SNAICC in the News – Family Matters Report 2024 release
The Family Matters Report 2024 was released this week on Thursday 21 November, revealing that, despite a growing number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection system, the organisations that have proven to get the best results in cultural support, reunification with kin and connection to culture receive the least amount of funding.
The 2024 Family Matters Report reveals a disturbing increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children entering the child protection system, with numbers rising to 22,908—a jump of over 500 in just one year. Despite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children being 10.8 times more likely than non-Indigenous children to enter out-of-home care, Aboriginal community-controlled organisations receive only 6 per cent of government funding.
Calls are mounting for a significant reallocation of funds to Aboriginal-led child protection programs, which demonstrate culturally effective solutions. SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle said that Aboriginal community-controlled organisations are uniquely positioned to keep children safe, cared for, and connected to their families and culture, yet governments continue to underfund early intervention and family support, directing 85 per cent of resources to out-of-home care services.
As reported by the ABC, two cases were examined as examples of Aboriginal community-controlled services providing effective support to children and families to keep their children with kin. Mary, a mother from Queensland’s Lockhart River, had four children enter the child protection system. However, with the help of Mookai Rosie, an Aboriginal women’s health service, Mary facilitated a cultural adoption, placing her baby with a family member. Mary and the adoptive parent now live in the same community, with Mary remaining part of her child’s life. Mookai Rosie CEO Theresa Simpson emphasised the importance of this approach’s success because it allows the child to grow up in family, culture and community.
Another example is KWY Aboriginal Corporation, which runs the Finding Families pilot program, Tawata Pari, which uses Family Led Decision Making Principles to support engagement with kin, and other culturally safe networks for the purpose of identifying and securing permanent and short-break (respite) placements. The program’s ‘mob talking to mob’ approach has built trust and delivered significant results. Tawata Pari, which costs $1.3 million annually, has saved the government an estimated $9.6 million by placing children with family. Program leader Ruka Taite talked about the emotional and cultural benefits, describing the deep impact on families and communities. However, the program’s future is uncertain, with funding set to expire in January 2025.
These case studies demonstrate the effectiveness and transformative power of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations, however, without sustained investment and systemic reform, the gap between the need for such programs and the resources allocated to them will only widen.
Catherine Liddle reiterated the urgency for governments to transfer authority and adequate funding to Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, warning that the National Agreement on Closing the Gap’s Target 12—to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45 per cent by 2031—will remain unachievable without systemic change. Catherine says that governments must get serious about transforming the way they do business with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations by transferring authority and adequate resourcing that will keep families together and prevent the landslide of children entering the misnamed protection system.
For more complete coverage, check out the linked media release and news stories below.
Read SNAICC's full Media ReleaseArticle: Calls for Aboriginal-run child protection programs to receive greater share of funds amid spike in cases
Excerpt:
Read the full articleCircumstances for First Nations children have never been worse, according to Family Matters report co-author Catherine Liddle.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 10.8 times more likely to be removed from their families than any other child,” said Ms Liddle, who is also the CEO of SNAICC, the national voice for Indigenous children.
“The highest number we’ve seen recorded.”
Radio story: Rising rate of Indigenous children in care
Description:
Listen to the full storyA new national report has revealed Indigenous children are almost eleven times more likely to be in out of home care compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts.
Indigenous children’s advocates say it shows the need for more government funding for Aboriginal-controlled organisations.
Article: Underfunding of Indigenous-led child protection services continues despite growing need, report reveals
Excerpt:
Read the full articleOn Thursday, SNAICC chief executive Catherine Liddle said First Nations children had never been more likely to be placed on OOHC, yet the community sector – which was proved to work – continued to be “woefully” underfunded.
“This report shows the immediate and effective impact the ACCO sector is having in connecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with kin and culture,” Ms Liddle said.
“It shows how services are working to prevent and intervene in child removal and work to keep vulnerable children and families safe, supported and connected.”
Ms Liddle added: “This over-representation grows as family interventions become more intrusive at each stage of the system, pointing to a systemic failure to respond and support children and families rather than issues driven at a community level.”
Article: Indigenous kids removed from family at growing rates
Excerpt:
Read the full article (please note: paywall)“This over-representation grows as family interventions become more intrusive at each stage of the system,” according to report co-author Catherine Liddle, who is also chief executive of the peak body for Indigenous children, SNAICC.
This points to “a systemic failure to respond and support children and families rather than issues driven at a community level”, she said
The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care has risen from 54.2 per 1000 in 2019, to 57.2 per 1000 in 2023.
Article: Indigenous child protection organisations get the best results for Blak kids. But they’re funded the least
Excerpt:
Read the full articleFirst Nations children are 10.8 times more likely than their non-Indigenous peers to be in out of home care, the Family Matters report, which describes data related to child protection, found.
“It tells us the story of our deep disparity,” SNAICC chief executive Catherine Liddle told NITV.“It tells us that currently, 41 per cent of the children in out of home care are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
“It also tells us that the Aboriginal community controlled services that have remit for responsibility for looking after these children only get 6 per cent of the resources required to work with their children and work with their families.”
Article: SNAICC releases Family Matters Report finding flaws in Child Protection systems
Excerpt:
Read the full articleChild protection systems in Australia continue to fail First Nations children and families, the latest edition of the annual Family Matters report from SNAICC – National Voice for our Children has found.
The annual Family Matters report examines government actions to address the over-representation of First Nations children in the Child Protection system, and the outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in these systems.
Family Matters Report 2024 finds that child protection systems continue to fail Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, exposing them to ongoing harm and trauma.