About
This consultation has concluded
Provide your feedback on new child protection legislation in South Australia, to replace the Children’s Protection Act 1993.
What is being decided?
The Children and Young People (Safety) Bill 2016 (PDF 375KB) promotes permanence and stability for children and young people who have been removed from their parents or guardians. It encourages decisions and actions to be made in a timely manner and, in the case of young children, as early as possible.
The Bill also contains a number of provisions designed to ensure that the child’s voice isContinue reading
About
This consultation has concluded
Provide your feedback on new child protection legislation in South Australia, to replace the Children’s Protection Act 1993.
What is being decided?
The Children and Young People (Safety) Bill 2016 (PDF 375KB) promotes permanence and stability for children and young people who have been removed from their parents or guardians. It encourages decisions and actions to be made in a timely manner and, in the case of young children, as early as possible.
The Bill also contains a number of provisions designed to ensure that the child’s voice is heard. Under the Bill, children and young people must participate in decision-making, and must have a reasonable opportunity to put their views to the court.
A major change proposed by the Bill is that the guardianship function, currently undertaken by the Minister for Education and Child Development under the Children’s Protection Act 1993, will instead be undertaken by the Chief Executive of the Department for Child Protection. This will better align South Australia with other jurisdictions with respect to guardianship of children in care.
This Bill is part of the State Government’s ongoing commitment to child protection reform, where the welfare of the child comes first.
Find out more:
How can your input influence the decision?
Your feedback will be taken into consideration in the drafting of the final Bill, which will be publicly available when introduced to Parliament in 2017.
Provide your feedback:
Ms Joanne Howski
Legislative Services
Attorney General’s Department
GPO Box 464
Adelaide SA 5001
Feedback will be accepted until 5pm Friday 27 January 2017.
Contact us
Background
The Child Protection Systems Royal Commission, which delivered its report in August 2016, investigated the adequacy of the child protection system in South Australia. A full and detailed government response to the Royal Commission’s 260 recommendations can now be found on the Department for Child Protection’s website.
The government immediately prioritised a full review of the suite of legislation concerning child protection, to ensure that children are comprehensively protected under the law and to build a foundation for long-term reform. The Children and Young People (Safety) Bill 2016 is part of this review, and will replace the Children’s Protection Act 1993. Other legislative changes include:
- the creation of South Australia’s first Commissioner for Children and Young People
- legislation to strengthen working with children checks
- a Bill to extend the reach of data sharing by enabling the government to work with the Commonwealth, other states and territories, local councils and the non-government sector.
