Advancing the rights of Aboriginal children in the out of home care sector through community-controlled support
Tracks
SANFL Chairman room
| Thursday, March 19, 2026 |
| 11:40 AM - 12:20 PM |
| Adelaide Oval - SANFL Chairman room |
Overview
Presented by:
Lucy Wade - State Director, Children Youth & Families, Alcohol & other Drugs. Life Without Barriers,
Dan Mitchell - Executive Director of Services. KWY Aboriginal Corporation,
Sarah Mellet - Chief Executive Officer. InComPro
and
Shane Catterall - Executive Director, Aboriginal Family Support Services.
Details
The proposed panel discussion explores a transformative partnership designed to uphold the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the out of home care system to grow up connected to family, community, culture and Country.
In 2021, Life Without Barriers and SNAICC committed to transitioning the support for Aboriginal children in their out-of-home care services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations. This initiative is grounded in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle, the Family Matters Building Blocks, and internationally endorsed covenants—the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The project also reflects the wealth of research highlighting the criticality of connection to culture, family, community and Country for the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children.
Building on this foundation, a formal partnership was established in early 2024 between Life Without Barriers, Kornar Winmil Yunti (KWY), Aboriginal Family Support Services (AFSS), and InComPro Aboriginal Association. Guided by self-determination and the deep-seated knowledge and understanding that Aboriginal community is best placed to make decisions for Aboriginal children, these organisations have worked collaboratively to put individual agency gains aside and put Aboriginal children at the centre of decision-making.
This session will feature a panel of representatives from each partner organisation, sharing insights, challenges, and successes in creating authentic partnerships to drive system change that prioritises the rights of Aboriginal children.
