This important process brought together representatives from across communities and sectors with the common goal of creating a system that supports families and parents to keep children safe at home, and connected to their communities and culture.

Participants recently gathered to mark the conclusion of the initial co-design and discuss the findings so far. The event was opened by the Minister for Human Services, Michelle Lensink, and Minister for Child Protection, Rachel Sanderson, who emphasised the truly whole-of-sector effort that has led to this point. Other speakers discussed the common themes that emerged from the consultation, including:

• empowering and working with Aboriginal cultural authorities in designing services for Aboriginal families, and funding Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
• embedding trauma-responsive practice into services, and acknowledging parents’ own trauma histories
• providing more connected support that recognises the multiple and complex issues facing families
• tailoring solutions for regional and remote areas
• improving monitoring and evaluation, and listening to the voices of service users.

Speakers also emphasised that while the initial co-design process had finished, further co-design and consultation would continue on specific system elements.

One of the most poignant moments from the event was a panel of people with lived experience of the child protection system. Their insightful contributions highlighted the very real impact that services have on people’s lives, both good and bad, and the changes that they had seen in the system so far. When discussing what makes a good social worker or support worker, the panellists listed the following qualities:

• listening to your clients
• believing what you are being told
• telling someone when they’ve done a good job or made improvements
• creating an environment where your client can ask for help without fear that it will trigger an intervention.

More information about the co-design process, learnings and next steps is available on the Department of Human Services website.