyone implementing Safe and Supported is committed to ongoing meaningful engagement with:

  • children
  • young people
  • parents
  • carers and 
  • communities.

Guiding principles

Safe and Supported is also underpinned by a number of guiding principles:. These are:

  • Access to quality universal and targeted services designed to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. 
  • Having clear responsibilities and strong monitoring, evaluation and achievement of outcomes. 
  • Having excellence in practice and policy development, based on evidence, data and information sharing. 
  • Being trauma-informed, culturally safe, and inclusive in terms of policies and actions. 
  • Listening and responding to the voices and views of children and young people, and the views of those who care for them. 
  • Embedding the 5 elements of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle — Prevention, Partnership, Placement, Participation and Connection.

Supporting the National Agreement on Closing the Gap

The Priority Reforms of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap are embedded in Safe and Supported. This will transform how governments work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.

Safe and Supported and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander First Action Plan will be the key mechanisms for the Australian Government in responding to Closing the Gap Target 12. Target 12 aims to reduce the rate of over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45% by 2031.

Resources

Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031
Safe and Supported: First Action Plan 2023-2026
Safe and Supported: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander First Action Plan 2023-2026
Safe and Supported: Outcomes Framework
Safe and Supported: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Outcomes Framework

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