SNAICC Chairperson Dawn Wallam has congratulated the Australian Government on the launch of the Second Action Plan 2012-15 of the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020.
“SNAICC particularly welcomes the focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the second action plan and its push to implement some of the successes of the first three-year plan.
“These successes include the development of national out-of-home care standards and the establishment of a National Children’s Commissioner,” Ms Wallam said.
Ms Wallam said the new plan provided a solid blueprint for improving the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
“SNAICC is encouraged by the principles underpinning the plan, particularly its emphasis on developing local partnerships for local solutions and recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families need strategies that are sensitive to their needs and circumstances.
“These principles reinforce SNAICC’s consistent message that the key to sustained improvements in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is supporting Indigenous people and organisations to design, develop and deliver services for their own communities,” Ms Wallam said.
However, Ms Wallam said mainstream agencies had an important role to play in working towards a greater role for community-controlled agencies, by forming partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers.
Ms Wallam said SNAICC in the next three years would reinforce the need to:
- focus on areas which did not receive significant significant attention in implementation of the first action plan, namely ‘Closing the Gap’
- promote a community development approach in remote communities that adresses underlying causes of disadvantage, and supports and enables communities to exercise control over their own lives and the direction of their communities, and
- focus on improving application and nationally consistent reporting of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle for children in out-of-home care.
“We look forward to working with the Government on developing a strong and clear workplan and monitoring framework to ensure measures put in place over the next three years improve the safety and wellbeing of our children,” Ms Wallam said.
For more information: Frank Hytten, SNAICC CEO, on (0432) 345 652;
Emma Sydenham, SNAICC Policy and Research Manager, on (0415) 188 990
