Federal, state and territory governments agree to new plan to tackle abuse and neglect of Indigenous children
Federal, state and territory governments have agreed to a new plan to improve the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and reduce their over-representation in the child protection system.
Key points: The latest data suggests the rate of Indigenous children in out-of-home care is getting worse instead of decreasing All governments have committed to working with First Nations leaders to tackle child abuse and neglect. The new plan is expected to be announced in Canberra on Tuesday morning
Under the eight-point strategy, all governments committed to working “in partnership” with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders to tackle “child abuse and neglect and its intergenerational impacts”.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney launched the action plan in Canberra on Tuesday.
This will be accompanied by a second action plan aimed at addressing the needs of all young people as part of a 10-year national framework to protect vulnerable children known as “Safe and Support”.
Under the First Nations-specific plan, governments have agreed to focus on eight key actions, including placing Indigenous self-determination at the center of systems and building a sustainable Indigenous child and family sector workforce.
Other actions include investing “adequate and co-ordinated” funding for community-led and culturally safe support for children and their families, improving legal support for those in the child protection system and establishing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Commissioners in jurisdictions that do not yet have do not have. one.
Of the 45,300 children across Australia in out-of-home care, approximately 43 per cent are Indigenous.
Target 12 of Closing the Gap aims to reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45 per cent by 2031, but the latest available data suggests rates are getting worse, not improving.
Ms Burney said the plan reflected the government’s commitment to reducing the number of First Nations children in out-of-home care and thanked the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group and the National Voice for our Children for working with the government to new strategy.
“The plan focuses on early intervention and prevention measures at a child, family and system level that are essential to keeping more First Nations families together and safe,” Ms Burney said.
Over its 10-year lifespan, the plan aims to achieve eight broad outcomes, including:
Safe and respectful services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families that are trauma-informed, child-centred and family-centred. Those in contact with child protection systems’ cultural needs and kinship networks are supported. policy and program design through their own community leadership institutions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families have access to information they need to feel confident and empowered when engaging with child and family welfare systems.
Ms Rishworth said children have the right to grow up in a safe environment supported by their family, community and culture.
“These Action Plans have been shaped from a careful approach focused on engagement, empowerment and embedding the voice of children and those with lived experience,” she said.
“Safe and Support aims to achieve system reform through better integration and coordination of policies and programmes, as well as through a shift towards early intervention and targeted support.
“It also aims to bring about transformative change through self-determination and the exercise of authority in child protection for First Nations people.”
The last budget committed $30 million dollars for five initiatives as part of the “Safe and Support” framework.
