Family Matters is Australia’s national campaign to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people grow up safe and cared for in family, community and culture.
Our aim is to eliminate the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 2040.
Family Matters is led by SNAICC and supported by a Strategic Alliance of over 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous organisations.
The campaign offers a unique approach to collaborative advocacy and organisational change, through the Family Matters Statement of Commitment. By signing the Statement, each organisational member of Family Matters not only participates in collective advocacy to governments and policy makers, but makes a meaningful commitment to practical change within their organisation, through actions to progress the campaign’s six core principles:
• Applying a child focused approach
• Ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations participate in and have control over decisions that affect their children
• Protecting children’s rights to live in culture
• Pursuing evidence based responses
• Supporting, healing and strengthening families
• Challenging systemic racism and inequalities
Format: Gerry will provide a 10-15 minute overview of the campaign’s core principles.
Campaign members will lead interactive table discussions on practical ways to implement change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child safety and wellbeing, including:
• Ensuring the best interests of the child
• Building and transferring capacity to community controlled organisations
• Developing culturally safe and competent practice
• Promoting and implementing early intervention supports