Berry Street Web Docs Berry Street Strategic Directions 2027 | Page 4

What lies ahead? Looking to our 150th year in 2027, we will continue to play a leadership role and contribute to: Reshaping systems for the care and protection of children to: • Prevent more children from being abused and neglected • Reduce the incidence and impact of abuse and family violence, particularly on children and women • Ensure that those children who are harmed by violence and neglect get the help they need to lead productive adult lives and that all OOHC services incorporate a therapeutic approach • Ensure siblings who are removed from their parents stay together • Ensure that young people who leave care get the support they need until they turn 25 • Reduce the over representation of Aboriginal children in child protection and OOHC Reshaping social and economic policies and services to: • Support families and communities to raise children well • Close the gap in life opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children • Increase investm ent in the early years and remodel early years, education and health services so that vulnerable children benefit equally • Eliminate entrenched pockets of poverty, inequality and disadvantage that put the wellbeing of children at risk even before they are born Success will require • Strong partnerships with government, departments, business, schools, other community service organisations and philanthropic foundations • Increased investment and new service models to reduce the unacceptable gap between what we know is needed for children and young people and the outcomes being achieved • Increased capacity to test new approaches, undertake research and evaluation, and extend the impact of the Berry Street Childhood Institute • Living by our five core Values and understanding that relationships are core in everything we do • The capacity to form a bridge between our service delivery experience and knowledge and our public policy and advocacy • Growth in the independent funds we will need to meet our ambitious goals • The broad support of the community in understanding that a good childhood is the foundation of a healthy society Berry Street Central Office 1 Salisbury St Richmond VIC 3121 T 1800 237 7978 E [email protected] www.berrystreet.org.au