More support will be available for young people leaving care up to the age of 21, child protection decisions will be open to external review, and charters will be embedded in legislation under changes to the Children and Young People Act 2008 introduced in the Legislative Assembly today.
The Children and Young People Amendment Bill 2024 (No. 2) represents the second tranche of the Government’s multi-stage reform to the Children and Young People Act 2008.
Minister for Children, Youth and Family Services Rachel Stephen-Smith said: “This second set of amendments delivers on commitments we took to the 2020 Election and represents another step forward for children, young people and their families and carers in the ACT.”
“This Bill builds on the first stage of legislative reform last year, as well as significant investments into the child protection and family support systems through successive Budgets.”
The Bill delivers on commitments to:
- amend the Children and Young People Act to establish an external merits review process for child protection decisions through the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal
- extend support for young people who are transitioning from statutory out of home care to the age of 21, and
- enable the Director-General to make charters as notifiable instruments, such as the recently completed Charter for Parents and Families involved with ACT child protection services.
“A lot of people have shared their time, expertise and personal experiences to inform this Bill,” said Minister Stephen-Smith.
“I thank all of those people and can assure them we have heard their feedback that further work is needed to ensure our shared ambition to build a more restorative and responsive child and youth protection system can be given effect through legislation without unintended consequences.
“This work will continue in partnership with children, young people, families, carers, our workforce and non-government partners, oversight agencies and experts.”
