Shifting Conversation to Action: South Australia’s Child Protection Legislative Reform

Join us for our Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA) forum co-hosted with our partner the Department of Child Protection.

This year National Child Protection Week (6-12 September) is focusing on driving a stronger national focus on shifting conversations into meaningful action.

This forum will focus on South Australia’s child protection legislative reform and the strategy for the Safety and Support of Children and Young People.

OUR SPEAKERS

Darian Shephard-Bayly, Deputy Chief Executive, Department for Child Protection

Overview of SA’s child protection legislative reform

Darian Shephard-Bayly will provide an overview of South Australia’s legislative reform process. Drawing on his experience as a key leader in the Department for Child Protection, Darian will discuss the review of the current Act, important themes that emerged during consultation, and the shift in South Australia’s child safety laws. 

Darian Shephard-Bayly joined the South Australian Department for Child Protection as Deputy Chief Executive in May 2024. He leads service delivery across the department including intakes, assessments, and protective intervention as well as guardianship, residential care, carer services, practice oversight and policy development. Darian plays a key role in implementing reform, DCP’s strategic priorities, and operational objectives to ensure children and young people in South Australia receive the protection, care, and support they need. A key priority for the department is addressing the over-representation of aboriginal children and young people in Out-of-Home Care through practice and legislative reform.

Throughout his career, he has been recognised for driving meaningful change, fostering collaboration, and delivering outcomes that improve services for vulnerable individuals and communities. His expertise spans strategic leadership, policy development, workforce transformation, and the implementation of large-scale reform agendas. He is committed to building strong partnerships and leading with integrity, compassion, and a focus on continuous improvement. Prior to taking on the role of Deputy Chief Executive at DCP, Darian spent more than a decade leading significant human services initiatives, strategic planning, organisational reform, and service delivery improvements across complex government environments. Darian commenced his career as a residential care worker, with experience across the NGO and public sector, with qualifications in Social Work, public sector management and an Executive MBA.

Tiffany Downing, Lead Project Officer, Legislation Implementation, Department for Child Protection

Introducing the Children and Young People (Safety and Support) Act 2025

The new Children and Young People (Safety and Support) Act 2025 establishes a foundation for transformational and sustainable change across South Australia’s child protection and family support system. Tiffany’s presentation will outline some of the main differences and consider how the new Act will improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, their families, and communities.

Tiffany Downing is a Lead Project Officer with the South Australian Department for Child Protection, where she is part of the team preparing for implementation of the new Children and Young People (Safety and Support) Act 2025.

With more than 20 years' experience in government and over a decade in the not-for-profit sector, Tiffany has led policy, strategy, program development, governance, evaluation and reform initiatives across a range of portfolios. She is committed to continuous improvement and achieving positive outcomes for children, young people, and communities.

Deahna Haltis, Director Strategic Policy, Partnerships and Reform, Department for Child Protection

State Strategy for the Safety and Support of Children and Young People

South Australia’s proposed State Strategy for the Safety and Support of Children and Young People will guide reform across the child protection and family support sector over the next five years. Deahna Haltis’ presentation will share the vision, priorities, and opportunities for collective action that are being explored in developing the Strategy, along with the focus on improving outcomes for families, children and young people with earlier, coordinated efforts.

Deahna is an experienced South Australian public sector executive with more than 20 years’ experience spanning strategic policy, reform, legal and advisory roles.

She is currently Director, Strategic Policy, Partnerships and Reform at the South Australian Department for Child Protection, where she leads a diverse portfolio of strategic reform, policy, planning and partnerships focused on improving outcomes for children, young people and families.

Previously, Deahna was a Director in the Premier’s Delivery Unit within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, working across government on complex policy priorities and reforms. A lawyer by training, her career has included senior policy and advisory roles across the South Australian Government.

OUR CHAIR

Dr Ty Ferguson, Research Fellow, Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), School of Allied Health and Human Performance, College of Health, Adelaide University

Dr Ty Ferguson is a public health researcher. His research aims to understand how social and physical environments shape health and participation across the life course. His current work includes a project examining access to sport and active recreation among children and young people living in out-of-home care.

Other event information:

This is a public forum and also open to the community, everyone is welcome to attend.