31 JULY 2024
MORWELL PLACE-BASED PARTNERSHIP TO ADDRESS OVER REPRESENTATION OF ABORIGINAL CHILDREN IN CARE
In partnership with the Victorian State Government, the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) will this week launch the Morwell Place-Based Partnership funded under commitments in the Close the Gap National agreement.
The Morwell Partnership will focus on reducing the number of Aboriginal children in out of home care in Gippsland. While Aboriginal people make up 1.9% of the population in the region, Aboriginal children make up 28% of children in out of home care in inner Gippsland. Families in every pocket of the region are affected, which points to a lack of service infrastructure to support families to access support before they reach crisis point.
VACCA knows that implementing Aboriginal-led early intervention and prevention is one of the most effective ways to address the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children and young people entering the child protection system. It is our hope that the Morwell Partnership will deliver transformational and sustainable change to reducing this overrepresentation.
VACCA CEO Muriel Bamblett said, “how we as the Aboriginal community decide we would like to take action must include real shared decision making between government and Aboriginal people. It is more than just codesign, this is self-determination in action. Aboriginal decision making in Aboriginal hands”
“The Morwell Partnership has equal voices of Aboriginal community with Government and other Stakeholders. Our consultations are flipping the narrative. Aboriginal Community will be the jury. State and service providers will give evidence to support decision making and be accountable to Community,” Ms Bamblett continued.
Focusing on Target 12 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap which commits to reducing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out of home care by 45% by 2031, the Morwell Partnership is one of six planned place-based partnerships partnerships focusing on implementation of the National Agreement at a local level.
Policy, program and specialist staff across government, local government, and child and family services will work alongside local Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), Elders and community members across four days, to design and develop locally led solutions.
“Getting so many individuals from Community in one room with government is no easy task, and it shows you the commitment Community has to doing things differently and getting better results for children and families in Gippsland,” said Ms Bamblett.
By including Aboriginal voices in developing long term, meaningful and systemic change, the Morwell Partnership will gather input from those who understand local issues and are best placed to contribute to discussions, provide evidence, and shape solutions.
- ENDS -
FOR RELEASE –
Beth Cesarin - Senior Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
PH: 0439 117 408 E: bethc@vacca.org
Sarah Gafforini – Director, Office of the CEO VACCA
T: 0427 621 421/ E: sarahg@vacca.org
ABOUT VACCA - www.vacca.org
The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) is Victoria’s Peak Voice for Aboriginal children. We are the leading provider of Aboriginal child and family services, and the largest provider of services for Aboriginal family violence and homelessness. We have been supporting children, young people, and families in the community for over 47 years as an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO).
Through our vision of self-determination – Live, Experience, and Be – we exist to support culturally strong, safe, and thriving Aboriginal communities. We deliver over 80 programs across Victoria including child and family services, family violence, support for stolen generations, child protection, cultural strengthening programs, mental health, financial services, justice and redress support, early years, and homelessness services.
We acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we work. We pay our respects to their elders, past and present, and to their children and young people who are the future elders and caretakers of this great land.