NSW Child Protection Guide for Families

Who is this guide for?

This guide is for families and communities working with DCJ in NSW. The information was written with the help of parents with experience of the child protection system. These parents told us it was important for DCJ to give information to families about:

• what to expect when DCJ works with families
• what decisions DCJ can make about children
• how families and DCJ can work together.

This guide has general advice only, and every child and every family is different. It is intended as a guide and does not replace advice from caseworkers.

Acknowledgements

The DCJ acknowledges the injustice inflicted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through the forced removal of children from their families, known as the Stolen Generations.

Government agencies played a major role in these forced and unjust separations. The trauma has been passed on through generations and the effects are felt today. DCJ gave a formal apology to the Aboriginal people of NSW. As the Department responsible for keeping children safe in NSW, DCJ commits to not repeating past mistakes.

DCJ acknowledges that the Department does not always get it right. DCJ is working hard to improve the way it works with families and knows the best way to keep a child safe is to work together with their family and community. If you or your family have worked with DCJ before, you may be worried or scared about working with them again. DCJ will do its best to partner with you to keep your child safe.

DCJ thanks the generosity and wisdom of parents with experience of our system, including those from Family Inclusion Strategies in the Hunter, who provided feedback as this information was written.