More than 30 Aboriginal children are now living with family members or people they already had a close relationship with and not in residential care following the success of an innovative program rolled out by the South Australian Government.
The Finding Families program, a partnership between South Australia's Department for Child Protection and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Kornar Winmil Yunti (KWY) began in late 2023, aiming to connect more young children and young people with family-based carers.
The program sees a team of dedicated, highly-skilled staff members focus solely on finding safe, nurturing, stable family-based placements for children and young people.
This month the program passed the milestone of 100 stable placements, including more than 30 for Aboriginal children.
Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation chief executive, Craig Rigney, said KWY has supported the partnership "to ensure that Aboriginal children and young people are going home to their families".
"Aboriginal family-led decision making is key to reducing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care," Mr Rigney said.
"Through Finding Families, we're documenting the voices of children and young people. There's lots of positives – children and young people are saying how important it is to them to be back with family."
So far the Finding Families team has found placements for children with family members across South Australia in areas including Ceduna, Berri and Roxby Downs.
After travelling across the country to meet with children's relatives as part of the process, placements have also been secured as far away as Maryborough in Queensland's Fraser Coast region and Wonthaggi in Southern Gippsland.
Finding Families manager, Michelle Latella, said the program places children and young people in contexts where they succeed.
"We should always do our utmost to endeavour that children remain with their family because that's where they thrive," Ms Latella said.
"We get lots of photos of children with family, and texts, saying how children are doing – that's the greatest reward. They'll grow up post 18 with family around them, and that's what keeps everyone going."
South Australian minister for child protection, Katrine Hildyard said all children deserve to be loved and experience that all important sense of belonging and connection.
"Finding Families is helping give children and young people a care experience that best supports their unique needs, development, stability, and security – something we continue to strive for in the child protection and family support system," Ms Hildyard said.
"Keeping children connected with family, culture, community and Country is a vital function of our child protection and family support system, and this innovative program has proven to be an excellent way to improve those connections."
Following its successful first year, the program is now being expanded.
