What we aim to achieve

Our Vision of Success

Children and young people living in out-of-home care feel valued and safe in a responsive and well-resourced service system whose foundation is best practice evidence and the deep experience of service providers.

Our Policy Priorities

The Collective focuses on specific priorities in advocating for systems reform and increasing agency capability and develops its work plan within this framework. Wherever possible, the Collective ensures its work is in alignment with peak bodies and departments in order to maximise its cooperative contribution.

The Collective’s current priorities are summarised below.

Working in alliance with children and young people with lived experience of care

Identifying effective ways to listen to children and young people and give them a voice in decision making - both within agencies and in the work done by the Collective.

Improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in out-of-home care

All children and young people in out-of-home care should have access to appropriate and sufficient mental health support and

healing – as a right.

Addressing the carer crisis in Australia

All carers in Australia are supported to provide safe, supportive and loving home and community environments in which children and young people – and they themselves - can thrive.

Our Strategic Approach

The means by which the Collective will achieve its purpose are based in collaboration and contribution. In our work we:

Use academic and expert practitioner evidence and experience to disrupt rigid service systems that are not working and contribute to the building of an out-of-home care system that provides a well-resourced and responsive environment in which children and young people can thrive.
Listen to and respect the views of children and young people with lived experience of the out-of-home care system.
Partner with others to improve outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care so that they grow up healthy, safe, strong and self-determining.
Advocate to ensure the rights of all children and young people living in care are upheld.

The Collective uses its website, social media and mainstream media to share evidence and experience and its implications for policy and practice.