Latest Update – April 2025
The Children, Youth and Families (CYF) Preferred Providers are a group of non-government organisations, including Aboriginal and Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs). These organisations support people involved with, or at risk of becoming involved with, the ACT’s child protection system.
Preferred Providers support children, young people, families, and carers by matching them with services that give them the help they need, when they need it, in the way that works for them.
The Preferred Providers panel is a part of our reform to child and family services and is the first of its kind for the ACT.
It is a direct response to the kind of support options our community has asked us for.
Preferred Providers will see people involved with these complex systems better supported to change their lives through improved connections, experiences, and services to meet their needs.
Phase 1 Services
The Phase 1 Services are complete. The procurement for a new provider of specialised therapeutic care services package is complete with a Services Funding Agreement executed in March 2023 with MacKillop Family Services Ltd.
Phase 2 Services
Procurement for Phase 2 Services for the Children, Young People and Families Panel (now Children, Young People and Families Preferred Providers) is now complete with Service Panel Deeds executed in September 2024. This is now in the Delivery Phase with Service Orders being established. Some new providers have commenced, with others expected to come on board in the lead up to January 2026. Information about the CYF Preferred Providers is available at Children, Youth and Families Preferred Providers.
Children, Young People and Families Preferred Providers – Delivery Phase
Providers will work together to help children, young people, families, and carers.
They will deliver therapeutic and culturally safe services in:
- sustaining families (family preservation, restoration, and intensive family support)
- kinship care
- foster care
- after care (extended support for young people transitioning to adulthood)
- alternate care
- supported contact and transport arrangements
- functional family therapy in Youth Justice
For more information contact: CBRStepsUp@act.gov.au
Background
Nationally 8 children in every thousand are in out of home care each year. The rate is higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with 13 children from every thousand Indigenous children in out of home care. Nationally, 94% of children in out of home care are also on a care and protection order.
In Canberra, we have improved the outcomes for many children and families over the last 7 years by reducing the number of children entering out of home cate and increasing the number of children, young people and families receiving family support.
However, significant challenges remain in how our children and youth protection service system works with and for children, young people, families and carers.
We are changing the way we work, the services we provide and the legislation that directs our work as set out in the Next Steps for Our Kids 2022-2030 Strategy
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