Aboriginal organisations will lead the response to child protection investigations about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families through a new pilot, in an effort to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children in care.
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The move will be announced by the Victorian government's minister for child protection, Luke Donnellan, at the Aboriginal Children's Forum in Ballarat on Wednesday.
The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) and Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative (BDAC) have been selected as the two Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) to undertake the Australian-first pilot.
It will involve Aboriginal-led teams providing tailored and culturally-minded approaches alongside child protection officers.
It aims to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children in care and facilitate Aboriginal models of care delivered by the organisations.
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Mr Donnellan said the $11.6 million pilot would put Aboriginal Victorians at the centre of decision making.
"By ensuring Aboriginal children are in Aboriginal care and continuing to transition case management to Aboriginal community organisations - we're helping kids remain connected with their community and country and supporting reunification with their families wherever possible," Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Gabrielle Williams, added.
The twentieth Aboriginal Children's Forum will be hosted at the Ballarat and Aboriginal District Cooperative (BADAC).
It comes after the state government launched the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission on Tuesday to explore the historical and ongoing injustices committed against Indigenous people across all areas of social, political and economic life.
Independent of government and with the powers of a royal commission, it will recommend reforms and help to guide the state's treaty negotiations with communities.
"It's hard to describe what this will mean for our old people, our ancestors, our elders who have fought decades and decades for this," assembly co-chair Marcus Stewart said.
"We now have the opportunity to tell the true side of history - not a side that's been dismissed, not a side that's been denied."
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