The 'gap' is widening when it comes to keeping Indigenous kids out of care

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-01-27 03:00

Australia; NSW; VIC; QLD; SA; WA; NT; ACT

Australian experts say the current child protection system is failing and perpetuating harms inflicted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and the 'gap' is widening. In 2020 the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care was 11 times higher than that of non-Indigenous children and the experts say the time for action is now. They outline systemic failures to address the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents during pregnancy and following birth, including culturally unsafe, inappropriate and un-validated “risk assessment” measures and a lack of trained staff. They say major reform to child and family notification and service systems, and significant investment to address this crisis is urgently needed.

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Journal/
conference: Australian Journal of Social Issues

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: The University of Melbourne, La Trobe University, The Lowitja Institute, Murdoch University, University of Technology Sydney, Monash University, Charles Darwin University, University of NSW, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of South Australia, Australian National University, University of Western Australia

Funder: We acknowledge SNAICC –National Voice for our Children –for their leadership and advocacy in this field. We are also grateful to the SAFeST Start group members for supporting the development of this position statement and to the families, frontline workers and other advocates working to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to stay together from the start. Catherine Chamberlain is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Career Development Fellowship (1161065). Research at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute is supported by the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program.

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