Gap still as wide as ever – a grim picture

The latest data release from the Productivity Commission on Closing the Gap has highlighted a disturbing trend of worsening conditions in key areas for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, amplifying the urgency for all governments to commit fully to the Closing the Gap agreement.

Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC – National Voice of Our Children said the report paints a grim picture with critical targets in child protection and youth justice systems as well as suicide rates and children’s developmental readiness for school heading in the wrong direction.

“This should be a wake-up call to all governments. We need a renewed commitment to the Closing the Gap agreement, and we need it now,” Ms Liddle said.

“The findings from the Productivity Commission show just how much work is left to do, and without substantial change, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children will be left behind.”

Target 12, which aims to reduce the number of children in out-of-home care, has made no progress, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children remaining almost 11 times more likely to be placed in care than their non-Indigenous peers.

Target 11 (reducing the rate of youth in detention) has not seen improvement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people 26.1 times more likely to be in detention than their non-Indigenous peers.

“These are not the failings of our children, our families or our organisations.

“The Productivity Commission review of Closing the Gap released just over a year ago laid out clear recommendations for change. Government at the Federal and State levels have still not committed to the findings of this report. It’s just not good enough.

“It’s clear the ‘business as usual approach’ is not hitting the mark, and the need for community-led early intervention programs and family support services are not being met.

“We have calls from the Federal Opposition for a Royal Commission into child sexual abuse when emotional abuse and neglect are the primary type of harm for almost 80% of substantiated child protection notifications for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, while sexual abuse is the primary abuse type in 7% of substantiated notifications.

“Systems built for us, but without us, will never drive the change we have to see.”

“If we continue down this path, we will fail in our shared responsibility to protect and care for these children, and to give them the opportunity to succeed.

“The Closing the Gap agreement is not just a commitment on paper – it is a commitment to deliver real, lasting, generational change.

“SNAICC is calling for an urgent, comprehensive and bi-partisan response to these findings by Federal, State and Territory and local governments.

“Their commitments to improving life outcomes for our children cannot continue to just be words. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children deserve real action.”