The ACT Government and its community sector partners are committed to working together to ensure Canberra's children, young people and families are safe, strong and connected.
To advance this goal, the Government and more than 40 community organisations gathered yesterday at a Children and Families Forum to jointly progress an ambitious reform agenda.
Minister for Families and Community Services Rachel Stephen-Smith said the Forum developed shared principles and explored potential new structures, mechanisms and opportunities for the community sector and Government to work differently together towards better outcomes for children and families.
"The ACT Government and the community sector are already achieving great things for children in Canberra, but there is always more we can do to ensure every child has the opportunity to live their best life. This also means ensuring that parents, carers and extended family members are appropriately supported to help their children thrive."
"We want to make sure that government and non-government services work collaboratively together to support all families to flourish, while actively responding to families with more complex needs.
"The ACT Government is progressing ambitious, evidence-based reforms across the child and families services sector that are informed by what we have heard from children and their families about what will work best for them.
"This reform agenda includes everything from our election commitment to develop a First 1000 Days Strategy, to implementing the Our Booris, Our Way review, to legislative change and renewal of our out-of-home care strategy, A Step Up for Our Kids. But we cannot do this alone – real change will require a collective effort and a whole-of-community response.
"The Forum was an opportunity to draw on the expertise and commitment of government and non-government agencies that support some of the most vulnerable children, young people and families in our community.
"What really shone through was the absolute dedication of these individuals and organisations to changing the lives of children, young people and families – and their ideas about how we can do this better, together," said Minister Stephen-Smith.
