SHIELD is an Australian Evidence-based Community Action Group formed in December 2023. Independent from any specific interest group, SHIELD’s focus is advocacy for the child. While not limited to, our key focus is children at risk in situations where legal custody is decided. Our key aim is therefore to enhance the processes of response to and care for at-risk children and their families where failures in the Government Support and Out of Home Care systems are of great concern.

From careful analysis it is clear that practice and judgment criteria vary across States and Territories. Too often what is accepted as evidence-based practice is that which fits within entrenched systems rather than genuinely including innovative approaches and knowledge developed through rigorous processes. Meanwhile, the system is very expensive to run, and can place institutionalised children at greater risk than if left with their families. At the core of the SHIELD network of participants are parents and grandparents who have been traumatically affected by inappropriate child seizure, backed by dedicated foster carers, workers in the child-welfare sector, former judges, lawyers, medical practitioners, psychiatrists/psychologists, journalists, social activists along with academics and other experts across relevant fields.

A cursory examination of Australia and similarly operated systems in the United States and United Kingdom’s, care and protection jurisdiction reveals the inherent lack of justice, the abuse of human rights (including the rights of the child as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child). There is denial of fair representation for parents and other close family members, the gross imbalance of power, and collaboration between government departments partially intended to justify action but that obscures negative evidence, such as the Crown Solicitor's Office, the police, public prosecutor, educational facilities, the health sector (to name only a few).

An essential objective of SHIELD is therefore to bring a coherent, informed and empirically supported community voice into the reform of the culture and practices of Out-Of-Home-Care systems. This involves reshaping practices where needed to ensure the best exercise of care and scientifically justified understanding in Government judgement and action. For example, this includes implementing required ‘Reliability Standards’ and broad, independent ‘Expert Overview’ where the definition of expert includes those with lived experience of the systems alongside representatives from relevant professional fields to ensure balance. To ensure transparency, justice and policy relevance, SHIELD’s mandate and actions are based on evidence, supported by directly connected and wide-ranging high-level legal, child-welfare, and research advisers. This will be further supported by internal data and policy research, including long-term prospective trials and outcome data.

SHIELD recognises First Nations people who continue to be subjected to colonial settler values and belief systems. This has had a devastating and long-lasting effect; however, SHIELD will work with First Nations people in a transformative way in order to create the opportunities for intercultural dialogue and understanding, thus, creating an respectful foundation for acknowledging differences.

After just six months from its community based foundation, SHIELD is in the process of becoming a registered legal entity. It is also broadening its base of highly accredited Specialist Advisors to help guide the central well-informed Overview Steering Group. This group will listen to needs, bring together the evidence required for informed action - including in legal review and decision, guide the community organisation's trajectory, and advocate for appropriate system change through building responsive relations with government.

On behalf of Shield the Children with wide ranging community inputs:

Emeritus Professor Stephen Hill, AM, FRSN, FTSE, FWIF, PhD
Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities
University of Wollongong
Wollongong, NSW 2522