SNAICC – National Voice for our Children is calling on all major parties in the upcoming Federal election to commit to actions that create a better start in life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
SNAICC’s election priorities have been sent to parties with the responses to inform a snapshot of where they stand on key policies impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle said substantial policy change was crucial if a future Federal Government was to make headway on new Closing the Gap targets. “Under the National Partnership all Governments have agreed to work with the Coalition of Peaks to reduce over-representation in out of home care by 45 per cent by 2031,” Ms Liddle said.
Under the National Partnership all Governments have agreed to work with the Coalition of Peaks to reduce overrepresentation in out of home care by 45 per cent by 2031,” Ms Liddle said.
“There is also agreement to increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children developmentally on track against all 5 domains of the Australian Early Development Census by 55%.
“Achieving these targets will reduce the unacceptably high rates of Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander children removed from families, too often ending up caught in the justice system. Our children will have a better start in life with access to quality, community-controlled early childhood education and services.
“But this isn’t going to happen without committed efforts to reform government service systems, invest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-led solutions and change policies that work against our children and families.”
SNAICC is asking major parties to demonstrate their commitments to
- Investing in prevention and early support services for families through a new national program for ACCO-led integrated family support services
- Legislating to give authority to a National Commissioner (Advocate) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children
- Reforming the federal child care funding model to increase access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to culturally appropriate education and care
- Establishing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood intermediaries in every state and territory in partnership with SNAICC to build the community-controlled early years sector.
- Planning and investment to build the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce for child and family service delivery across the country
- Long-term core funding to SNAICC to give future certainty as the national peak for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and to engage in shared decision-making with governments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
“Supporting our children to reach their full potential is an investment in the social and economic future of our country, a commitment all parties should be making going into this election.”
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