“As we observe the distressing rates of Aboriginal children entering care, our organisation and Board are clear that we must make this commitment to children and their families if we are ever to realise giant steps towards Reconciliation. We are grateful to our partnership with SNAICC and First Nations peoples to understand the most effective way we strengthen families to stay together with their children,” Claire Robbs Life Without Barriers Chief Executive Officer said when announcing the new partnership.
“The future of decision-making about the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is community-controlled. Our mobs know best. And we know that culturally-appropriate services led by us and developed by us, get better outcomes,” SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle said.
“We are pleased to work alongside Life Without Barriers through a framework that enshrines the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, and we look forward to this setting a precedent for future service delivery,” Ms Liddle said.
PeakCare applauds the commitment made by Life Without Barriers and SNAICC. We share the hope stated by Ms Liddle that this will set a precedent that other non-government organisations will wish to observe and that they will take steps to follow their lead.
Critical to the success of this initiative will be the responses provide by governments from across Australia. They will become essential partners in ensuring that government funding is re-directed to Aboriginal and Torres Strait controlled community organisations. Governments from across Australia will, in effect, become the missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle, and their resolute efforts are also needed to close the gap.
Please enter any comments you wish to make, anonymously if your prefer, about the new partnership entered into by SNAICC and Life Without Barriers here.