about the Department
The NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS) is the leading NSW Government agency responsible for community services.
We work to promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and to build stronger families and communities. In particular, we help those who are vulnerable and most in need.
DoCS helps children, young people and families across a continuum of care. Our core work focuses on child protection, starting with early intervention strategies to help build stronger families and communities. We work to protect children and young people from risk of harm and to provide care for children and young people who are not able to live with their families. See more about our services.
We provide many of these services through our community partners such as non-government organisations and government agencies.
DoCS’ core activities are to:
- help protect and care for children and young people and support their families
- provide and fund accommodation and support services for children and young people who need to live away from their families
- regulate child care by licensing and monitoring compliance
- fund and regulate adoption services
- fund support services to assist people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
- help people separated from their families to trace their records
- coordinate services to meet the basic welfare and recovery needs of people affected by natural and other disasters.
We provide services via a network of seven regional offices and over 85 Community Services Centres throughout NSW.
The DoCS Helpline (ph 132 111) is a 24 hour statewide telephone service that allows you to report suspected child abuse or neglect.
Find out more about our corporate directions in 2007/08 and about our budget enhancement projects.