Summary
Victoria Legal Aid is the largest provider of legal services to adults and children in the child protection system across Victoria.
This submission highlights the need for urgent changes to the existing child protection system in Victoria, including: reinstating the Children’s Court ability to make orders in the best interests of children without time-limits on reunification; establishing specialist Children’s Courts state-wide, including Marram Ngala Ganbu; expanding access state-wide to independent non-legal advocacy for families in the child protection system; and meaningfully implement and build accountability measures into the framework to reduce the criminalisation of children in residential care.
Date: 15 December 2022