Queensland moves to close the gap under new agreement

• Australia’s Community Services Ministers and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership group have met in Adelaide to jointly launch a new agreement aimed at closing the gap
• The Safe and Supported Partnership Agreement for Shared Decision-Making will continue efforts to close the gap in life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, families and communities
• It builds on work already under way in Queensland through the Our Way strategy.

Queensland’s Minister for Child Safety Charis Mullen has joined a new Safe and Supported Shared Decision-Making Committee to launch a national partnership agreement to protect children and young people from harm and neglect.

The Safe and Supported Partnership Agreement for Shared Decision-Making establishes a strong foundation for Australia’s Community Services Ministers and the Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Leadership Group to work to close the gap in life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and their families.

Meeting in Adelaide, the group acknowledged the importance of honouring their commitment to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The group also discussed the national Safe and Supported action plans already underway, which aim to reduce the rate of child abuse and neglect and their intergenerational impacts.

The action plans focus on priority groups experiencing disadvantage or vulnerabilities who are over-represented in child protection systems.

Priority groups include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander:

• children and families with multiple and complex needs
• children and young people experiencing disadvantage or who are vulnerable
• children and young people with disability, and their carers and parents with disability experiencing disadvantage or vulnerability
• children and young people who have experienced abuse and neglect, including those in out-of-home care or who are leaving out-of-home care to transition to adulthood.

The new agreement supports the Queensland Government’s work with Family Matters Queensland, Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak and the Queensland First Children and Families Board to deliver Our Way: A generational strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families 2017–2037.

In September 2023, Queensland launched the Breaking Cycles action plan (2023–2025) under the Our Way strategy.

This is transforming the way services are designed, developed and delivered in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and families by government and non-government organisations.

The Queensland Government acknowledges the leadership and support of SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children and Families Australia in developing the partnership agreement and advocating for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Child Safety Charis Mullen:

“All children have a right to grow up safe, connected and supported in their family, community and culture.

“Queensland is home to two of the oldest living cultures in the world, and I am honoured to work for a state that has such strong and vibrant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, lands, history and achievements.

“I am proud of the changes we have created so far, but, like all jurisdictions, we still face significant challenges to achieve our closing the gap commitments.

“To meet these commitments, we must honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have called for self-determination, truth-telling, partnership and agreement-making.

“We are committed to reframing our relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples under the Path to Treaty, which maps out a future where we embrace and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly children and young people.

“The Safe and Supported Partnership Agreement for Shared Decision-Making supports our current work and will help strengthen our partnerships and relationships.”

ENDS