A new Child and Family Reform Ministerial Advisory Council has been formed to help guide reform of child protection systems and support services for children, young people and families.
To improve these vital systems, Minister for Families and Community Services Rachel Stephen-Smith today welcomed members of the new Council to its first meeting.
“The role of the Council is to provide meaningful guidance on some of the most important and complex services delivered and funded by the ACT Government.
“Through Next Steps for Our Kids 2022-2030, the ACT strategy for strengthening families and keeping children and young people safe, we are embarking on an ambitious reform agenda in how children and their families are supported.
“The expertise of our community sector partners, policy experts, advocates and people with lived experience are crucial to this work. I particularly want to thank the young people, parents and carers who have joined the Council to ensure reform is informed by their real world experience.”
The Council brings diverse perspectives together to provide strategic advice on delivering an integrated service system that better supports children, young people and families in the ACT. It will advise the Minister on reforming the child and family system in the ACT and will have specific oversight of the soon to be released Next Steps Action Plan.
The members of the Council are:
- Amanda Tobler (Chair)
- Shannon Pickles (Deputy Chair)
- Dr Justin Barker
- Mayme Clarke
- Dea Delaney-Thiele
- Dr Vik Fraser
- Tracey Hall
- Taylor Licciardello
- Prof Morag McArthur
- Dr Robyn Miller
- Zakia Patel
- Jennifer Rowsell
- Dr Joe Tucci
- Selina Walker
- Valerie Wandin-Gillies
- LewChing Yip
Serving as ex officio members are:
- Public Advocate and Children and Young People Commissioner – Jodie Griffiths-Cook
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Advocate – Barbara Causon
Quotes attributable to Amanda Tobler, Chair of the Child and Family Reform Ministerial Advisory Council:
“I am honoured and excited to be appointed the council’s first Chair and I look forward to working with the amazing council members and Minister Stephen-Smith.
“I am excited that the council will provide strategic oversight mechanisms for child and family services reform in the ACT. The council will guide and champion strategic planning, to achieve continuous improvement and outcomes in the lives of children, young people and families.
“The council consists of 16 amazing Canberrans who come with different areas of expertise and backgrounds and include first nations people and people with lived experience. This depth in knowledge and experience will help guide and shape the advice we provide.”
