SNAICC Newsletter – August 2025

Werte! 

In this edition, you’ll find out what we’ve all been up to in the last two months (it’s a lot!).

To begin, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day was an absolute success. The celebrations that were had really brought together communities in the best way, and that’s to celebrate our young ones all over the country. We want to send a big thanks to everyone who participated, and to everyone at Kulai Preschool for letting the SNAICC team be a part of this year’s celebrations in Coffs Harbour. 

We also recognise that it’s been a heavy few weeks for our sector. We want to thank our ACCO ECEC services for everything that you are doing and continue to do in helping raise our little ones. We value and acknowledge the impact that you make towards our young ones every day.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day

What an incredible day of celebration!

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day was bursting with pride, joy, and community spirit as people from all over the country came together to celebrate our children, their culture and their connection to community. 🙌🏽

SNAICC had the pleasure of joining the celebrations at Kulai Preschool in Coffs Harbour, where the day came alive with dancing, singing, arts and crafts and lots of memories and laughter. It’s a powerful reminder of the strength of our young ones.

A special thank you to this year’s Children’s Day Ambassador, renowned artist and former professional surfer, Otis Hope Carey for his incredible support and advocacy. We also extend our thanks to Aunty Julie Carey, Director of Kulai Preschool for warmly welcoming us and creating a beautiful space for celebration, culture and community.

It was a real community celebration, with children and families from Gummyaney Aboriginal Pre School and Gumbaynggirr Giingana Freedom School coming to Kulai to take part.

Lastly, we’d like to send a big thank you to everyone who registered their celebrations, purchased a Children’s Day bag, downloaded the Children’s Day poster, and helped make the day so special right across the country. Your support is so appreciated, and we already can’t wait for next year!

Otis Hope Carey bonus podcast episode!

Listen to a bonus podcast episode of Kids, Culture, Community – SNAICC Yarns featuring this year’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day Ambassador, Otis Hope Carey!

How did you celebrate Children’s Day this year?

We’d also love to see how you all celebrated this year!

Latest Closing the Gap data

The Productivity Commission’s latest Closing the Gap data shows that many outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are worsening, but where governments invest directly into community-controlled organisations and back Aboriginal-led solutions there are improvements.

“The update makes it clear that these results are not the failings of our children, families or communities. They are the failings of governments who continue to fall short of their obligations under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.” SNAICC CEO, Catherine Liddle said.

We’re calling on the government to make the same commitment towards the targets that are going backwards, especially to those relating to our children.

Waterways

Throughout 2024 and 2025 SNAICC partnered with QATSCIPP, ABSEC, VACCA, KWY and Yamurrah to codesign and co-produce Culturally Responsive and Trauma Informed Training and deliver nationally. 

Through the training experience of the partnership, shared expertise, vision and purpose Waterways training was developed to address priority reform areas and Target 12 of the National Agreement. Project Waterways aims to contribute to this target of reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45% by 2031. Through strengthening the cultural responsiveness and trauma informed capabilities of the child and family sector with their practice and policy changes, we envision this work will help keep children connected with their families.  

👉🏽 Waterways stands for: 

• Weaving
• Antiracism
• Trauma
• Education
• Responsiveness
• With
• Awareness
• Yarning
• Solidarity

The training package was over 2 days and included 5 modules. Feedback from the participants and partners has been very positive.

Between October 2024 and June 2025 the team delivered Waterways Training to 1032 people nationally. The feedback has been overwhelming and our team are committed to finding the resources to continue to offer this training.

SNAICC also held an in person workshop on Kaurna Country in July 2025 to review the outcomes of Project Waterways and make recommendations for the future. The project team are excited to be presenting the learnings of our partnership, the co design and co production of the Waterways training at SNAICC’25.

For more information contact training@snaicc.org.au.

Project BIRD

SNAICC is excited to announce the piloting of Project BIRD training in 2025/26.

Project BIRD aims to improve the cultural safety and responsiveness of the primary healthcare system to drive improved support and referral outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victim-survivors of child sexual abuse.  

Resources to support training will include working with victim-survivors who face additional challenges as a result of prejudice and discrimination, such as people from LGBTIQA+ communities and people with disability and will also address preventing and responding to vicarious trauma experienced by health service staff. 

Project BIRD (Believe, Inquire, Respond to Disclosures) is part of the First National Action Plan under the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse.

👉🏽 The program will be delivered over 5 days in 5 locations identified by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) in:

• Canberra
• Melbourne
• Broome
• Thursday Island
• Hobart

For more information or to register please contact training@snaicc.org.au.

Youth Voice

Over the past six months, the Youth Voice team has connected with young peoples, organisations and communities across Australia.

A key message from our nationwide engagements and workshops is that young people have a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges they face in this era and hold innovative solutions to those challenges – they are ready to be heard beyond advisory roles.

This, and other key findings from our extensive national engagements are reported up to the SNAICC Board, Council and senior leadership to influence decision-making on all elements of SNAICC’s policy, advocacy, programmatic and research work, including around how young peoples’ voices can be amplified to decision-makers outside SNAICC.

Watch this space for action on amplifying young people’s voices, influencing decision-making and delivering meaningful change within the organisation.

Have a question about Youth Voice? Contact us at youth@snaicc.org.au

Genuine Partnership Launch

SNAICC is proud to have collaborated with the Benevolent Society on their important project – A Story of Genuine Partnership, an initiative supporting genuine collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations. 

Our Programs Executive Director, Gretchen Young, and Director of Sector Engagement and Innovation, Michael Currie, attended and spoke at the official launch highlighting the value of authentic collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

2025 SNAICC National Conference in Meanjin/Brisbane

Get ready! SNAICC’25 is happening 7-9 October and spots are filling fast. 

Register now so you don’t miss out!  

🗓️ Program Now Live 

Explore 84 breakout sessions, inspiring plenaries and a full program alive with culture.
Read about our Plenary Presenters and the culture on offer throughout the conference. 

👉🏽 What to Look Forward To: 

• Keynotes from Narelda Jacobs, Dr Kristina Wruck (2025 Young Australian of the Year), Joe Williams, Fiona Jose and Dr Jack Beetson
• A special session with Aunty Norma Ingram on her reflections on starting the first Aboriginal community-controlled early childcare centre in Redfern in 1972
• Youth Voice panel discussion with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders
• Live performances by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander singers, performers and artists
• Gala Cocktail Party featuring Christine Anu and DJ Big Mike

SNAICC’25 will be a powerful celebration of culture, connection and leadership.

Child Safety in Integrated Early Years Settings

SNAICC has been working with Deloitte Access Economics to lead consultations with ACCOs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders to ensure the voices, perspectives and advice of ACCOs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are heard through the Regulatory Impact Statement project, which will inform broader work to review and strengthen the National Quality Framework for early childhood education and care.

SNAICC also made a submission to the Child Safety Review Regulatory Impact Statement, providing advice on the importance of cultural and psychological safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and of system-wide improvements to ensure our children are supported in their early years.

Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership 

The Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership held its 10th meeting on Gadigal Country in Eora/Sydney on 3 – 4 July 2025. The meeting opened with a Welcome to Country by Yvonne Weldon from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, who reflected on the enduring strength and history of First Nations communities spanning over 65,000 years. 

ECCDPP meetings focus on progressing the Partnership’s agreed priorities. These priorities aim to drive meaningful action to support the safety, development and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and to meet Closing the Gap targets 2, 3, 4, 12 and 13, as well as address the cross-cutting priority area of disability.

A full list of the ECCDPP priorities are available here.

The outcomes summary from Meeting 10 will be published soon on the SNAICC and Department of Education websites.

Kids, Culture, Community – SNAICC Yarns

🎙️ Have you heard the latest episodes of Kids, Culture, Community – SNAICC Yarns?  

Our two latest episodes feature SNAICC’s Youth Voice Project Lead, Joel Matysek as he talks all things Youth Voice and youth leadership, as well as SNAICC’s In – House Designer, Tovani Cox, as she shares her creative insights into her artwork at SNAICC.

Listen Now: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index

EYS Gatherings 

SNAICC’s Early Years Support teams in VIC, NSW and WA each held their Leadership Gatherings over the last two months.  

The Gatherings offer as an opportunity for early childhood educators working in ACCO ECEC services to come together, connect and share stories of success with one another.

VIC Gathering

The EYS VIC Leadership Event was held on Wadawurrung Country in Anglesea. 27 educators from 11 ACCO ECEC services came together for a Culture and Wellbeing-themed retreat, blending learning, connection, culture and creativity.

Highlights included workshops centred around connecting to Country, community, and self and connection where stories, challenges, and successes were shared. The event was a beautiful reminder of the power of slowing down, being present, and leaning into culture as a guiding light.

Deep gratitude to all our valued Victorian EYS participants for bringing your wisdom, energy, and openness to this space – you’re the heartbeat of your services and communities!

NSW Gathering

The EYS NSW Gathering was held in Tamworth and highlights the deadly work that’s happening in ACCO ECEC services across NSW.

Successful programs from Little Yuin Preschool’s Nutrition Garden and Giigy Gamambi Preschool’s exceeding rated themes were highlighted. We also heard from Catharine Hydon about all thing’s leadership and Professor Cathrine Neilson-Hewett on her presentation around behaviours management.

Shannon from Djimbaya Kindergarten

We’ve heard from some of our ACCO services about how much they value male educators, and we want to put a spotlight on Shannon Kennedy, an early childhood educator from Djimbaya Kindergarten. 

Shannon is a proud Mutthi Mutthi man who has worked as an early childhood educator for the last three years. His aspirations to work in early childhood education and care came from wanting to be a positive male role model for the children to look up to. 

“I didn’t really know how much of an impact I was having as an educator until I joined Djimbaya and I’ve noticed over the past three years just how important it is for so many little ones and families to have a positive male role model to learn off of. 

“I am so proud and honored to be able to be a proud Indigenous male role model for the children at Djimbaya.”

We’d love to hear more stories about our awesome male educators in community, if you know someone who deserves a spotlight for the deadly work they’re doing – let us know!