Historic $350m NSW funding boost helps launch new Aboriginal family program to help children ‘tell their own stories’
Summary
The New South Wales (NSW) government in Australia has launched a family program to help at-risk Aboriginal children share their personal stories and receive support. This program uses $350 million in funding to support Aboriginal organisations and other groups in protecting families and reducing the number of Indigenous children placed in foster care.Key Facts
- The NSW government allocated $350 million to 25 Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) for this program.
- The program is part of a larger $900 million investment into redesigned family preservation services.
- Aboriginal families and organisations helped design the program to make sure it fits their cultural needs.
- The goal is to lower the number of Indigenous children in out-of-home care, where they are overrepresented.
- Services include trauma-informed and culturally safe support with psychologists, nurses, and narrative therapists helping children express their experiences.
- One example is a boy with autism who used drawing to share his story and is now doing better with ongoing support.
- Aboriginal children make up about 7.8% of all children in NSW but represent 46.1% of children in foster care.
- The program helps families strengthen connections, improve parenting, and create safe homes to keep children with their families.
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