A Proposed Bill for Children and Young People (Development, Wellbeing and Early Intervention)

Consultation has concluded

About

We are looking for input on components of the proposed Bill that focuses on early intervention and prevention for the development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families in South Australia.

The proposed Bill would establish to a new piece of legislation to highlight the importance of expanding opportunities for government and non-government sectors to work together and improve early intervention services for South Australian children and young people, their families and the broader community.

This would complement existing child protection legislation introduced following the release of the Child Protection Systems Royal Commission report, The life they

About

We are looking for input on components of the proposed Bill that focuses on early intervention and prevention for the development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families in South Australia.

The proposed Bill would establish to a new piece of legislation to highlight the importance of expanding opportunities for government and non-government sectors to work together and improve early intervention services for South Australian children and young people, their families and the broader community.

This would complement existing child protection legislation introduced following the release of the Child Protection Systems Royal Commission report, The life they deserve.

Your input can influence the decision

We want to hear your thoughts on the fundamental components of the proposed Bill to make sure that it puts sufficient emphasis on early intervention and prevention to promote the health, development and wellbeing of children and young people, their families and communities across South Australia.

To make it easier for you to contribute, a series of questions have been prepared. These questions are fairly general in nature and don't require any legal understanding.

Your feedback will be considered when the drafting the final Bill.

Join the conversation

You can provide feedback by:

Ms Ann Marie Hayes
Early Years & Child Development Directorate
Department for Education and Child Development
GPO Box 1152
ADELAIDE SA 5001

Feedback will be accepted until 5.00 pm on Friday 1 September 2017.

What will happen with my feedback?

A report will be published within 90 days of the consultation period closing. Additional updates will be provided regarding the Bill’s passage through Parliament, and any new regulations that are developed.



Background

Chief Justice Margaret Nyland completed her report on the South Australian Child Protection System Royal Commission in August 2016. The report set out recommendations for how the government could improve the policies, structure and culture of South Australia’s child protection system. Some of the recommendations required law reform.

Over the past 6 months the South Australian Parliament has passed 2 new pieces of child protection legislation in response to the Royal Commission, namely the Children and Young People (Oversight and Advocacy Bodies) Act 2016 and the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017. The laws in the latter Act provide:

  • greater protection for South Australian children and young people in care;
  • a stronger voice for foster carers; and
  • clearer direction on how government agencies must act when a child is at risk.

When Parliament was debating the Safety Act, they acknowledged feedback from some community service providers about the need to emphasise the importance of early intervention and prevention activities in promoting the development and wellbeing of children and young people.

Parliament also recognised a need to improve measures for South Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, who remain overrepresented in the child protection system. There was also a call for a much broader commitment to working in the best interests of children and young people, and not just focusing on the statutory child protection system.

This feedback was taken very seriously and the Government agreed to develop a new piece of legislation to focus on early intervention and prevention for the development and wellbeing of children and young people, while supporting their families and the communities in which they live.

The Department for Education and Child Development (DECD) has begun to develop the fundamental components of a new Bill. The proposed Bill will reflect the importance of prevention and early intervention in addressing the social challenges that affect children, young people and their families. It is proposed that a new Bill could also promote a whole of state, collaborative approach to strengthening the capacity and efforts of parents, families and communities to support the development and wellbeing of children and young people across South Australia.

The department is now seeking input to develop the fundamental components of the proposed Bill.

Provide feedback by joining the conversation.

Consultation has concluded

  • Get involved

    The Department for Education and Child Development has begun developing the fundamental elements of a new Bill, which could establish a new piece of legislation.

    The new Bill would emphasise early intervention and prevention as important measures in the wellbeing and development of children and young people, their families and communities across South Australia.

    We are interested in your views on the fundamental elements of the draft Bill, including:

    • proposed objects
    • proposed principles
    • a whole of state strategy for children, young people and their families
    • the Child Development Council.

    Some guiding questions have been prepared for your consideration:

    Proposed objects
    • Of the objects proposed for the new draft Bill, what are the top 3 that you consider most important?
    • Are there any objects that you feel are missing, out of place or need revision?
    Proposed Principles
    • Of the draft principles proposed for the new Bill, what are the top 3 that you consider most important?
    • Are there any principles that you feel are missing, out of place or need revision?
    The strategy and the council

    • Are there any additional matters that you feel should be included in the proposed whole of state strategy for children, young people and their families?

    • Mindful of the rationale for placing the Child Development Council in this new Bill, are the functions that have been proposed supportive of the intentions of such a Bill? If not, how might they be strengthened?

    Strategy and the council factsheet

    Join the conversation

    Your feedback will be considered as part of the ongoing drafting process. A final copy of the Bill will be publically available when it is introduced into Parliament.

    Feedback will be accepted until 5.00pm on Friday 1 September 2017.

    You can provide your feedback by:

    Ms Ann Marie Hayes
    Early Years & Child Development Directorate
    Department for Education and Child Development
    GPO Box 1152
    ADELAIDE SA 5001

    Submissions may be published online as part of the consultation process.

    If you are providing a submission by email or to the postal address, please advise if you would like it to remain confidential.

  • Consultation Questions

    We are interested in your views on the fundamental elements of the proposed Bill, including the proposed objects; proposed principles; a Whole of State Strategy for Children, Young People and their Families; and the Child Development Council.

    We have prepared some questions to capture your ideas on how we can refine these fundamental elements and improve the draft Bill.

    Proposed Objects
    • Of the objects proposed for the new draft Bill, what are the top 3 that you consider most important?
    • Are there any objects that you feel are missing, out of place or need revision?

    Click here to download the factsheet on the Proposed Objects

    Proposed Principles
    • Of the draft principles proposed for the new Bill, what are the top 3 that you consider most important?
    • Are there any principles that you feel are missing, out of place or need revision?

    Click here to download the factsheet on the Proposed Principles

    The Strategy and the Council
    • Are there any additional matters that you feel should be included in the proposed Whole of State Strategy for Children, Young People and their Families?
    • Mindful of the rationale for placing the Child Development Council in this new Bill, are the functions that have been proposed supportive of the intentions of such a Bill? If not, how might they be strengthened?

    Click here to download the factsheet on The Strategy and the Council

    Your feedback will be considered as part of the ongoing drafting process. A final copy of the Bill will be publically available when it is introduced into Parliament.

    Feedback will be accepted until 5.00pm on Friday 1 September 2017.

    You can provide your feedback on the draft Bill by:

    Ms Ann Marie Hayes
    Early Years & Child Development Directorate
    Department for Education and Child Development
    GPO Box 1152
    ADELAIDE SA 5001

    Submissions may be published online as part of the consultation process.

    If you are providing a submission by email or to the postal address, please advise if you would like it to remain confidential.

  • Key points of the proposed Bill

    The new, proposed Bill would put an emphasis on early intervention and prevention to promote the health, development and wellbeing of children and young people, their families and communities across South Australia.

    To achieve this outcome, the proposed Bill will need to:

    • define key terms such as early intervention, prevention, rights, development, and wellbeing
    • contain objects that identify what the legislation could achieve, and principles that support how we will achieve it
    • recognise the importance of strengthening families and communities in the care, nurture and development of children and young people
    • promote the importance of early intervention and prevention services to support the development and wellbeing of South Australian children, young people and their families
    • emphasise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people and their families and communities, and recognise the serious and widespread barriers they face in relation to development and wellbeing
    • highlight opportunities for the government and non-government sectors to work together to improve the health and wellbeing of all South Australians
    • outline the responsibilities of the minister to support the development and wellbeing of children and young people
    • provide some practical mechanisms to support the minister in this work, including:
      • a Whole of State Strategy for Children, Young People and their Families
      • the engagement of the Child Development Council
      • opportunities for consultation with communities, and children and young people.

    The Department for Education and Child Development has begun to develop the fundamental components of a new Bill, and we want your feedback. To learn more, view the:

    Provide feedback by joining the conversation.