NSW Ombudsman report prompts calls for independent child safety oversight

A damning report by the NSW Ombudsman has uncovered significant failings in the state’s Intensive Therapeutic Care (ITC) program, prompting renewed calls for the establishment of an independent Child Safety and Wellbeing Commission.

As reported by the National Indigenous Times (18 December 2025), the Ombudsman’s investigation found widespread systemic issues in the ITC system, designed to support children with complex trauma and high needs, including unstable placements, lack of advocacy, and inadequate access to education, health and cultural supports.

Of the 700 children in the ITC system as at 30 June 2024, 39 per cent were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The report revealed only 13 per cent of children were confirmed to be attending school, and that just 42 per cent of Aboriginal children had a current or developing cultural plan.

AbSec CEO John Leha said the findings demonstrate that “internal oversight is not working,” and urged the NSW Government to establish an independent child safety commission with full investigative powers and cultural authority.

The Ombudsman recommended reforms to address placement instability, access to therapeutic care, education, health and cultural support, and improved monitoring of service quality.

The findings add to growing national concern about the safety and rights of children in care, particularly those from First Nations backgrounds, and highlight the urgent need for systemic reform beyond internal departmental oversight.

Source: National Indigenous Times, Failures in NSW Intensive Therapeutic Care lead to calls for independent child safety commission.

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