Child and Family Reform Ministerial Advisory Council - Meeting Minutes

20 March 2024

The Child and Family Reform Ministerial Advisory Council met on 20 March 2024 for their second meeting of the year.

The Council acknowledged the recent passing of member Dr Joe Tucci and reflected on his significant contributions and achievements within the child welfare sector. The Council welcomed Ms Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young Peoples Commissioner.

Council provided an acknowledgement of country.

An overview of the history and recommendations of the Our Booris, Our Way Implementation Oversight report was provided to the Council. The Council acknowledged their role in ensuring the outstanding recommendations from the report are implemented as well as the role of education and the importance of data sovereignty.

The Council then heard an overview of the Therapeutic Support Panel. It commented on the need for partner organisations to provide culturally safe services and supports including engagement with Community Elders. The Council then suggested that they could be part of a first response working with young people. The Council also advised of the importance for the Panel to be well engaged with education.

The Council was given a presentation regarding the draft probity charter. Members provided feedback and asked for a summary charter in easy English to be developed. The Council also agreed to a dedicated communications plan being developed for the Council.

Minister Stephen-Smith joined towards the end of the meeting. The Minister also acknowledged the passing of Dr Joe Tucci and his impact within the ACT and the nation more widely. Minister Stephen-Smith provided updates to the Council regarding the Children and Young People Amendment Bill 2024 (no. 2) and noted there will be a third stage to this program of work. Minister Stephen-Smith also congratulated the recent appointments to the Council.

Finally the Council agreed on the following key messages from the meeting:

• that Education is an essential contributor to reform
• to look at ways to engage Education in the work of the Council
• the importance of Our Booris, Our Way
• the importance of Aboriginal voice in the way reform is progressed
• the achievement of raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility
• the implementation of the Therapeutic Support Panel
• the connection between the Our Booris, Our Way Implementation Oversight Committee, the new Therapeutic Support Panel and the Ministerial Advisory Council
• the vital importance of data and how we evaluate the current reforms
• the current child and family reform is being progressed in a systematic and collaborative way.

Date: 27 September 2023
Time: 10 am to 1 pm
Venue: 220 London Circuit, Executive Boardroom, Canberra

Attendees

Members: Amanda Tobler (chair), Shannon Pickles (deputy chair), Robyn Miller (virtual), Joe Tucci, LewChing Yip, Selina Walker, Tracey Hall (virtual), Valerie Wandin-Gillies, Mayme Clarke, Jen Rowsell, Taylor Licciardello, Morag McArthur, Dea Delaney-Thiele, Vik Fraser.

Secretariat: Andrew Stead.

Observance: Minister Stephen-Smith, Martin Elfie (advisor), Jonathon Goodwin (advisor), Jo Wood (Deputy Director-General, CSD), Dot Foley (Create foundation support person), Dominique McKinnon (CSD, Aboriginal Co-Design network support person).

Guest speakers: Anne Maree Sabellico, Jessica Adams and Vasiliki Bogiatzis.

Apologies: Justin Barker, Jodie Griffiths-Cook, Zakia Patel and Barbara Causon.

Item 1. Welcome, housekeeping and acknowledgement of country

• Chair welcomed members to the first meeting of the council.
• Welcome to country provided by Selina Walker.
• Welcomes provided to Min Stephen-Smith and Deputy Director-General, Jo Wood.
• Opening remarks provided by Minister Stephen-Smith to the Council acknowledging their commitment and the commitment of the government to reform and transparency. Minister Stephen-Smith made particular note of the members of the council with lived and living experience of the system and thanked them for their bravery to be involved.

Item 2. Previous minutes

Nil previous minutes to note.

Item 3. Introductions and apologies

• Apologies were provided for Justin Barker, Barb Causon, Jodie Griffiths-Cook and Zakia Patel.
• Introductions provided by all members.
• Chair provided an overview of conflicts of interests.
• Jo Tucci and Dea Delaney Theile and Tracey Hall noted conflicts of interest in relation to the current phase 2 sourcing and procurement under Next Steps for our kids.
• Agreement that members with conflicts were able to continue in participation for all aspects of the meeting.

Item 4. Review of terms of reference

• Chair led discussion on terms of reference.
• Members noted that TOR’s are big. Noted that not all members are expected to be involved in each part of the TOR’s.
• It was confirmed that feedback can be provided out of session to the secretariat within the next week.
• Council members asked for clarity on what sector advocacy and engagement actually means in the context of the TOR’s.
• Chair confirmed using working groups to focus on individual groups including advocacy and engagement.
• Minister Stephen-Smith confirmed there will be areas where conversations of the council will need to be confidential but overall members will be able to take information and share it with networks but also bring information from their network and share it with the group.
• Members suggested the need for something in TOR’s to indicate the disadvantage of first nations people, more specific reference required.
• Agreed CYPS to devise some words and share with council for approval.
• Members noted there is nothing in TOR’s for how young people with lived experience can be supported.
• Members agreed the TOR’s need to include information of how OBOW committee will be involved and communicated to.
• Members agreed that TOR’s do not need to be finalised today.
• Members requested that the TOR document be provided in word to allow for greater accessibility.
• Minister agreed that working groups sitting under the council to also be remunerated.

Action:

• Members of council to receive the first 4 year action plan this week.
• Agreement to not finalise document today, further feedback to be provided out of session within 1 week. Word doc to be sent out.

Item 5. Future meetings

• Members agreed that 6 weekly meetings were suitable initially. Agreement to continue to consider this in future.
• Members agreed to the next meeting being run as a planning meeting. Likely half day or a day.
• Members agreed to a full day, some time in the second week in November. Minister will not attend this meeting.
• Secretariat to send out request for availability for the week of 6 November
• Secretariat to send out a request for availability First meeting of 2024 to be February.

Action:

• Secretariat to send out request for availability for the week of 6 November
• Secretariat to send out a request for availability First meeting of 2024 to be February.

Item 6. Overview of Next Steps and CYF reform

• Ms Sabellico provided a presentation regarding the Next Steps Strategy and current internal Children, Youth and Families Division reform.
• The Council asked if further funding was being sought.
• Ms Sabellico confirmed that through reprioritisation of resources CYPS believe services can be managed within the current funding envelope.

Action:

• Secretariat to provide slides with meeting minutes

Item 7. Modernising the Children and Young People Act

• Ms Vasiliki Bogiatzis and Ms Jessica Adams provided an update regarding the upcoming Children and Young People Act reform Bill 2.
• The Council suggested a greater emphasis needed to be placed on educational outcomes for young people engaged in the out of home care system.
• The Council suggested that although streamlining definitions such as ‘Best Interests’ could be beneficial the unintended consequences could be a lack of clarity. Caution should be applied to this approach.
• The Council suggested that principle’s for the ACT should include mention of ‘Developmentally safe’ within the ‘Stability and Permanency’ principle.

Action:

• Secretariat to provide slides with meeting minutes

Item 8. Other business

Next meeting will be a Planning Day to be held in early November.

Item 9. Meeting closed

Chair closed the meeting at 1 pm.