This National Child Protection Week, SNAICC is calling on governments to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled services and communities to reduce the number of First Nations kids in out-of-home care.
In 2020, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children made up 41% of children in out-of-home care in Australia despite being only 5.9% of Australia’s child population.
First Nations-led approaches to child protection issues have been proven to deliver better outcomes for families, which is why SNAICC – the National Voice of Our Children, would like to see greater investment in the Aboriginal community-controlled sector.”
“If this continues at the current trajectory, the number of our children in out-of-home care will double by 2030.”
SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle
CEO for the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, Catherine Liddle says with a new 10-year framework for protecting Australia’s children being developed now is the time to close the gap in the over-representation of our children in out-of-home care.
“The statistics are alarming – our children are 11 times more likely to be living away from their parents than non-Indigenous children. If this continues at the current trajectory, the number of our children in out-of-home care will double by 2030,” Ms Liddle said.
“It is time for change. It’s time to be bold in our thinking, and our planning, so together we can transform the system.
“Let’s ensure funding is channelled to our Aboriginal community-controlled services as the experts in keeping our children and families connected to culture and delivering culturally-safe child- and family-centred support programs,” Ms Liddle continued.
“We are committed to bringing about systemic change so that every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boy or girl can grow up connected to their people, understanding their identity and belonging to their communities.”
