Children and Families Tripartite Forum meets in Alice Springs

Federal Assistant Minister for Children and Families Michelle Landry today welcomed the progress made to address child protection and detention issues in the Northern Territory.

Minister Landry attended the fourth meeting of the Child and Family Tripartite Forum today in Alice Springs.

The Tripartite Forum oversees reforms to child protection and youth justice systems as well as a range of related activities for vulnerable children and young people.

“The Federal Government is committed to working closely with the Northern Territory Government, Indigenous leaders and peak bodies to ensure that we can continue to address the issues which have been identified through the Royal Commission, and achieve the best possible outcomes for the Northern Territory’s young people and families,” Minister Landry said.

“The Forum plays a critical role in addressing generational change for families and children in the Northern Territory, and I was encouraged by the proactive discussions towards further addressing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory.” Minister Landry said.

“Collaboration is the key to successfully implementing reform of the youth justice and child protection systems.”

The Tripartite Forum was established in mid-2018 as an advisory body, highlighting the importance of governments and peak organisations working together to support implementation of the reforms resulting from the Royal Commission.

Key outcomes from today’s meeting included:

• setting the priorities for 2019 to support the implementation of important reforms, including the Child and Family Centres, reforms to youth justice systems and the development of the 10 Year Generational Strategy
• consideration of the design and content of a single Act for child safety and wellbeing in the Northern Territory
• discussion of reforms to the Northern Territory Police Youth and Families Division.