Non-Government Organisations roundtable on Closing the Gap priorities

Life Without Barriers is committed to working with Aboriginal Leaders and community, Government and non-government organisations on addressing the Closing the Gap priorities and considering how the sector can more fully support Aboriginal organisations, leadership and employment.

The NSW Ministerial Non-Government Organisations Roundtable held today brought leaders together to get into detail on Closing the Gap priorities including Transforming Government Organisations and Building the Aboriginal Community Controlled sector.

CEO of Life Without Barriers and panellist in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations Leading Social Service Practice discussion, Claire Robbs, said the Roundtable acted as a call to action for the social service sector to recognise that Aboriginal knowledge, experience and methods must inform sector decisions and practice.

“Outcome 12 of Closing the Gap targets specifically calls for a major reduction in the over-representation of children in care. We believe we have to take an important step to not be complicit in continuing a system that sees Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in non-indigenous care.” Ms Robbs said.

In September 2021, Life Without Barriers announced the decision to transition out of the provision of out-of-home care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community control, within the next 10 years.

“We hope that by sharing this commitment with other non-government organisations, our commitment with SNAICC will be the first of many initiatives across the sector that demonstrates a genuine commitment to priority reforms,” Ms Robbs said.

“I commend the NSW Government for facilitating an opportunity where we can embrace truth and listening as the foundation of sector reform. ”

CEO of SNAICC, Catherine Liddle said in line with commitments through the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the initiative with Life Without Barriers marks the first of its kind in enabling Aboriginal-led services to have the resources it needs to deliver culturally and locally appropriate services to our children and families.

“Our partnership with Life Without Barriers heralds a new beginning for Aboriginal community-controlled organisations that serve to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander decision-making,” SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle said.