$900 million investment to support families in crisis and keep children safe from harm

21 May 2025

The Minns Labor Government is delivering a $900 million investment to better support vulnerable families, keep children safe, and drive long-overdue reform of the child protection system.

Over five years, funding for the Family Preservation program will deliver more effective support to help families in crisis, and direct resources to where they’re needed most.

A record 40 per cent of this investment—almost $350 million—will go directly to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), who are best-placed to support Aboriginal children and families to stay safely together.

Aboriginal children continue to be significantly overrepresented in the foster care system. By backing Aboriginal-led services, the Minns Labor Government is turning its Closing the Gap commitments into action – ensuring resources go to where there is the greatest need. These organisations are often best placed to provide cultural connection and support for Aboriginal children, families, and communities.

Family Preservation services across NSW offer practical support to over 4,000 at-risk families each year, focusing on:

• Preventing children from entering foster care
• Improving family functioning by creating safe and stable home environments
• Building parenting skills and confidence
• Supporting healthy child development

Developed in partnership with AbSec and ACCOs, the reforms ensure Aboriginal organisations take a leading role in designing and delivering services by and for their communities.

This funding is part of the Minns Labor Government’s broader reform agenda to build a safer, more accountable child protection system. Since coming to government, we have:

• Ended unsafe and unaccredited emergency accommodation, including hotels and motels, for vulnerable children
• Reduced the use of High-Cost Emergency Accommodation (HCEAs) by 35 per cent since November 2023
• Stood up Waratah Care Cottages to support children and sibling groups stuck in HCEAs
• Delivered the largest caseworker pay increases in more than a decade
• Redeployed our best and brightest caseworker specialists to the frontline, already supporting 300 additional vulnerable children
• Released a system review and comprehensive reform roadmap

To support these changes, the Minns Labor Government will introduce five-year contracts from 2026—providing stability for service providers while ensuring taxpayer money is being used effectively and efficiently, and always for the benefit of the community.

Minister for Families and Communities, Kate Washington said:

“This $900 million program is a clear demonstration that the Minns Labor Government is investing in community support for vulnerable families.

“Family Preservation services help address safety concerns and build parenting capability and confidence, so more children can avoid out-of-home care and stay safely at home.

“Far too many Aboriginal children are growing up in the foster care system. We all know that must change.  Aboriginal-led, designed and delivered programs are going to help drive that desperately needed change.

“Investing in families and safety for children is an investment in our state’s future.”

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, David Harris said:

“This is the largest investment ever directed to Aboriginal-led family preservation services in NSW—and it’s a vital step in keeping Aboriginal children safe, connected to culture, and with family.

“For too long, Aboriginal communities haven’t had a real say in the decisions that affect their children—this funding changes that, by backing solutions designed and delivered by ACCOs.

“We’re turning our Closing the Gap commitments into action, with long-term support for Aboriginal organisations to lead the way in keeping kids safe and families strong.”

CEO of AbSec – NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation, John Leha said:

“AbSec welcomes the NSW Government’s commitment to reforming Family Preservation and acknowledges the vital partnership with Aboriginal communities that has shaped the Aboriginal Family Preservation framework.

“This approach is more than a policy shift—it is an act of justice. It restores our communities’ right to care for our children and young people in ways that reflect who we are, where we come from, and what we need to thrive.

“We look forward to walking alongside our sector partners to bring this framework to life—because when Aboriginal communities lead, our children and young people are safer, our families are stronger, and our futures are brighter.”