Safety in Care Review: For the Office of the Children’s Guardian

In 2022, the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) commissioned the University of Sydney’s Research Centre for Children and Families to undertake a rapid evidence review and desk-based document review, to inform a safety in care project undertaken at the request of the then Minister for Families and Communities. The OCG has used the report prepared by the University of Sydney to inform the development of the Code of Practice for Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) and adoption service providers, which commenced on 1 October 2025. The report highlights service system issues relevant to improving safety for children in care. The OCG has drawn on this report in developing resources to support the new Code of Practice and is publishing the report to benefit the broader child protection and OOHC sector to assist with ongoing reform work in the sector.