Reviewing Implementation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle ACT 2025

Executive Summary

Reviewing Implementation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle ACT 2025 reviews the progress of the Australian Capital Territory Government, primarily through the former Community Services Directorate, now Health and Community Services Directorate (CSD), towards implementing the full intent of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (the Child Placement Principle). Recent changes in law, policy and practice are examined, with a focus on the five interrelated elements of the Child Placement Principle: Prevention, Partnership, Placement, Participation and Connection.

For generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities have raised happy, healthy and resilient children who enjoy strong connections to culture. However, catastrophic and ongoing impacts of colonisation and systemic racism have created an environment of extreme and sustained risk for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families and increased the likelihood of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to experience lower socio-economic outcomes than that of the general population.

As a result, the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the ACT living in out-of-home care (OOHC) and other supported placements remains severely high and despite the efforts of the ACT Government, increased slightly from 27.4% in 30 June 2023 to 31.21% in 2024 (SCRGSP 2025, tables 16A.2, 16A.3 and 16A.42). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the ACT are 12.6 times more likely than their non-Indigenous peers to be in OOHC as of 30 June 2024 (SCRGSP 2025).

While the ACT Government shows commitment to strengthening families and avoiding statutory child protection involvement, there is a critical need for increased funding for culturally safe early support services. In 2023-24, only 17% of the child protection budget was allocated to Intensive Family Support Services (IFSSs) and Family Support Services (FSSs), with minimal increases from previous years. Most funding still goes to non-Indigenous service providers, which often lack cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families (SNAICC 2024). Placement with family, kin, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers remains stable, with 40.5% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the ACT placed with relatives or kin at June 2024. Cultural support plans are also in place for 80% of children in OOHC (CSD 2024a).

Significant efforts continue to be made to address the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection system. The appointment of Bundjalung Widubul-Wiabul woman Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts as the inaugural Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children in February 2024 marks a pivotal step in enhancing representation and advocacy (CSD 2024a). Similarly, the Our Booris, Our Way Implementation Oversight Committee continues its work to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural oversight and hold the government to account for implementation of the Child Placement Principle through the transformative recommendations of the 2019 Our Booris, Our Way Review (OBOW 2019). In line with these recommendations, the ACT Government has enacted significant legislative reforms through the Children and Young People Amendment Act 2023 (the Act) to embed the Child Placement Principle in the Act and prioritise prevention, partnerships, connection and kinship placements.

However, further government and non-Indigenous service provider action is crucial to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. Legislative and policy reforms need robust implementation to ensure cultural rights and needs are central to child protection efforts. The 2023-2024 ACT Government budget includes substantial investments in health and child protection sectors, but expanded prevention efforts and support for frontline services are necessary to achieve lasting change (ACT Government 2024a).

Please note: We have updated the way our reviews are structured. Previously, reviews were categorised by specific review periods. They are now titled by year and include all relevant developments up to that point in time. This change provides a clearer, more comprehensive snapshot of progress and updates within each release year.