12 September 2025
The 2026 election is a critical time for South Australia children and families – especially the one in three South Australian children reported to child protection by age 10.
In the lead up to the election, the Australian Centre for Child Protection is calling on all political parties to make policy commitments towards achieving a transformed approach to child protection. Our outdated child protection system has its foundations still set on a 1960s understanding of the problem.
We need new foundations set on contemporary knowledge and data that tells us:
Child abuse and neglect is very common – 1 in 4 Australians are estimated to experience 3-5 types of childhood abuse or neglect, and more than 40% of children will be exposed to intimate partner violence between parents.i
We don’t need legal powers to keep most children safe – Many parents whose children experience exposure to violence, abuse or neglect are struggling. They won’t deny they have problems and are willing and able to engage with help to keep their children safe. Department of Human Services data shows family support is effective in helping struggling families in which violence, abuse and neglect has occurred and helps prevent child removals.ii
However, we are using the child abuse helpline as the ‘front door’ to support – In SA it’s almost impossible to access family support without a report to and referral from the Department for Child Protection. This can make children less safe, because parents are afraid that asking for help will mean a report to child protection.iii
We cannot successfully combat child abuse if we see the Department for Child Protection as the only Department responsible – Preventing and responding to abuse and neglect is a whole of government responsibility. Children should not be removed from loving parents due to lack of housing or access to mental health support. Children should not be released from state care into homelessness. Housing, mental health, family support and others are all critical in supporting South Australians to prevent and heal from violence, abuse and neglect.
There isn’t enough of the right help for parents – Under investment is leading to chronic unmet need. Less than 10% of South Australia’s investment in support, protection and out of home care is invested in family support – the third lowest proportionate investment in Australia.iv Two thirds of SA families (64%) referred to the Child and Family Support System are unable to be offered a service, because of there are not enough services.v
Children in state care deserve the best care the state can provide – When children are removed by the state, the community expect and children deserve to be safe, to have their needs met and to be supported to realise their full potential. Children in care should not have unmet health needs because they cannot access a health service. A good parent would never transition their child from home to homelessness on their 18th birthday. The whole of the state, not only the Department for Child Protection, are responsible for caring for children in care and supporting young care leavers.
A better response to struggling families is a better response for South Australia – Providing a more helping response to struggling families is the ethical and fair thing to do. It is also cost-effective. South Australia spends more than $686 million on out of home care alone.vi Family Support services are far less costly than out of home care. With government data showing 95.4% of children in families referred and engaged in family support did not enter care.vii Supporting families pays for itself.
A call for action
In the lead up to the election, the Australian Centre for Child Protection is calling on all political parties to make the following commitments to better position South Australia to respond effectively to the epidemic of child abuse and neglect:
Implement recommendations 48 and 101 of the SA Domestic and Family Violence Royal Commission, to invest in more family support and improve access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health services so that families can get the help they need to stop child abuse and neglect, and children who have experienced trauma from violence, abuse and neglect have the chance to heal.
Introduce new KPIs for all heads of government agencies to demonstrate how they are working to keep children out of care. Government agencies also need to commit to interagency protocols that map out how government departments are expected to work together to help key populations with diverse and intensive needs, including babies reported to child protection in utero and young people at risk.
Create pathways to help that don’t require a report to Child Abuse Helpline – the implementation of the threshold of significant harm in the new Children and Young People (Safety and Support) Bill 2025 legislation is an opportunity to enable direct referral into family support services and change reporting practice so families are able to access help without a report to the child abuse helpline. We call for commitment to trial these new initiatives.
Aboriginal led services are needed for Aboriginal families – Aboriginal communities need Aboriginal led and designed services with evidence showing these services are delivering results for children and families. We call for government to commit to the repeated calls from Aboriginal community leaders for transition of authority and investment in Aboriginal designed and led responses for Aboriginal children and families, including proportionate funding for Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations.
Take a whole of state approach to meeting the needs of children in care – commit to a whole of state responsibility for meeting the needs of children in care and bring South Australia in line with other states who have recognised every child deserves to be supported into adulthood and committed to extending out of home care to age 21.
Our state’s children are our state’s future. Each and every child deserves to grow up safe, loved and free from harm. It’s a fundamental election commitment we are seeking from all political parties.
i Prevalence of maltreatment in young people aged 16-24 years. Australian Child Maltreatment Study,
https://www.acms.au/resources/prevalence-of-maltreatment-in-young-people-aged-16-24-years/
ii Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Royal Commission Final Report, p. 304-5
iii Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Royal Commission Final Report, 2025 p.304-5
iv Family Matters, 2024, SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, p.47
v Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Royal Commission Final Report, p. 304-5
vi Report on Government Services, Section 16, Child Protection, Table 16A.8
vii Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Royal Commission Final Report, p. 304-5
