The Aboriginal Case Management Policy (ACMP) is now in its implementation phase, with AbSec continuing to meet with the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and other stakeholders from across NSW in order to support the rollout.
More than just a policy, the ACMP represents a significant shift in the Aboriginal case management process as the new policy aims to reduce the disproportionate trend of Aboriginal children and young people being placed into out-of-home care. In NSW, around 40% of the children in out-of-home care are Aboriginal, despite only representing 5% of the state’s population. And more often than not, these children are being placed into non-Aboriginal homes, resulting in a further devastating loss of family, culture and community.
“Over the next few months, we’ll start to see the ACMP operational across NSW, which is really exciting, and I believe this policy will be the circuit breaker so desperately needed for many Aboriginal families. It will make a huge contribution to more Aboriginal children growing up strong in culture and connected to their community.”
Said John Leha, CEO of AbSec.
The ACMP signifies an important shift to how caseworkers will engage with Aboriginal children, with an understanding that decisions made about Aboriginal children must involve Aboriginal families. This applies to all Aboriginal children and young people who are engaged with the child protection system, from early intervention through to out-of-home care, recognising culture as the key ingredient for building strong and resilient Aboriginal children. Key ACMP enablers include Aboriginal family-led decision making, Aboriginal family-led assessments and Aboriginal community-controlled mechanisms.
It’s been encouraging to see the ACMP embraced so positively by DCJ as they begin the significant process of implementing the policy throughout the state. Caseworkers can expect to hear soon from their managers about how the policy will be rolled out in their region.
An e-Learning package, designed by AbSec, will soon be available to caseworkers consisting of three interactive learning modules, with AbSec continuing to support the process throughout the transition.
Find out more about the ACMP, including downloading a printable factsheet here, or for more information, please email acmp@absec.org.au or call (02) 9559 5299.
