Our Way

The Queensland Government is committed to reducing the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection system and the delivery of priority reforms identified under National Agreement on Closing the Gap and Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2021–2031.

The Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety remains committed to the that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in Queensland grow up safe and cared for, in family, community, and culture, participate in decisions that affect them, and have access to culturally safe and responsive child safety services, that are trauma informed, and community-led.

The Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety (the Department) remains dedicated to the vision established by Our Way, that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in Queensland grow up safe and cared for, in family, community, and culture, participate in decisions that affect them, and have access to culturally safe and responsive child safety services, that are trauma informed, and community-led.

The Department will continue to work in partnership with the Queensland First Children and Families Board (QFCFB), the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak, Family Matters Queensland, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, community-controlled organisations, and government partners to deliver these commitments and outcomes, through shared responsibility and accountability.

Key  actions include:

• expanding access to quality, culturally responsive prevention, early intervention and tertiary services that support families and prevent children coming into care;
• transition of investment to ATSICCO within the Child and Family Services system informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-led placed-based responses to meet local priorities and needs;
• statewide implementation of delegated authority;
• partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through mechanisms such as the QFCFB to identify systems wide solutions to issues affecting and impacting the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families;
• whole-of-government collective action, shared responsibility and accountability;
• ongoing monitoring, review and evaluation of the implementation of child protection  programs and services to assess impact and outcomes;
• embedding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle to the standard of active efforts across the child protection system; co-design and implementation of a new kinship care model, Family Caring for Family; and reducing barriers to kinship care by developing a fit-for-purpose kinship care screening framework that is culturally safe and includes appropriate safeguards.