Department of Communities and Justice recognised as a leader in disability inclusion

Tuesday, 13 May 2025

The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) has been recognised for championing disability inclusion at the Australian Disability Network’s (ADN) 25th annual Disability Confidence Awards.

DCJ ranked first among 37 state and territory government organisations in the ADN’s Disability Access and Inclusion Index and placed second overall nationally out of 44 public and private sector organisations.

In 2023–24, DCJ exceeded the NSW Government’s disability employment target, with 6.3% of its workforce identifying as people with disability—surpassing the 5.6% target. This means more than 1,600 staff with disability work across DCJ’s nearly 26,000-strong workforce, spanning child protection, youth justice, corrective services, housing, courts, and legal services.

DCJ was also named a Top Performer in two key areas:

• Workplace Adjustments, earning a perfect 100% score for supporting staff with disability; and
• Candidate Experience, recognising the Department’s efforts to remove barriers in recruitment and provide appropriate adjustments.

DCJ’s success has been shaped by direct consultation with people with disability. Their feedback, along with insights from ADN’s Index, has helped improve DCJ’s current four-year Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) and shape the next version for 2025–2029.

The ADN Index benchmarks performance confidentially, offering feedback that helps organisations identify strengths and areas for improvement.

While these results are encouraging, DCJ recognises there is still more to do. DCJ remains committed to building a more inclusive workplace—one that removes barriers, values lived experience, and reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.

Inclusion and accessibility are embedded in DCJ’s core values—service, trust, accountability, integrity and respect. These principles guide how the Department hires, supports, and retains staff.

The Disability Confidence Awards are Australia’s premier event recognising excellence in disability access and inclusion.

Minister for Disability Inclusion, Kate Washington said:

“The NSW Government strives to lead the way on disability inclusion. This recognition is a testament to the work being done by DCJ to ensure people with disability are included and valued, but we still have much more to do.

“I want to thank the Australian Disability Network for continuing to shine a light on organisations that are making real progress towards a more inclusive Australia. These awards matter because inclusion matters — they encourage us all to lift our standards and keep pushing for better.

“We’re determined to become more inclusive across all of our agencies, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it will make us a better Government.”

Secretary of the Department of Communities and Justice, Michael Tidball said:

“DCJ is pleased to be recognised by ADN for its efforts in accessible and inclusive employee experiences, with programs designed to attract and engage candidates with disabilities.

“These achievements highlight DCJ's commitment to creating an inclusive environment for employees, candidates, and customers with disabilities.

“Although there is much to celebrate, there is also significant work ahead, and we look forward to continuing to work with ADN to further improve our industry leading disability inclusion standards.”