ACT Carers Register Update

Overview

The Australian Government is inviting the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government Health and Community Services Directorate (HCSD) to apply for a one-off ad hoc grant to deliver services under the Protecting Australia’s Children – Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031 (Safe and Supported) appropriation from 22 June 2026 to 30 June 2028. The purpose of this grant is to enable the ACT Government HCSD to improve supports for non-parent carers by way of an improved and enhanced carers register for the ACT in line with recommendations 8.17-8.19 and 8.21-8.23 from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. This grant will enable the ACT Government to strengthen the initial carer suitability assessment and ongoing monitoring of carer suitability. The proposed changes will enhance HCSD capability and confidence to ensure the carers engaged are suitable to work with the vulnerable children and young people. It also contributes to the outcomes of Safe and Supported. The Australian Government, state and territory governments, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives and the non-government sector are working together through Safe and Supported towards the shared goal of making significant and sustained progress in reducing the rate of child abuse and neglect and its intergenerational impacts. More information about Safe and Supported is available here: www.dss.gov.au/child-protection.