Overview
According to Department of Communities and Justice data, the number of children and young people reported to be at ‘risk of significant harm’ of abuse and neglect in NSW has been increasing in recent years. The Department of Communities and Justice has primary responsibility to provide support and a safe living environment for children and young people who are not able to live safely in the family home. Non-government agencies are also funded by the NSW Government to provide services to children and young people who require out-of-home-care and support services.
This audit will focus on the timeliness and quality of the child protection services and responses provided by the Department of Communities and Justice and the non-government agencies funded to provide child protection services on behalf of the government.
This audit is being conducted concurrently with another audit on the child protection system: Safeguarding the rights of Aboriginal children and young people in the child protection system.
Estimated tabling period
March 2024
Agencies audited
The main auditee is the Department of Communities and Justice.
For both this audit and the Safeguarding the rights of Aboriginal children in the child protection system performance audit, we have also included in the scope, as auditees, five non-government organisations who are contracted by the Department of Communities and Justice to deliver child protection services.
Share your views
This audit is open to submissions from the child protection service sector and members of the public.
Please note that this audit will not investigate individual cases of children, young people and families. Please do not provide identifying information about individual cases.
To make a submission, click on ‘Contribute to this audit’ on the left-hand side of your screen.