Service Delivery Reform


NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet Service Delivery Reform (SDR) Initiative


Cox Inall Ridgeway was engaged to assist the Department of Premier and Cabinet to prepare, facilitate and report on a two-day co-design workshop with the Shoalhaven Aboriginal community as part of the Department’s Service Delivery Reform (SDR) Initiative. The Illawarra Shoalhaven is participating in SDR as a launch site, with a focus on Aboriginal child and family wellbeing (0-9 years), education and early intervention.


The SDR initiative will employ a holistic approach including:


  • A client centred approach

  • Service structures improvement; and

  • Service system cultural change.

The objectives of the workshop were to:


  • Agree on the SDR initiative outcomes and performance indicators

  • Identify what a sustainable holistic model could look like and how it will work

  • Ensure a participatory approach to the development and implementation of the model; and

  • Communicate expectation on outcomes and next steps to stakeholders.

A central component of the project was ensuring children were heard, helping create modules and strategies to increase support and engagement of Aboriginal children and families in early education families voices and stories were captured and heard. Seventy self-portraits of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children aged 4 – 9 years were displayed at the workshop. Children told us one thing they wanted adults to do differently.



Sixty-four participants from Government, community, NGOs and other services providers participated in the workshop. A range of models and strategies has been put forward for refining and implementation.