On this year’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, six key Queensland groups launched the Combined Voices campaign to better lobby the Queensland government on behalf of our children. They said: “Queensland’s current approach to ensuring the safety and well being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families is not working.”

Some of the evidence of this claim is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are six times more likely to come under a formal child protection order or to be removed from their home. They make up 33% of the in-care population despite being only 6.5% of Queensland’s child population.

QLD Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak Ltd (QATSICPP) inaugural chair Leanne Knowles said teh primary motivation for the campaign was working how and why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children are ‘way over-represnted’ in the child-protection system.

What is the issue?

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children are still experiencing poor outcomes in terms of their safety, education and health.

• They are significantly over represented in the child protection system.

Some of the facts>

• In Queensland 1 out of every 4.5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children have had some form of contact with the child protection system.

• June 2008 stats reveal only 56.7% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children in care were placed with Indigenous carers.

• Only 12% of these children had phone contact with an immediate family member.

We need you to join the Combined Voices Campaign

The Combined Voices campaign Brisbane launch included:

• QLD Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Human Services Coalition (QATSIHSC)
• QLD Council of Social Services (QCOSS)
• QLD Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak Ltd (QATSICPP)
• PeakCare Queensland
• CREATE Foundation
• Child & family welfare professionals.