Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families to Stay Together from the Start (SAFeST Start): Urgent call to action to address crisis in infant removals

C Chamberlain; P Gray; D Bennet; A Elliott; M Jackomos; J Krakouer; R Marriott; B O'Dea; J Andrews; S Andrews; C Atkinson; J Atkinson; A Bhathal; G Bundle; S Davies; H Herrman; SA Hunter; G Jones-Terare; C Leane; S Mares; J McConachy; F Mensah; C Mills; J Mohammed; L Hetti Mudiyanselage; M O'Donnell; E Orr; N Priest; Y Roe; K Smith; C Waldby; H Milroy; M Langton

Journal article

Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families to Stay Together from the Start (SAFeST Start): Urgent call to action to address crisis in infant removals

C Chamberlain, P Gray, D Bennet, A Elliott, M Jackomos, J Krakouer, R Marriott, B O'Dea, J Andrews, S Andrews, C Atkinson, J Atkinson, A Bhathal, G Bundle, S Davies, H Herrman, SA Hunter, G Jones-Terare, C Leane, S Mares Show all

Australian Journal of Social Issues | WILEY | Published : 2022

DOI: 10.1002/ajs4.200

Download PDF

Abstract

Reducing the rate of over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care (OOHC) is a key Closing the Gap target committed to by all Australian governments. Current strategies are failing. The “gap” is widening, with the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in OOHC at 30 June 2020 being 11 times that of non-Indigenous children. Approximately, one in five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children entering OOHC each year are younger than one year. These figures represent compounding intergenerational trauma and institutional harm to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities. This article outlines systemic failures..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Cath Chamberlain Author

Jacynta Krakouer Author

Shawana Andrews Author

Caroline Lisbeth Atkinson Author

Related Projects (1)

Evidence-based life-course approaches to improve health equity of Aboriginal families during the perinatal period

I am a leader in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) health research with a vision to maximise unique life-course opportuniti..

Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

We acknowledge SNAICC - National Voice for our Children - for their leadership and advocacy in this field. We are also grateful to the SAFeST Start group members for supporting the development of this position statement and to the families, frontline workers and other advocates working to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to stay together from the start. Catherine Chamberlain is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Career Development Fellowship (1161065). Research at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute is supported by the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program.