Kimberley Aboriginal communities to have more say in child protection matters as part of State Govt trial

The Kimberley has been flagged as one of two sites for a 12-month pilot program that will give the region’s Aboriginal communities more authority in the care of their children. The State Government announced on Wednesday it would invest $1.3 million into an Aboriginal Representative Organisation (ARO) trial in the Kimberley and Armadale from mid-2022 as part of a suite of reforms to support child protection processes with improved cultural safety for Aboriginal children, families and communities. The pilot follows amendments to the Children and Community Services Amendment Act which were passed through State Parliament in October and will be used to help develop the Statewide implementation of the reforms. As part of the trial, AROs will be consulted before a care placement arrangement is made for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child and given the opportunity to participate in the preparation and review of child cultural support plans. Child Protection Minister Simone McGurk said it would help Aboriginal children stay connected to family, culture, community and country. “The McGowan government is prioritising child protection reforms that empower Aboriginal organisations and communities to have greater say in the decisions that help keep their children and families safe,” she said. “The Aboriginal Representative Organisations pilot will help increase our knowledge base and guide future Aboriginal-led child protection initiatives across WA.” The exact location of the Kimberley pilot will be announced in coming months.