Child and Family Focus SA (CAFFSA) amplifies the voices of children, young people, and families involved in the family support and child protection sectors. We support and represent the not-for-profit organisations dedicated to protecting and nurturing children, young people, families and caregivers in our community.
Our Mission
As trusted advisors, we unite the sector to promote excellence in service provision and advocate for its sustainability.
By amplifying the voices of children, families, and professionals, we support the government in making informed, innovative, and strategic decisions based on lived experience and sector expertise.
We collaborate, advocate, and empower agencies to deliver exceptional care and early intervention, ensuring coordinated efforts that help every child and family thrive.
Our Purpose
We advocate for a sustainable sector, well resourced to champion the rights
and needs of children, young people, and families who are connected with the family support or child protection system. We are committed to ensuring all children are nurtured with care and respect, connected to their culture, and given the opportunity to thrive.
News and Events
Recent Events
CAFFSA's position on the CYPSS Bill 2024
CAFFSA is focused on supporting the implementation of the CYPSS Bill 2024 to achieve the goals of the sector. Read the official response here.
The Refreshed Statement of Commitment
CAFFSA was pleased to sign the refreshed Statement of Commitment to foster and kinship carers. This document outlines the principles and expectations guiding support and engagement with carers.
Statement of Commitment
Signing the Statement of Commitment
The Future of Foster Care in South Australia
The Future of Foster Care event brought together international speakers to discuss the trajectory of foster care applicants in South Australia. As the numbers of children being removed continue to rise, foster placements are decreasing and are projected to continue decreasing.
Click for access to recordings of the full event.
Protecting kids, protecting culture: How we can improve our responses to Aboriginal infants, children, and young people
On 12 June 2024, CAFFSA hosted an event focused on enhancing allyship to better support Aboriginal families, chaired by Dan Mitchell, Chief Executive, Aboriginal Family Support Services and CAFFSA Board Member. Guest speakers included Shona Reid, Guardian for Children and Young People, and April Lawrie, Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People.
The session emphasized the importance of listening to the voices of Aboriginal children and young people and making active efforts to address the increasing number of Aboriginal children coming into care and the growing concerns for those already in care.
CAFFSA’s commitment to enhancing allyship with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations recognises the need to embedd Aboriginal knowledge and understanding into planning, practice, and evaluation.
CAFFSA Guest Presentation on the Australian Child Maltreatment Study and Sector Morning Tea
Adelaide, September 18, 2023 – Child and Family Focus SA (CAFFSA) hosted a pivotal event focussing on the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. This gathering brought together a panel of leaders to delve into the disconcerting findings of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS), emphasising the urgent need for comprehensive action against child maltreatment in Australia.
The event opened with a panel of speakers led by CAFFSA’s Chair, Nancy Penna, and featuring the SA Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, April Lawrie; the SA Commissioner for Children and Young People, Helen Connolly; the Chief Executive of the SA Department of Human Services, Sandy Pitcher; and the Chief Executive of the SA Department for Child Protection, Jackie Bray Prof. Daryl Higgins, one of the ACMS’s lead researchers, then presented the profound revelations from the study.
The ACMS, www.acms.au, illuminates the troubling prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia. Startling statistics reveal that a significant portion of Australians experience one or more forms of abuse by the time they reach the age of 18. Risk factors such as parental separation, family mental illness, substance abuse issues, and economic hardship have been found to double the risk of multitype maltreatment. Furthermore, experiencing multiple types of child abuse and neglect has been closely linked to higher rates of mental health disorders and risky behaviours, including cannabis dependence, self-harm, and suicide attempts.
While these findings are distressing, they also present a unique opportunity for positive change. Child maltreatment is preventable, and it is imperative for stakeholders in research, practice, and policy to unite and make a substantial impact. The ACMS data will serve as a critical guide for investments in evidence-based prevention and response initiatives, enabling strategic action to combat this pressing issue.
Child and Family Focus SA now joins a coalition of concerned community leaders, research organisations, and stakeholders in a concerted call to action, urging the Prime Minister to convene a National Summit to Prevent Child Maltreatment. The objective is to develop a comprehensive national child maltreatment prevention strategy and action plan, underlining the urgency and gravity of this issue.
The event has illuminated a clear path forward to address child maltreatment in Australia. It serves as a compelling call to action for all Australians to acknowledge the gravity of this issue and collaborate to safeguard the well-being of the nation’s children and young people.
CAFFSA’s Submission to the Inquiry into the application of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle in the removal and placement of Aboriginal children in South Australia
CAFFSA's Submission to the Review of the Residential Tenancies Act
CAFFSA's Submission to the 2022 Foster and Kinship Care Inquiry
CAFFSA's Submission to the 2022 Review of the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017
CAFFSA Forum May 2022
CAFFSA’s Forum “Improving Family Wellbeing and Child Protection: What are our priorities for the next four years in SA?” was held on 6 May 2022. Sixty-eight participants attended from 28 organisations with a series of interactive panel discussions. There were also five video presentations recorded especially for the forum.
See the summary report here: CAFFSA May 2022 Forum Report
Child and Family Focus SA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work, the Kaurna and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded and this was and always will be Aboriginal land.
We appreciate and celebrate diversity in all its forms. We believe diversity of all kinds makes our teams, services, organisations and communities stronger and more effective.