Throughout 2025, we have seen shocking revelations about systemic problems in the childcare system that failed to protect the safety of children. It was devastating to learn that the regulatory failings in this system led to adults being protected rather than the children in their care.
This is not intentional, but instead an outcome of the fact that child safety and wellbeing is not a national priority, leaving critical evidence-based recommendations for child safety reform sitting on shelves for decades.
Following widespread community outrage, government leaders across our federation have thankfully committed to fast-tracking some of these long-overdue reforms to improve safety in our childcare sector. However, the childcare sector is not the only place where you will find vulnerable children.
On 60 Minutes last night, we heard how children growing up in homes where there is violence are deeply traumatised and are frequently ignored or turned away by the services that should be helping them. This is because our justice and domestic violence support systems are primarily focused on adult victims. When they become involved with these systems, children and young people are typically sidelined and are unable to get the help they need for their unique needs for healing and recovery from trauma.
