Today’s announcement of the Family Preservation tender outcomes marks a pivotal moment for the NSW child and family services sector.

ACWA, alongside fellow peaks Fams and AbSec, has written to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice to formally raise concerns about significant unaddressed risks emerging through the recommissioning process.

While we support the intent of the reforms, the joint letter highlights a critical issue: the risk of service gaps as existing programs wind down and new services are established. At a time when the child protection system is already under considerable strain, reduced capacity and limited placement availability may result in some children and families not receiving the support they need.

The letter also raises concerns about current mitigation approaches, including the early exit of families from services and the limited capacity of alternative programs to respond to increasing demand and complexity.

Importantly, it notes that current funding levels do not represent a genuine increase compared to the previous funding period and are unlikely to meet the growing level of need across the system.

Throughout this process, the commitment of child and family service organisations to children’s safety, workforce wellbeing and respectful collaboration has remained strong. ACWA acknowledges the leadership demonstrated across the sector during a period of significant change.

ACWA remains committed to working constructively with government and continuing to advocate for evidence based, relationship centred practice that supports children, families and communities to thrive.