Level 7, 104 Bathurst Street, Sydney NSW 2000
PO Box A2409, SYDNEY SOUTH NSW 1235
ABN: 22 477 168 898
Telephone: (02) 9264 0088 Fax: (02) 9264 0090
Email: eo@absec.org.au
MEDIA RELEASE
3rd March 2009
Government Response to the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child
Protection in NSW (the Inquiry) welcomed by the Aboriginal Child,
Family and Community Care State Secretariat (AbSec).
AbSec, as the peak body advising government on Aboriginal Child Protection and Out of Home
Care (OOHC) issues in NSW welcomes the Governments response to the recommendations
contained in the report of the Inquiry.
AbSec congratulates the Premier and the Minister for Community services for the collaborative
approach they have taken in developing and framing the response - especially those parts of the
response linked to the safety and well being of Aboriginal Children and Young People.
The focus on building on existing Aboriginal community capacity and strengths is to be applauded,
whilst the acceptance of the development of new innovative programs will hopefully usher in a
new era of a collaborative partnership approach to Aboriginal service provision in the child
protection and OOHC sector.
The holistic approach broached by the government, acknowledges that Aboriginal child wellbeing
and safety are inextricably linked to overcoming broader Aboriginal social disadvantage in such
areas as housing, health and education and the report should lead to greater collaboration
between the relevant government departments and the NGO sector. The Chairperson of AbSec -
Amanda Bridge stated “The time is right to acknowledge that Aboriginal people and communities
need to be fully engaged in a joint response that will ensure the wellbeing of our children – we
have the knowledge, skills and abilities to work with the government and non government sectors
to reduce the gross over representation of our children in the child protection, OOHC and Juvenile
Justice systems”.
AbSec looks forward to the implementation of the responses and believes that this is the best
opportunity for the Department of Community Services to work in a true partnership framework
with Aboriginal communities and families and the Aboriginal and Non Aboriginal NGO sector. The
CEO of AbSec, Bill Pritchard said, “We really hope that this response will lead to a day in the
future where a knock on the door from DoCS will not only be seen by Aboriginal people as the
start of a process for the removal of their children but instead will be seen as a new start where
Aboriginal people will be able to work in a trusting environment to ensure the safety of their
children”
ACWA, SNAICC and AbSec are holding a sector forum on 11 March to examine Aboriginal
capacity building and partnership development issues. (details at
MEDIA CONTACTS
For comments please contact:
Bill Pritchard
Executive Officer
Mob 0408 888 698
Amanda Bridge
Chairperson
Mob 0414 897 565
NEWS 
