Episode 10: From Strength to Strength – Celebrating 2025 and shaping 2026 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families | Kids, Culture, Community

Episode Description

In this milestone 10th episode of Kids, Culture, Community — SNAICC Yarns, host and SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle sits down with SNAICC Executive Director Mandy Taylor on Wurundjeri Country in Naarm for a reflective and forward-looking yarn. Together, they look back on the transformative year that was 2025, exploring its successes, lessons and challenges, and share their vision for 2026.

Catherine and Mandy discuss the 10th anniversary of the Family Matters report, the historic SNAICC’25 conference and the critical reforms that are reshaping how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families are supported across the country. They explore the urgent need to shift investment from crisis response to prevention, the strength of community-controlled services, and the power of storytelling to drive systemic change.

This episode also  celebrates the full establishment of SNAICC’s Youth Voice initiative, the removal of the childcare activity test and the landmark appointment of the National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children; a key accountability mechanism long advocated for by SNAICC and the sector. Catherine and Mandy share personal highlights from the year, including the joy of Children’s Day and the inspiring voices of young people, reflecting on what it means to carry  the work of SNAICC forward with hope, determination and unity.

As we step into 2026, this yarn is a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much further we can go when we listen to, invest in, and celebrate our children, families and communities.

Keep the conversation going—follow, subscribe, and share this podcast to help amplify the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families, and communities.

This artwork was created to visually represent Kids, Culture, Community – SNAICC Yarns, a podcast by SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, dedicated to amplifying the voices and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families, and communities.

At the heart of the artwork is a central motif drawn directly from the SNAICC Marulu design – a symbolic anchor that represents SNAICC’s identity, purpose, and vision. This central element grounds the piece, reflecting SNAICC’s leadership in advocating for the rights, wellbeing, and futures of our children.

Surrounding this are three figures, symbolising a community in conversation. These figures represent not only the act of yarning, but the diversity of voices – children, families, Elders, leaders, and community members – who will be heard through the podcast. The figures are encircled by layered soundwaves that ripple outward and inward, capturing both the expression of voice and the act of deep listening.

These soundwaves reflect how stories, knowledge, and lived experiences are shared, received, and echoed across communities – from grassroots voices to national conversations. The design intentionally shows sound as both something that travels outward to inform and inspire, and something that returns inward to strengthen identity, connection, and culture.