Introduction and policy landscape
Key findings
- In 2022–23, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, reunification with family was the most common pathway leaving out-of-home care (39%)
- In 2022–23, 69% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care who had siblings in out-of-home care were placed with Table at least one of their siblings
- In 2022–23, when entering out-of-home care, 46% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were placed with relatives or kin, an increase from 25% in 2016–17
- In 2021–22, 84% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were reunified with their family, did not return to out-of-home care in the following 12 months
Ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are safe from harm and are able to thrive by remaining connected to their family, community and culture is a key focus of governments and community leaders. In 2022–23, about 58,200 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children came into contact with child protection systems.
Source: CPA 2022–23: Insights, data table S2.3
In December 2021, Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021–2031 (Safe and Supported) was released, with the Action Plans launched in January 2023 (DSS 2022). Safe and Supported was developed, and continues to be driven, by shared decision-making between the Commonwealth, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, state and territory governments and collaboratively with the non-government sector. Safe and Supported’s vision is for children in Australia to reach their full potential by growing up safe and supported, free from harm and neglect. Safe and Supported contributes directly to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap target 12 which aims to reduce the rate of over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45% of the 2019 rate by 2031.
Through the advocacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP) was committed to by the Commonwealth and state and territory governments in the previous National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009–2020 (AIFS 2022; DSS 2021; SNAICC 2017), and continues to be of critical importance in Safe and Supported. The Placement Principle is centred on the five elements of Prevention, Partnership, Placement, Participation and Connection. State and territory government agencies responsible for child protection services are continuing to work towards implementing all five elements of the ATSICPP in legislation, policy, practice, programs and accountability frameworks.
The scope and source of the data in this report may differ from those published by different organisations. Therefore, direct comparisons cannot be made between the data included in this report and data included in other reports.
AIFS (Australian Institute of Family Studies) (2022) Australian child protection legislation, AIFS, accessed 9 September 2024.
DSS (Department of Social Services) (2021) The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021–2031 | Department of Social Services, Australian Government (dss.gov.au), DSS, accessed 9 September 2024.
DSS (2022) Safe and Supported: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander First Action Plan 2023–2026 | Department of Social Services, Australian Government (dss.gov.au), DSS, accessed 4 September 2024.
SNAICC National Voice for our Children (2017) Understanding and applying the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle: a resource for legislation, policy, and program development, SNAICC, accessed 4 October 2023.