State Government delivers millions in funding to keep Mid West- Gascoyne Aboriginal child protection

The State Government has committed to delivering $7.2 million to help the reunification of Aboriginal families in the Mid West and Gascoyne. Announced last week as part of the State Budget in May, the funding will secure the future of Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making until 2030. Operating in Geraldton and Mirrabooka, the funding boost will be used to continue their work in child protection. AFLDM’s pilot program started in October 2021. It supports Aboriginal families and aims to combat the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care. The pilot program has delivered provable outcomes so far, with 47 children diverted or reunified from the child protection system. In the Mid West-Gascoyne, the program is delivered by Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation, which works with children and families to prevent children entering out-of-home care and increase reunification. Child Protection Minister Jessica Stojkovski said she was proud to work with Aboriginal-led organisations to support families. “We are committed to keeping Aboriginal children safely at home with their families and working with Aboriginal organisations to support reunification where possible, as part of our commitment to building safe and inclusive communities,” she said. “The legislative reforms delivered by our Government in 2021 are continuing to support better pathways for families to engage help and be empowered in decision-making for their children.” The State Government has committed an additional $37.7m of funding to the Aboriginal Representative Organisations program, which helps children in care remain connected to culture and community.