Prevention

Prevention element symbolThe Prevention element of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP) relates to supporting families and building capacity in communities to care safely for their children. This will protect future generations from the devastating effects of removal from family, community, culture and country (SNAICC 2017).

To protect the rights of children to be brought up in their families, it is necessary to ensure that families have equitable access to quality service supports including:

  • a full range of culturally safe universal early childhood, education, health and other social services;
  • targeted and intensive supports to address issues in family functioning, promote healing, and address specific parental issues including trauma, substance misuse, mental health issues, family violence and poverty;
  • adequate and appropriate housing;
  • culturally safe family violence prevention, legal and support services;
  • alternative intake and referral pathways to early intervention prior to families engaging with child protection systems; and
  • an integrated and holistic service system that provides vulnerable families with the opportunity to readily engage with the full range of culturally safe service supports they require.

Measuring Prevention

The following indicator is currently under development under Prevention:

Number Indicator
Under development

Expenditure on child protection-related services provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations (ACCOs)

Under development Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children receiving child protection services from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations (ACCOs)

References

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 16 June 2020.