The CYPSS Act introduces a new legal Statement of Commitment for Parents and Families. This statement is still being developed. Before the new Act begins, work is underway to make sure the statement is meaningful and respectful. This includes:

• working in partnership with families and communities to define our shared goals
• listening to people with lived experience to understand what good support looks like
• setting clear expectations for respectful, fair, and transparent engagement.

When the statement is finalised, it will be published on the DCP website.

The CYPSS Act introduces new ways to support positive relationships and help children and young people stay connected to the people who matter to them. These include:

Best interests of the child

The best interests principle highlights the importance of strengthening, and supporting relationships between children and young people and their parents, family members and other important people in their lives, placing siblings together when they enter care, wherever possible.

If a child or young person is removed from their parents or family—the law also recognises the need for them to:

• know and understand who they are and
• stay connected to their identity and culture, language, religion and values.

Contact with family and siblings:

The CYPSS Act strengthens contact arrangements by:

• recognising the importance of children and young people staying connected to their family and culture.
• requiring decision-makers to give strong consideration to maintaining sibling contact.

The CYPSS Act strengthens the importance of maintaining meaningful connections for children and young people in care. The Act places a greater emphasis on preserving and supporting relationships with parents, family and kin, siblings, and community, as well as connections to Country, culture and identity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

Under the Act, contact is recognised as an important part of a child or young person's wellbeing, identity, sense of belonging and, where appropriate, reunification with their family. Decisions about contact arrangements must be made in line with the Act's guiding principles, including the safety principle, best interests principle, principle of active efforts and principle of effective intervention.

The Act also strengthens the participation of children and young people in decisions that affect them. Contact arrangements should reflect the views and wishes of the child or young person, while ensuring their safety and wellbeing remain central considerations. These changes support greater transparency and accountability in decision-making and uphold the importance of considering and responding to each child's relationships, cultural identity and connections when developing and reviewing contact arrangements.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and families, the new law requires full compliance with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle. This means parents and family members must be supported to take part in decisions, and their views must be heard and considered when decisions are made.

Active efforts and reunification

The principle of active efforts and the standards of active efforts under section 12 include  activities directed towards finiding and contacting family, kin and community.

These requirements are expanded under Part 4, (Additional Provisions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people). This section mandates that active efforts must be made to explore safe and viable reunification with parents.

These protections ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people maintain vital connections to their family, community and culture.

For more details, see the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, families, and communities section.

Under the CYPSS Act case plans must:

• specifically address reunification
• indicate whether reunification is in the best interests of the child or young person
• set out any wishes and preferences of the parents, children and young people, and carers.