Page 3700 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 18 September 2018
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over-representation is unacceptable and requires attention, understanding and resolution.
The review Our Booris, Our Way has the primary focus of informing systemic improvements in child protection systems, policies and practices. The review seeks to understand the reasons why children and young people are entering care and to develop strategies to reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people entering care, to improve their experience and outcomes while in care, and exit children from care through restoration to their families where possible.
The Our Booris, Our Way review is built on the principle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination. To this end, the review is overseen by a wholly Aboriginal steering committee. This committee first came together in two co-design sessions in October and December 2017 in which they established the scope for the review. Further community members were added during this time, including the chairperson, Ms Barbara Causon. The steering committee first met as a complete group in February 2018.
I have been kept informed of the work of the steering committee by meeting with the committee in April this year as well as through regular quarterly meetings with the chair, Ms Causon. I commend the steering committee on their commitment to this work and the high quality of their interim report, and I look forward to my continued work with them.
I also acknowledge the difficult role each member of the committee has in bringing their cultural knowledge and connection to bear on behalf of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. I know this work is personally challenging for each member.
The Our Booris, Our Way review is based on a model that has not been implemented in the ACT previously. Our Booris, Our Way is undertaking a thorough review of approximately 350 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people involved with the child protection system.
These case reviews are grounded in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander placement principles. These principles are considered best practice when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families involved with child protection Australia-wide, and the review will give us a benchmark as to how the ACT is currently performing against them.
The review team is also speaking with families, carers and children and young people to hear their stories and understand how the child protection system impacts them. It asks people with lived experience: “What do you want this system to look like in the future?”
In addition to this work, the steering committee is speaking with many organisations and individuals. Through a combination of these consultations and the data from case reviews we can expect their final report, due in September 2019, to present a thorough
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