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Aboriginal-Led Child Protection Research and Policy
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Aboriginal-led research that builds evidence and develops solutions to liberate Aboriginal children from outof-home care
Research Project
Community co-designed
Challenge
The removal of many Aboriginal children is unjustified and steeped in racism, parentdeficit framing and povertyblaming. This research seeks to understand systemic barriers to restoration and poses solutions to liberate Aboriginal children from out-of-home care.
Solution
Solutions have emerged organically, led by Aboriginal communities. The‘ Know Your Rights’ project will empower Aboriginal families with the knowledge to navigate child protection systems. It is funded by the NSW state peak body AbSec and CAGES.
The Aboriginal Authority for Restoring Children( AARC) is an Aboriginal community-led initiative to reconnect and restore the 5000 Aboriginal children in NSW state care on long-term orders. The AARC is supported by the NSW Government and AbSec.
Target customers / end-users
• Aboriginal parents, families and communities navigating child protection systems and restoration processes
• Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, nongovernment organisations, and all child and family welfare services
• policymakers and government agencies.
Progress
• > AU $ 1.5m NSW Government funding; AU $ 50k philanthropic funding for research impact initiatives
• > AU $ 1.6m in research funding from NHMRC Investigator Grant
• sector-wide endorsement for research translation initiatives.
Multidisciplinary team
Housing & Connected Communities
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children rarely return home after being removed by the government. This important research aims to address this problem.
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