Budget support for Indigenous children called for

SNAICC – the national voice for our children – has called on the Federal government to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in its Budget statement later this month.

The Government will hand down the Budget on March 25 and SNAICC has made a strong case for 11 priority projects.

• Implementation of a dedicated funding model for ACCO integrated early years services
• Nest and Nurture Model for new ACCO early years services
• SNAICC Early Years Support Continuation and Expansion
• Expansion of the Connected Beginnings program
• Increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early educator workforce
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ECEC workforce development innovation fund
• Continuing and expanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Playgroup

SNAICC have also called on budget support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to be safe and well, and connected to their families, communities, cultures, and country through a number of proposals.

• Resourcing and implementing Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children
• National ACCO prevention and early support program funding
• Implementing Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence
• Sustainable, ongoing funding for the Office of the National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People

Earlier this month SNAICC Chairperson Muriel Bamblett appeared before the Senate Inquiry into Measuring Outcomes for First Nations Communities alongside Wendy Anders, CEO of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance (NATSIWA).

Aunty Muriel told Inquiry chair Senator Dorinda Cox the existing funding models, ways of working and approaches to measurement and evaluation were not enough to close the gap for our children.

 Aunty Muriel told chair Senator Dorinda Cox the existing funding models were not working.

She maintained that while the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and its Priority Reforms provide the solutions, stronger commitment and investment is needed from governments to see them implemented.

Aunty Muriel also acknowledged the recent success of the establishment of the National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People.

She noted the critical work of the Safe and Supported and the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership through which this critical oversight and advocacy role was negotiated.