Six Aboriginal organisations in the Territory have been granted a total of $2.2M through the Aboriginal Carers Growing Up Aboriginal Children Grants Round 2, to continue the efforts to recruit more Aboriginal kinship and foster carers.
90 per cent of children and young people in care are Aboriginal. Evidence shows that children and young people have a better chance to thrive when they remain in home-based placements within their community and connected to culture – when it is safe to do so.
Through the Territory Labor Government’s Aboriginal Carers Growing Up Aboriginal Children grants program, for the first time in the Territory there are now more Aboriginal kinship carers than foster carers looking after children and young people in care.
The latest statistics show that there are 302 kinship care households and 299 non-Indigenous foster care households. In the past year, an additional 46 Aboriginal carers were recruited.
Much of this achievement is based on the first round of the program which provided funding to three Aboriginal organisations to recruit and support Aboriginal family, kinship and foster carers.
The six recipients of the Aboriginal Carers Growing Up Aboriginal Children Round 2 grants to deliver services for 18 months are:
- Yalu Aboriginal Corporation in Galiwinku
- Northern Territory Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation across many communities in the Top End
- Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council in the Central Desert and Tri-border region
- Kalano Aboriginal Corporation in Katherine
- Larrakia Nation (Darwin) and Tangentyere Council (Alice Springs) were also successful in securing additional funding to expand their services
As noted by Minister for Territory Families, Dale Wakefield
“Every child deserves a childhood where they are safe and connected with their culture and identity. We are investing in the most vulnerable children to change their pathways in life.
“The Territory Labor Government’s Aboriginal Carers Growing Up Aboriginal Children grants program is one way that we are transforming the out-of-home care system and placing more Aboriginal children and young people with family, when it is safe to do so.
“We are funding Aboriginal organisations and giving them greater decision-making power to improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal children. The Round 2 recipients are strong Aboriginal organisations that will make a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable children and help to improve their life outcomes.”
