Victoria is removing more First Nations children from their families than any other state in the country, and at almost twice the national rate, according to new data from the Productivity Commission 

The latest Closing the Gap report (released 1 August 2024) is not a surprise to us. 

“Victoria’s Child Protection system is not protecting our kids, says Djirra CEO Antoinette Braybrook AM.

“This punitive, unfair system is creating more trauma, distrust, fear, and harm to Aboriginal women and kids across this state.”

More of Victoria’s Aboriginal kids than ever are being taken from their parents as a direct result of systemic racism in this state’s child protection and out-of-home care systems.  

“This system is not broken. It is doing exactly what it’s intended to do – target, blame and punish Aboriginal women by taking our kids,” says Antoinette.

“And it is literally creating another stolen generation.”

Family Violence 

Family violence is the single biggest driver of the vast over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care.  

“If you are an Aboriginal woman in Victoria, you are 45 times more likely to experience family violence – perpetrated by men from all backgrounds – than other women,” says Antoinette.

“Yet again, the Closing the Gap report does not provide an update on progress towards a 50% reduction by 2031 of all forms of family violence and abuse against First Nations women and children.”

“This is completely outrageous. You cannot manage what you don’t measure.”

Relying on outdated data tells us Governments do not take our women’s safety seriously and highlights its complete failure to address the disproportionate rates of violence against Aboriginal women and children by men from all backgrounds. 

“Djirra works with women who are blamed and punished for the violence they experience, who have their children taken rather than being supported to escape the violence with their children, and who fear the system more than their abuser,” says Antoinette.

Solutions 

Djirra provided a detailed submission and gave evidence to the Yoorrook Justice Commission about the urgent need to reform the Child Protection system in this state. Since then, the numbers of Aboriginal kids removed from their families keeps increasing. 

Aboriginal women in every part of Victoria must have access to a service like Djirra for their safety, one without judgment and within 100km or an hour – wherever she is. 
 
“Early legal advice as soon concern about the safety of an Aboriginal child is raised WILL stop our kids being ripped from their mum’s arms and keep mums and children safe and together,” says Antoinette.

The Victorian Government must establish and fund a mandatory system of referring mums and mums-to-be to Djirra for legal advice and representation as soon as a concern about the safety of an Aboriginal child is raised. 

This was recommended by the Yoorrook Justice Commission in September 2023, and Djirra alongside the National Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services Forum has been advocating for this for more than 10 years. 

“It’s been months since the Government gave in-principle support for early intervention and culturally safe legal assistance for all Aboriginal parents and parents-to-be, whenever an issue of child safety is raised.,” says Antoinette.

“What is the hold up? They have got to act more urgently.”

Media queries:

Kate Bowman
Head of Strategic Communications
[email protected]