Family is Culture

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children belong with their families and communities, connected to culture and Country.

But too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families are torn apart by a ‘child protection’ system that fails to invest in support for families and continues to remove First Nations children at much higher rates than non-Indigenous children.

Nearly 45% of children in out-of-home care are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (as of June 2024). Almost one in 20 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in NSW are in out-of-home care, which is 10 times the rate of non-Indigenous children. Government needs to genuinely partner with the First Nations peak organisations – who know what their communities need – to change these outcomes, and invest in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations that are best placed to support children and families.

We work in partnership with AbSec – NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation, the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) and the UTS Jumbunna Institute, to drive much-needed First Nations-led reform.

The landmark Family is Culture Review undertaken by Professor Megan Davis provided a roadmap for transforming the system in NSW. Achieving full implementation of the Review’s recommendations continues to be our focus. The recommendations place self-determination and accountability to community at the heart of child protection decision-making. But government implementation has been disappointingly and unjustifiably slow.

A strong, supported family is the best place for every child to grow up. Our work urges the NSW Government to respect and invest in the expertise of First Nations families and communities in raising strong, healthy and resilient children. And to form genuine partnerships with communities: to keep families safe and together, with kids at home, connected to culture, community and Country.