Established in 1999, AbSec is the peak organisation concerned with the welfare of Aboriginal children, young people and families. We advocate for their rights, while supporting carers and communities. Our main priority is to keep children and young people safe, with the key goal of also keeping them within their family and community. It is vitally important that young people grow up surrounded by those who understand them, comfortable within their own culture where they will thrive.

AbSec ensures Aboriginal children, young people, families, carers and communities have access to services and support that give them the best possible chance to fulfil their potential. We work with both Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and non-Aboriginal organisations, as well as government agencies and other stakeholders, to steer and coordinate efforts to close the gap.

Our vision is that all Aboriginal children and young people are looked after in safe, thriving Aboriginal families and communities, raised strong in spirit and identity, with every opportunity for lifelong wellbeing and connection to culture, and surrounded by holistic supports.

At the core of this vision is our efforts to develop a tailored approach to Aboriginal child and family supports. We want to deliver universal, targeted and tertiary services that cover the full gamut of care. The aim is to create a system that recognises vulnerabilities in families and mitigates risk factors, reducing the need for invasive interventions. The fewer children and young people who need to be removed from their families, the better off we will all be. We also want to see more tailored Aboriginal out-of-home care and after-care services, with the goal of ending the cycle of disadvantage that continues to impact generations of Aboriginal families.