2021 NSW child protection audit identifies system as inefficient, ineffective, and unsustainable.

NSW child protection system slammed as "inefficient, ineffective, and unsustainable," according to a recent audit report. The Department of Communities and Justice has not adopted an early intervention model and operates in a crisis-driven mode. The system's organizational structure and governance arrangements do not enable systemic reform, leading to increasing child protection reports, escalating out-of-home care costs, and limited services or support for at-risk children and families.