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Find out more about the Royal Commission
Child protection system not fit for First Nations families
27/11/2020
First Nations mother 'Shontaya' spoke about an abusive relationship and her experiences with two different psychologists' parenting capacity assessments. While her first assessment did not consider the impacts of domestic violence, deaths in the family and cultural strengths, a subsequent assessment did, which led to a diagnosis of intellectual disability and a mental health plan. Shontaya now has an NDIS plan and attends domestic violence counselling.
The Queensland Family and Child Commissioner and the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People in South Australia spoke about their roles in overseeing child protection and safety. They considered the use of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle in both states, highlighting gaps between legislation and practical application.