The Association of Children's Welfare Agencies

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The Association of Children's Welfare Agencies

Effective reform to achieve better outcomes for communities, families, children and young people.

The Association of Children's Welfare Agencies (ACWA) is the NSW peak body for non-government community service organisations that deliver services to vulnerable children, young people and their families. We have been operating for more than 50 years and have a membership base of more than 100 agencies. Our core activities revolve around advocacy, policy development, research, consultation, member

support, publications, sector conferences and seminars, projects, partnerships and sector development. ACWA also operates a learning and development division, the Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT), which is the largest non-government, not-for-profit training provider in NSW. Established in 1987, CCWT is a Registered Training Organisation committed to delivering professional learning that transforms people and communities for a better society.

26/08/2026

ACWA CEO Simone Czech and Business and Grants Lead Deb Sams are on Birpai Country this week for the 2026 AbSec NSW Aboriginal Child & Family Conference in Port Macquarie.

They’ve had a great couple of days listening, learning and catching up with colleagues from across the sector, with plenty of important conversations about Aboriginal-led solutions and how we can work together to achieve better outcomes for children, families and communities.

A highlight so far was hearing from AbSec CEO John Leha, as well as bumping into some familiar faces, including Janette Buckingham from the NSW Children’s Court Clinic.

Thanks to AbSec for bringing everyone together and creating such a valuable space for conversation, connection and learning.

19/08/2026

We’re excited to welcome Lily Zhang, who has joined ACWA while completing her first year of a Master of Social Work at Charles Sturt University.

Lily lives and works in the Georges River area, on the unceded lands of the Bidjigal people of the Eora Nation.

Before joining ACWA, Lily worked on the frontline with Homes NSW, supporting tenants and seeing firsthand how closely housing, stability and wellbeing are connected. This experience sparked her interest in youth homelessness and led her to the child and family sector, with a particular interest in how early experiences of care can shape long-term outcomes.

Lily also brings a background in law and consulting, along with a strong interest in structure, systems and processes.

Outside of work and study, you’ll usually find Lily on a volleyball court or building custom mechanical keyboards.

We’re delighted to have you with us, Lily, and look forward to working with you!

14/08/2026

We’re delighted to welcome Terri Eves to the ACWA team as our new Project Manager, Organisational Change.

Terri brings a wealth of experience in project delivery, stakeholder engagement and organisational change, along with a real focus on bringing people together and turning ideas into action.

She’ll be working across ACWA and CCWT, supporting key organisational change initiatives and helping shape our next phase of development.

It’s great to have you with us, Terri. Welcome to ACWA!

13/08/2026

We’re hiring!

ACWA is looking for a Project Officer to join our team and support the delivery of key projects across the organisation.

This is a great opportunity for someone with strong project coordination and stakeholder engagement skills who wants to contribute to work that supports the child, family and community services sector.

The role is full-time, based in Sydney with hybrid working arrangements.

Interested, or know someone who might be a great fit?
Read: https://www.acwa.asn.au/acwa-is-hiring/

Closing date is Thursday 27 August.

11/08/2026

Today is International Youth Day, a chance to celebrate young people, their ideas, achievements and the contribution they make to our communities.

It’s also an important reminder that young people should have a real say in the decisions, services and systems that affect their lives.

Across the child and family sector, we have a responsibility to listen, learn from lived experience and create genuine opportunities for young people to help shape the support they receive.

Today, ACWA celebrates young people across NSW and the many people and organisations working alongside them to make sure their voices are heard and valued.

04/08/2026

Today, on National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day, we celebrate the strength, creativity and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

This year's theme, Living Our Truth, reminds us that truth-telling, sharing knowledge across generations and celebrating culture are fundamental to identity, belonging and strong futures. It also recognises the vital role of Elders, families and communities in passing culture, language and stories to the next generation.

At ACWA, we're proud to work alongside AbSec, other peak bodies and sector organisations to advocate for systems that better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

Together, we're calling on the NSW Government to establish an independent Child Safety and Wellbeing Commission and to consult with the sector, including Aboriginal communities, on its design and implementation. We also support the creation of an independent Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People in NSW.

Nationally and in the ACT, Commissioners with this dedicated focus are already helping to ensure Aboriginal children and young people are heard. A NSW Commissioner would provide independent oversight across the government systems that shape children's lives, including health, housing, education and justice, helping to strengthen accountability and keep the voices, rights and wellbeing of Aboriginal children at the centre of decision making.

https://www.acwa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/Experts-call-for-independent-oversight-body-to-strengthen-NSW-child-protection-system-FINAL.pdf

Today, we celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, honour the strength of culture and community, and reaffirm our commitment to working in partnership to create a future where every child can grow up safe, strong, connected and proud.

28/07/2026

Good news! We've officially appointed the Governance and Program Committee members for the ACWA and ams International Conference 2027.

A huge thank you to everyone who expressed an interest. We were blown away by the quality of applications and enthusiasm for helping shape the conference.

We're excited to work with our committee members to create a conference and program that's practical, relevant and showcases the innovation, challenges and opportunities across the child and family sector.

Now the committees are in place, the real planning begins.

If you missed out this time, don't worry. There will be plenty of opportunities to get involved over the coming months, including our call for abstracts, so stay tuned.

We can't wait to get started and share more with you soon. Let the countdown begin!

13/07/2026

The third of our three exciting career opportunities is now open.

We're seeking a Sector Development Project Lead, Western Region (Targeted) to lead the next stage of human services sector development across Western and Far West NSW.

This full-time, targeted Aboriginal position builds on the strong foundations of the Family Safety Collaboration in Dubbo and Wellington, supporting Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and non-government organisations (NGOs) to strengthen workforce capability, leadership, governance and evidence-informed practice.

Working closely with regional organisations, government and sector partners, you'll help build a stronger, more connected service system that improves outcomes for children, young people and families while supporting organisations through significant sector reforms.

If you're an experienced Aboriginal leader with a passion for strengthening community-led services, supporting Aboriginal self-determination and building capability across the child and family and domestic and family violence sectors, we'd love to hear from you.

Applications close at midnight on Thursday 23 July 2026.

Apply now: https://www.acwa.asn.au/acwa-is-hiring/

12/07/2026

Join ACWA as Project Manager – Organisational Change
The second of our three exciting career opportunities is now open.

We're looking for an experienced Project Manager – Organisational Change to help shape the future of ACWA and strengthen outcomes for children, young people and families across NSW.

In this role, you'll lead a significant organisational change program that will strengthen ACWA's long-term sustainability, enhance the value we deliver to members and students, and support the continued evolution of our training arm, CCWT.

Working closely with our CEO and leadership team, you'll lead organisation-wide change, stakeholder engagement and strategic improvement in a collaborative, purpose-driven environment.

If you're an experienced project manager with a people-centred approach to change and a passion for meaningful impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now: https://www.acwa.asn.au/acwa-is-hiring/

11/07/2026

Join ACWA as Project Lead, Safe & Together

We're growing our team, with three exciting opportunities available to help shape the future of ACWA and strengthen outcomes for children, young people and families across NSW.

One of these opportunities is the Project Lead, Safe & Together role.

ACWA is seeking an experienced Project Lead, Safe & Together to lead an exciting statewide initiative that will strengthen the child protection and domestic and family violence workforce across NSW.

In this role, you will lead the establishment and ongoing support of a network of Certified Safe & Together Trainers across the state. Working in partnership with the NSW Ministry of Health, Domestic Violence NSW and the Safe & Together Institute, you will help build workforce capability, strengthen practice and improve outcomes for children and families.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced project leader who enjoys building strong partnerships, engaging stakeholders and delivering meaningful, system-wide change.

If you are passionate about strengthening workforce capability and improving outcomes for children and families, we encourage you to apply.

Applications are now open.

Apply via: https://www.acwa.asn.au/acwa-is-hiring/

Address

Level 9, 110 Sussex Street
Sydney, NSW
2000

Website

http://www.acwa.asn.au/

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