VACCA’s Nugel Program is helping transform child protection in Victoria by placing decision-making about Aboriginal children back in Aboriginal hands.

Established in 2017, Nugel was the first program to implement section 18 of the Children, Youth and Families Act, transferring responsibility for case planning and management of Aboriginal children from government to ACCOs. Nugel is a Woiwurrung word meaning belong.

The program is part of the statewide Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care (ACAC) initiative. In 2023, legislative reform expanded the program to allow Aboriginal-led responses at the investigation stage of child protection reports, strengthening support for families earlier and helping prevent unnecessary entry into care. VACCA’s practice framework, Cultural Therapeutic Ways, integrates cultural knowledge, trauma-informed practice and self-determination. This approach supports culturally grounded engagement with families and emphasises connection to culture, kinship and community.

Outcomes include:

• higher rates of family reunification,
• greater involvement of parents in decision-making and court processes,
• increased connection of children to culture, community and kinship networks, and
• stronger engagement between families and services.

The success of programs like Nugel has supported the Victorian Government’s commitment to expand Aboriginal Children in Aboriginal Care across the state.

Queensland is progressing the transfer of child protection decision-making to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations through Delegated Authority, a key initiative under Our Way: A Generational Strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families 2017–2037.

The Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak partnered with the Queensland Government Department of Child Safety to develop a 10-year blueprint for implementation. Rather than a traditional competitive procurement process, community-controlled organisations were invited to collectively determine when and how they were ready to take on this responsibility. Through information sessions, data sharing and Aboriginal-led discussions, organisations were able to assess community need, organisational capacity and strategic priorities before deciding to participate.

This self-determining approach has enabled rapid expansion. Within 12 months, 10 additional Delegated Authority sites were established, with more planned.

Key enablers of success include:

• a shared vision between government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies,
• strong partnerships between Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak, government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations,
• transparent information sharing to build organisational capability, and
• self-determination for organisations to determine their readiness.

Early outcomes include:

• 36 children reunified with their families,
• 12 organisations delivering Delegated Authority across 20 locations, and
• 198 children and young people supported through delegated decision-making.

The Connected Beginnings program supports the school readiness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0–5 by integrating early education, health and family support services.

Since 2016, the program has expanded to 50 sites across Australia. Through a partnership between the Australian Government Department of Education and SNAICC, there is a commitment to transition program leadership to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations, aligning with the Closing the Gap Priority Reforms.

The ACCO Leadership Transition Framework guides this process, ensuring community voices and cultural authority holders lead decisions about program governance.

Today, 33 Connected Beginnings sites are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisation led, with the remaining sites expected to transition by 2025 — a significant shift from fewer than 10% ACCO-led sites only a few years ago.

Key principles guiding the transition include:

• centring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing,
• ensuring accountability to community and cultural governance, and
• supporting community-led decision making.

The Health Navigator Pilot Program is helping children and young people in out-of-home care access the health services they need through culturally safe, coordinated support.

Piloted in the South West and Mirrabooka regions of Western Australia, the program connects children, carers and caseworkers with appropriate health services through Aboriginal Health Navigators based in Aboriginal Medical Services.

The model was developed through a co-design process involving 143 stakeholders, including ACCOs, carers, government agencies, advocacy groups and people with lived experience.

Following the co-design process, funding was provided to South West Aboriginal Medical Service and Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service to employ Aboriginal Health Navigators and expand child health services. Additionally, the Noongar Family Safety and Wellbeing Council to strengthen coordination and awareness of available services

Aboriginal organisations are represented at all governance levels, ensuring community advice informs program decisions.

Early outcomes include:

• improved and more timely access to health, mental health and disability services,
• increased cultural support for children in out-of-home care,
• expanded capacity of Aboriginal Medical Services to deliver child health services, and
• an independent evaluation by the Centre for Social Impact at the University of Western Australia found the program significantly improved access to culturally safe services.

The pilot has now received an additional two years of funding.