What is the Northern Territory Child and Family Sector Strengthening Reform Project?

SNAICC – National Voice for our Children (SNAICC) has been engaged by the Northern Territory Government to support sector strengthening and commissioning reform across the child and family service system, with a focus on the Northern Territory Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Child and Family Sector.

The Northern Territory Child and Family Sector Strengthening Reform Project is a focus on strengthening the scale and sustainability of the Northern Territory Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Child and Family Sector to improve the availability of culturally safe, community-led services for Aboriginal children and families in the Northern Territory. The project forms part of the Northern Territory’s broader child and family system reform and aligns with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, particularly Priority Reform Two, which focuses on strengthening ACCOs, embedding self-determination and improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities.

Engagement

SNAICC is engaging with child and family service system stakeholders across the Northern Territory as part of this Reform Project.

The first round of engagement is taking place from May 2026 to July 2026. Engagement activities include:

• community forums and yarning circles,
• ACCO workshops and conversations,
• an online survey, and
• targeted interviews with communities, sector leaders and government stakeholders.

Community knowledge, lived experience and ACCO leadership are central to this work. Feedback gathered through engagement will help to understand:

• what is working well,
• where support is needed, and
• what needs to change to make services stronger and culturally safe.

This feedback will inform future planning, funding and service improvements and broader system reform across the Northern Territory.