SNAICC's annual report: Strong Communities. Strong Culture. Stronger Children.
Image: A family consisting of two adults and three children pose together outdoors, smiling at the camera.
Life Without Barriers backs the Family Matters Report 2023, released by SNAICC - National Voice for our Children (SNAICC) and supports its sixteen recommendations to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families in the child protection system.
The annual report examines government actions to address the over-representation and the outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in child protection systems.
This year’s report shows that child protection systems continue to fail Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, with the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children entering out-of-home care continuing to rise, exposing them to ongoing harm and trauma at increasing and unacceptable rates.
Key findings of the 2023 Family Matters Report include:
22,328 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children currently in out-of-home care,
They are 10.5 times more likely to be living in out-of-home care than non-Indigenous children,
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children represent 42.8% of the total number of children in out-of-home care but only represent 5.98% of all children in Australia.
Image: A group of children sit on a picnic blanket, engaging in a craft activity with the Aboriginal flag.
The report found that current trends indicate that the National Agreement on Closing the Gap’s Target 12 (to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45% by 2031) will not be met.
Catherine Liddle, SNAICC CEO, said the current trend was completely unacceptable.
“Removing our children from family, culture, and community causes ongoing harm and too often does not lead to safer outcomes,” Ms Liddle said.
"The over-representation of our children in out-of-home care is increasingly frustrating because we have the evidence and the solutions to turn this around."
The findings presented in the Family Matters report highlight the need for transformative change, with SNAICC calling on all levels of government to take heed of the evidence and proposed solutions, urging them to implement decisive action or risk causing further harm to generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
“Closing the gap for our children requires genuine effort from Governments and mainstream organisations to transform the way they work with us.”
Image: A child is adding their handprint to an artwork of the Aboriginal flag.
The report details evidence-based solutions that will enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to grow up safe, loved and protected. These solutions have been developed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations, prioritising investment in effective, culturally safe supports for families and children before they reach crisis point through Aboriginal community-controlled services.
"We know community-designed and led initiatives produce better outcomes for our children," Ms Liddle said.
“We have seen positive changes with non-Indigenous organisations like Life Without Barriers starting to transition the care of around 900 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children to community-controlled organisations.” Ms Liddle said.
Image: A group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and boys stand together wearing white body paint.
As a provider of out-of-home care services for over 1,000 Aboriginal children, Life Without Barriers is committed to supporting Close the Gap targets. Through our Transformation Project, as part of our Elevate Reconciliation Plan and in partnership with SNAICC, we are progressively stepping away from providing care and transitioning Aboriginal children to Aboriginal community-controlled services, placing decision-making about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children where they belong – with family and communities.
Claire Robbs, Life Without Barriers Chief Executive said:
"This is undoubtedly one of the most important reports regarding the well-being and opportunity of First Nations Children."
"The Family Matters report, which launched yesterday in Tarntanya, explores the efficacy of Government activity now in responding to issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families and most importantly, examples of solutions that are working in community. "This report is a truth stone - a necessary compass to help non-Indigenous organisations and Government take up the action we need to change the trajectory for children in partnership with First Nations people, leaders and communities." Ms Robbs.
As part of this commitment, Life Without Barriers will continue supporting transformational change by advocating for steps to reduce the number of Aboriginal children entering care and supporting the direct investment of resources towards Aboriginal community-controlled organisations.
The Family Matters campaign is supported by a Strategic Alliance of over 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous organisations.
To learn more about the Family Matters Report and its recommendations, visit SNAICC’s website.
Media release: Family Matters Report launch 2023
Read the full report below.
