The Attorney-General's Department is supported by these partner agencies in protecting and promoting the rule of law in Australia and internationally, and in working to ensure a just and secure society through: support for: the delivery of programs with international and regional organisations and foreign countries, including advocacy and coordination roles at overseas missions transport security policy and operations national security and criminal justice policy counter-terrorism policy and operations providing advice and information on immigration and citizenship issues, including in relation to human rights and anti-racism matters, and children born of overseas surrogacy administration of programs to support persons experiencing or fleeing violence or abuse, including domestic and family violence, human trafficking and modern slavery ensuring international cooperation so that parents meet their legal obligations to support their children where they are in different countries.

DSS contributes to: - collaborating to design, test and establish the next development phase of the National Disability Data Asset (1.1) - improving access to services and support for people with psychosocial disability through implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)(1.2) - improving access to services and support for young people with mental illness to achieve and maintain sustainable participation in employment and/or vocational education (1.2) - improving the capacity of mainstream services within the health care sector to respond to, and include, people with disability, increasing accessibility and use of mainstream services through the Information Linkages and Capacity Building Mainstream Capacity Building program (1.4). - improving the quality of Australia's health workforce through targeted training on recognising and responding to clients impacted by family, domestic, and sexual violence. DSS fund domestic violence alert training and accredited training for sexual violence responses, targeted to health professionals, and other frontline workers (1.4) - improving access to services and support for children, young people, and their families experiencing disadvantage or who are vulnerable to abuse and neglect. Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2021-2031 (Safe and Supported) includes actions to improve early intervention and targeted support, system navigation, and health workforce capability - Safe and Supported sets out Australia's 10-year strategy to make significant and sustained progress in reducing the rates of child abuse and neglect and its intergenerational impacts - Safe and Supported and its Action Plans will focus on priority groups that are experiencing disadvantage and/or vulnerability. Achieving safety and wellbeing outcomes for these children, young people and families will help Safe and Supported achieve its goal (1.2 - 1.6) - increasing immunisation coverage rates, which protect the health and safety of the Australian community by administering the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A to eligible parents. Eligibility for the maximum rate of FTB Part A is linked to satisfying the requirements of age-related immunisation (1.9) - encouraging better collaboration between programs and services to support the development and wellbeing of children to help them thrive across and between life stages, by leading the Early Childhood Targeted Action Plan to support Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-31. The Targeted Action Plan includes an action to strengthen training and resources to primary health care providers to better enable early detection of disability or developmental concerns in young children and appropriate referral pathways, recognising the needs for priority population groups such as First Nations children, their parents, and carers (1.3 and 1.4) - improving coordination and delivery of early childhood development policies, programs and supports across government by leading development of an Early Years Strategy to prioritise collective effort across government (1.3 and 1.5) - establishing a National Early Childhood Program for children with disability or developmental concerns. This program delivers a range of disability-specific information, workshops and supported playgroups for young children aged zero to 8 years with disability or developmental concerns. This program assists in meeting the Closing the Gap Target 4, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children thrive in their early years (1.3).

DSS contributes to providing access to cost-effective medicines, medical, dental, and hearing services by determining income support recipient eligibility for Pensioner Concession Cards, Health Care Cards and Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards, which attract concessions under this Outcome (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 and 2.6).

Outcome 1 contributes to the linked programs above by the provision of a range of information, services and payments on behalf of the entities listed within Australia and where applicable, overseas.

The Department of Social Services contributes to Outcome 1 by providing support to job seekers while they find work and by providing support to people with disability, their family and carers to build their knowledge, skills and confidence to participate in social and economic life. This includes: * building the capacity of the community to create opportunities for people with disability to contribute to community prosperity and participate in community life, with initiatives that create pathways to employment and drive more inclusive practices by employers through the Information Linkages and Capacity Building Economic and Community Participation program * activities that build foundation skills and work expectations of people with disability as well as activities that increase the capacity of employers and workplaces to be more inclusive * social security payment arrangements that enable job seekers to take up work * strengthening incentives for pensioners over Age Pension age to work if they are able to and wish to do so.

DSS contributes to providing access to cost-effective medicines, medical, dental, and hearing services by determining income support recipient eligibility for Pensioner Concession Cards, Health Care Cards and Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards, which attract concessions under this Outcome (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 and 2.6).

Outcome 1 contributes to the linked programs above by the provision of a range of information, services and payments on behalf of the entities listed within Australia and where applicable, overseas.

DSS contributes to providing access to cost-effective medicines, medical, dental, and hearing services by determining income support recipient eligibility for Pensioner Concession Cards, Health Care Cards and Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards, which attract concessions under this Outcome (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 and 2.6).

DSS contributes to improving the wellbeing and social and economic participation of people with disability, their families and carers by administering programs such as the Carers and Disability Employment program and by developing the policy and legal framework for the NDIS in which the NDIA operates. This includes encouraging better collaboration between programs and services, including with the NDIA's Early Childhood approach and NDIA Early Childhood Partners, by leading the Early Childhood Targeted Action Plan to support Australia's Disability Strategy 20212031; and implementing the National Early Childhood

Outcome 1 contributes to the linked programs above by the provision of a range of information, services and payments on behalf of the entities listed within Australia and where applicable, overseas.

DSS contributes to providing access to cost-effective medicines, medical, dental, and hearing services by determining income support recipient eligibility for Pensioner Concession Cards, Health Care Cards and Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards, which attract concessions under this Outcome (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 and 2.6).

Treasury Outcome 1 contributes to the following programs by making payments to the
states and territories under National Partnership agreements, National Specific Purpose
Payments (SPP) and bilateral agreements that support the delivery of the programs.

DSS contributes to improving the wellbeing and social and economic participation of people with disability, their families and carers by administering programs such as the Carers and Disability Employment program and by developing the policy and legal framework for the NDIS in which the NDIA operates. This includes encouraging better collaboration between programs and services, including with the NDIA's Early Childhood approach and NDIA Early Childhood Partners, by leading the Early Childhood Targeted Action Plan to support Australia's Disability Strategy 20212031; and implementing the National Early Childhood

Outcome 1 contributes to the linked programs above by the provision of a range of information, services and payments on behalf of the entities listed within Australia and where applicable, overseas.

The Department of Social Services contributes to Outcome 1 by providing support to job seekers while they find work and by providing support to people with disability, their family and carers to build their knowledge, skills and confidence to participate in social and economic life. This includes: * building the capacity of the community to create opportunities for people with disability to contribute to community prosperity and participate in community life, with initiatives that create pathways to employment and drive more inclusive practices by employers through the Information Linkages and Capacity Building Economic and Community Participation program * activities that build foundation skills and work expectations of people with disability as well as activities that increase the capacity of employers and workplaces to be more inclusive * social security payment arrangements that enable job seekers to take up work * strengthening incentives for pensioners over Age Pension age to work if they are able to and wish to do so.

DSS contributes to providing access to cost-effective medicines, medical, dental, and hearing services by determining income support recipient eligibility for Pensioner Concession Cards, Health Care Cards and Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards, which attract concessions under this Outcome (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 and 2.6).

Treasury Outcome 1 contributes to the above programs by making payments to the states and territories under National Partnership agreements, National Specific Purpose Payments (SPP) and bilateral agreements that support the delivery of the programs.

Outcome 1 contributes to the linked programs above by the provision of services and payments on behalf of entities listed.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has policy responsibility for student payments, including ABSTUDY, which provide financial assistance to Indigenous families and students to encourage attendance and retention at school. Some payments (i.e. Relocation Scholarships and Student Start-up Loans) are subject to mutual exclusion provisions for some scholarships which are administered by the NIAA (i.e. Commonwealth Accommodation Costs Scholarship and Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship) preventing double payment for the same period. DSS contributes to the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) by supporting the development of stronger families and more resilient communities. This includes supporting Indigenous families and communities to enjoy similar levels of physical emotional and social wellbeing to that enjoyed by other Australians; supporting families to give children a good start in life; supporting access to affordable housing; and supporting remote strategic investments and remote housing strategies. DSS also contributes to the IAS by supporting eligible Indigenous Australians living in non-remote regions with a disability into work. DSS has funded a new primary national collection of family, domestic and sexual violence statistics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This will form a significant part of the evidence-base on violence against women and children, and address the gap in data on violence experienced by First Nations peoples. The data collected will inform reporting on Closing the Gap Target 13. DSS works with state and territory governments under Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2021-2031 (Safe and Supported) to improve outcomes for children and families who are experiencing disadvantage and/or who are vulnerable. The four focus areas of the National Framework are: early intervention and targeted support for children and families; addressing the over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in child protection systems; improved information and data capability; and strengthening the child and family sector and workforce capability. Safe and Supported is the primary Commonwealth mechanism to support the achievement of Target 12 under the Closing the Gap National Agreement, which seeks to reduce the rate of over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45 per cent by 2031. DSS is working closely with state and territory governments, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and non-government organisations to develop Safe and Supported first set of Action Plans, including an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan. DSS supports the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on Domestic and Family Violence, developing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan to end violence against women and children. DSS is also working with state and territory governments to finalise the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-32 (The National Plan). As part of this work, DSS supports the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on domestic, family and sexual violence (the Advisory Council). The Advisory Council has been tasked with the development of a specific Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan under the National Plan, and will be consulting widely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities during 2022. DSS is also leading the implementation of the Commonwealth response to the recommendations and findings of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory, working closely with the NIAA, in partnership with the Northern Territory Government and non-government organisations and local communities. DSS is working with the NIAA and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations on the reform of the Community Development Program (CDP). The Australian Government is committed to delivering a program with real jobs, proper wages and decent conditions. As a first step, CDP providers have been given the opportunity to work with remote communities to trial new approaches to real jobs for income support recipients in remote areas. DSS conducts the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children. The study started in 2008 and follows the development of two cohorts of up to 1,700 children as they transition from infants all the way to adulthood. A range of physical, social and economic information about the child and their family is collected annually. Survey results are used to understand what helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children grow up strong. Microdata is publicly released to approved researchers through the Australian Data Archive. DSS is also leading the Early Childhood Targeted Action Plan to support Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-31. It aims to strengthen early identification, information, supports and pathways for young children with disability or developmental concerns, their parent and carers. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse children, their parents and carers. It will also encourage better collaboration between programs and services to support the development and wellbeing of children to help them thrive across and between life stages. DSS is progressing a number of activities to develop the new National Early Childhood program for children with disability or developmental concerns with service delivery expected to commence in late 2022. The program will deliver a range of disability-specific information, workshops and supported playgroups for young children aged 0 to 8 years with disability or developmental concerns. The new program will assist in meeting the Closing the Gap Target 4 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children thrive in their early years.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has policy responsibility for student payments,
including ABSTUDY, which provide financial assistance to First Nations families and
students to encourage participation and retention in secondary and tertiary education.
Some payments (i.e. Relocation Scholarships and Student Start-up Loans) are subject to
mutual exclusion provisions for some scholarships which are administered by the NIAA
(i.e. Commonwealth Accommodation Costs Scholarship and Commonwealth Education
Costs Scholarship) preventing double payment for the same period.
DSS contributes to the IAS by supporting the development of stronger families and more
resilient communities. This includes supporting First Nations families and communities
to enjoy similar levels of physical emotional and social wellbeing to that enjoyed by other
Australians; supporting families to give children a good start in life; supporting access to
affordable housing; and supporting remote strategic investments and remote housing
strategies.
DSS also contributes to the IAS by supporting eligible First Nations peoples living in nonremote regions with a disability into work.
DSS is responsible for leading the Commonwealth’s implementation of three targets
under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, Target 9a (housing), Target 12 (outof-home care), Target 13 (family violence); and the cross-cutting outcome for disability.
DSS contributes a range of initiatives and actions toward achieving these targets as set
out in the Commonwealth Closing the Gap Implementation Plan (Implementation Plan)
| National Indigenous Australians Agency

Outcome 1 contributes to the linked programs above by the provision of a range of information, services and payments on behalf of the entities listed within Australia and where applicable, overseas.

The linked program contributes to Outcome 2 by providing financial support to individuals and families to undertake further education. This also includes enhancing educational outcomes for First Nations students by increasing their access and participation in further education.

The Department of Social Services contributes to Outcome 2 by providing financial support to individuals and families to undertake further education and training. This includes enhancing educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students by increasing their access and participation in further education. The Department of Social Services also provides support to people with disability, their family and carers to build their knowledge, skills and confidence to participate in social and economic life.

DSS contributes to providing access to cost-effective medicines, medical, dental, and hearing services by determining income support recipient eligibility for Pensioner Concession Cards, Health Care Cards and Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards, which attract concessions under this Outcome (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 and 2.6).

Outcome 1 contributes to the linked programs above by the provision of services and payments on behalf of entities listed.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has policy responsibility for student payments, including ABSTUDY, which provide financial assistance to Indigenous families and students to encourage attendance and retention at school. Some payments (i.e. Relocation Scholarships and Student Start-up Loans) are subject to mutual exclusion provisions for some scholarships which are administered by the NIAA (i.e. Commonwealth Accommodation Costs Scholarship and Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship) preventing double payment for the same period. DSS contributes to the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) by supporting the development of stronger families and more resilient communities. This includes supporting Indigenous families and communities to enjoy similar levels of physical emotional and social wellbeing to that enjoyed by other Australians; supporting families to give children a good start in life; supporting access to affordable housing; and supporting remote strategic investments and remote housing strategies. DSS also contributes to the IAS by supporting eligible Indigenous Australians living in non-remote regions with a disability into work. DSS has funded a new primary national collection of family, domestic and sexual violence statistics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This will form a significant part of the evidence-base on violence against women and children, and address the gap in data on violence experienced by First Nations peoples. The data collected will inform reporting on Closing the Gap Target 13. DSS works with state and territory governments under Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2021-2031 (Safe and Supported) to improve outcomes for children and families who are experiencing disadvantage and/or who are vulnerable. The four focus areas of the National Framework are: early intervention and targeted support for children and families; addressing the over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in child protection systems; improved information and data capability; and strengthening the child and family sector and workforce capability. Safe and Supported is the primary Commonwealth mechanism to support the achievement of Target 12 under the Closing the Gap National Agreement, which seeks to reduce the rate of over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45 per cent by 2031. DSS is working closely with state and territory governments, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and non-government organisations to develop Safe and Supported first set of Action Plans, including an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan. DSS supports the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on Domestic and Family Violence, developing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan to end violence against women and children. DSS is also working with state and territory governments to finalise the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-32 (The National Plan). As part of this work, DSS supports the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on domestic, family and sexual violence (the Advisory Council). The Advisory Council has been tasked with the development of a specific Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan under the National Plan, and will be consulting widely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities during 2022. DSS is also leading the implementation of the Commonwealth response to the recommendations and findings of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory, working closely with the NIAA, in partnership with the Northern Territory Government and non-government organisations and local communities. DSS is working with the NIAA and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations on the reform of the Community Development Program (CDP). The Australian Government is committed to delivering a program with real jobs, proper wages and decent conditions. As a first step, CDP providers have been given the opportunity to work with remote communities to trial new approaches to real jobs for income support recipients in remote areas. DSS conducts the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children. The study started in 2008 and follows the development of two cohorts of up to 1,700 children as they transition from infants all the way to adulthood. A range of physical, social and economic information about the child and their family is collected annually. Survey results are used to understand what helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children grow up strong. Microdata is publicly released to approved researchers through the Australian Data Archive. DSS is also leading the Early Childhood Targeted Action Plan to support Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-31. It aims to strengthen early identification, information, supports and pathways for young children with disability or developmental concerns, their parent and carers. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse children, their parents and carers. It will also encourage better collaboration between programs and services to support the development and wellbeing of children to help them thrive across and between life stages. DSS is progressing a number of activities to develop the new National Early Childhood program for children with disability or developmental concerns with service delivery expected to commence in late 2022. The program will deliver a range of disability-specific information, workshops and supported playgroups for young children aged 0 to 8 years with disability or developmental concerns. The new program will assist in meeting the Closing the Gap Target 4 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children thrive in their early years.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has policy responsibility for student payments,
including ABSTUDY, which provide financial assistance to First Nations families and
students to encourage participation and retention in secondary and tertiary education.
Some payments (i.e. Relocation Scholarships and Student Start-up Loans) are subject to
mutual exclusion provisions for some scholarships which are administered by the NIAA
(i.e. Commonwealth Accommodation Costs Scholarship and Commonwealth Education
Costs Scholarship) preventing double payment for the same period.
DSS contributes to the IAS by supporting the development of stronger families and more
resilient communities. This includes supporting First Nations families and communities
to enjoy similar levels of physical emotional and social wellbeing to that enjoyed by other
Australians; supporting families to give children a good start in life; supporting access to
affordable housing; and supporting remote strategic investments and remote housing
strategies.
DSS also contributes to the IAS by supporting eligible First Nations peoples living in nonremote regions with a disability into work.
DSS is responsible for leading the Commonwealth’s implementation of three targets
under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, Target 9a (housing), Target 12 (outof-home care), Target 13 (family violence); and the cross-cutting outcome for disability.
DSS contributes a range of initiatives and actions toward achieving these targets as set
out in the Commonwealth Closing the Gap Implementation Plan (Implementation Plan)
| National Indigenous Australians Agency

Outcome 1 contributes to the linked programs above by the provision of a range of information, services and payments on behalf of the entities listed within Australia and where applicable, overseas.