Parents who abuse their children would have two years to clean up their act or their children would be put up for adoption, under a new plan by the New South Wales Government.

The overhaul aims to provide a loving, stable and permanent family for children who cannot live with their parents because they are at risk of harm.

Minister for Family and Community Services [FACS] Brad Hazzard said too many children were being moved through several foster homes until they reach adulthood.

"Currently the focus is not on the families that need to change. Children are taken when the families fail and go into care, being moved from pillar to post often until they are 18," Mr Hazzard said.

"Sadly all too many of them end up in juvenile justice or the correctional system.

"There are some families, some parents who are just so dangerous they don't deserve to have children, they lose that right."

"Whereas others just don't get the parenting aspect and government agencies will work with you but if you don't improve in two years we are going to have to do something."

Opposition spokeswoman for family and community services, Tania Mihailuk, said the plan was flawed.

"I think each case should be assessed independently, by merit and with some degree of flexibility. Imposing an arbitrary time frame can be counter productive," she said.

"These children often are at risk of significant harm, some of these children simply cannot wait two years for assistance.

"We don't want to see families under intense pressure trying to meet deadlines and children placed at risk of significant harm."

Plan based on successful US model

Mr Hazzard said the reform was based on an American model, which he looked into during a recent trip to the US.

"In New York City, Illinois and Tennessee, they've brought their numbers [of children in care] down from more than 50,000 to less than 10,000 ... 8,000 in some cases," he said.

"The clearest message that children in care have given me is they want forever families."

The NSW Government expects the plan would make it easier to adopt, with the number of children currently in care in the state at about 20,000 , with the figure expected to double in the next ten years.

The opposition said the proposal would not address the low rate of adoption because of a lack of resources and incentives.

"We have over 22,000 children in out-of-home or foster care and only about 80 adoptions per year," Ms Mihailuk said.

"The Government must put in programs of restoration, early intervention, out-of-home care and adoption."

A Government spokeswoman said FACS' new adoption taskforce had fast-tracked 53 adoptions in the past six months, more than double the number for the same period last year.

Another 40 adoptions are before the courts.