The Northern Territory government must ensure proposed amendments to the Care and Protection of Children Act uphold the rights and wellbeing of Aboriginal children by working closely with Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services (FVPLS) who work at the frontline with families affected by domestic violence, says the national peak body that represents the sector.

First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence (FNAAFV) said on Tuesday it is "deeply concerned" by the "very limited" consultation process surrounding the Territory government's proposed Care and Protection of Children Amendment Bill 2025 (NT) (Bill), and its potential to erode the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle, which ensures that Aboriginal children in care remain connected to their family, culture, and community.

"Aboriginal children need more protections, not less," said FNAAV chief executive Kerry Staines.

"Weakening these principles not only disregards the recommendations of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the NT, but risks repeating past harms that have left deep scars on our communities. We consider that the amendments also go against the recommendations contained in the 1997 Bringing Them Home Report.

"FNAAFV calls on the NT Government to halt the proposed amendments until meaningful consultation is conducted with FVPLSs and Aboriginal Peak Organisations. Ensuring genuine collaboration will not only improve outcomes for Aboriginal children but will also demonstrate a commitment to the principles of self-determination and cultural safety."

Ms Staines noted that a majority of child protection, out-of-home care, and court-decided cases concerning the wellbeing of children are directly linked to domestic, family, and sexual violence; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children are disproportionately affected by DFSV.

"FNAAFV stresses that working closely with NT FVPLSs can minimise the 'upstream effect' of cases escalating to court by addressing issues early and providing timely, culturally safe interventions," she said.

"FVPLSs have consistently demonstrated their capacity to provide place-based solutions that work. As the primary providers of culturally safe services for Aboriginal families in the NT, they are uniquely positioned to guide reforms that protect children and support families in ways that are culturally appropriate and effective.

"FNAAFV has strongly advocated for many years that state and territory governments implement automatic notification systems with direct referrals to FVPLSs when at-risk families are identified. This proactive approach ensures victim-survivors are connected with specialised services at the earliest stage, offering legal and non-legal support tailored to aid in families and to keep families together as a result of early intervention."

The First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence chief also noted that "clear and automatic" referral pathways are "not just an administrative improvement—they are a life-saving measure".

"When victim-survivors have timely access to the culturally appropriate and expert support of FVPLSs, we see better outcomes in safety planning, legal advocacy, and access to essential services. FNAAFV urges and calls for all Governments to work collaboratively with FVPLSs to ensure these referral pathways are embedded in protocols and supported by adequate resources," Ms Staines said.

The peak body urged the NT government must also collaborate with Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services and other Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to: strengthen support for Aboriginal families and communities to keep children safe within their kinship networks; improve assessment processes for identifying Indigenous carers; and ensure that child protection reforms align with commitments under the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap and the Safe and Supported National Framework for Protecting Children.

Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services noted that the Territory's child protection system "continues to face significant challenges, with 90 per cent of children in out-of-home care being Aboriginal" and that "only 23.8 per cent of these children are placed with family members".

FNAAFV stressed that any reforms must address these systemic shortcomings and uphold the principles of self-determination and cultural safety.