Tuesday, 2 December 2025

 Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:16): I rise to update the house on significant reform the Allan Labor government is introducing in the other place today to improve the lives of vulnerable children, young people and their families. Modelled off the successful approach in Scotland of their corporate parents scheme, today we are introducing in the other place a bill to establish the Supporting Stable and Strong Families scheme in Victoria. It recognises that responsibility for at-risk children and families is a collective responsibility and builds upon the work we have already done across government to date. Whether it be ensuring parents who are pursuing family reunification are now recognised as a priority cohort under the Victorian housing register – and I pay credit to Minister Shing for this change – or the pathway to good health program in the health portfolio to the learning initiative in education through to free public transport for kids, we have achieved much, but we recognise that there is much more to do.

The Supporting Stable and Strong Families scheme will establish whole-of-government shared responsibilities to drive improved outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and families for a holistic, integrated approach to support. All ministers will table a Supporting Stable and Strong Families plan for each of their portfolios in Parliament every two years, which will ensure that services are better targeted to the needs of at-risk children and families, delivering better outcomes, and they will report on progress at the conclusion of each plan. New functions for the Children’s Services Coordination Board will support the scheme, providing advice on how to drive actions and priorities across government. The initial focus of the scheme will be specifically children for whom the Secretary of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing has parental responsibility, children subject to a family reunification or family preservation order and their families, and young people under the age of 25 who have left statutory care. Alongside acquitting recommendation 25 of the Yoorrook for Justice report, these reforms together deliver systemic change to the child protection system in Victoria, and it is this side of the house who will get them done.