The Office of the Children's Guardian's Family is Culture review responds to the independent review into out-of-home care in NSW in relation to Aboriginal children.
Family is Culture Review
The Family is Culture Review discussed below was published 8 April 2022.
In 2019, Professor Megan Davis undertook an independent review into out-of-home care in NSW in relation to Aboriginal children. We welcome the findings of Professor Davis in the Family is Culture Independent Review into Aboriginal Out-of-Home Care in NSW.
The Davis review highlighted that the NSW child protection system is overly complex and difficult to navigate for Aboriginal children and families. The review emphasised a lack of cultural competency and trauma informed approaches, and deficiencies in leadership, accountability, transparency, and oversight. The review also reported an urgent need to ensure that Aboriginal people have a seat at the table for decision making that impacts on their own children, families, and communities.
In response to the Review, in 2021 we established the Family is Culture team within the Office of the Children's Guardian. Part of their program of work included a detailed report, evaluating the government’s progress in relation to key reforms in child protection and out-of-home care.
The Family is Culture team consulted with a range of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, government agencies, non-government agencies and independent Aboriginal community groups to inform this report.
The report included constructive recommendations to monitor the government’s response to the Family is Culture Review, including setting priorities that will be monitored and reviewed into the future.
