Inquiry
Find information about the Inquiry into the removal and placement of Aboriginal children in South Australia.
On this page
Holding on to Our Future Launch Event
On 13 June 2024, the Commissioner officially launched Holding on to Our Future.
Final Report
Holding on to Our Future is the Final Report of the Commissioner’s Inquiry into the removal and placement of Aboriginal children in South Australia.
The report provides 48 findings and 32 recommendations to reduce the number of Aboriginal children in the child protection system and to ensure that Aboriginal children grow up safe and strong within family, community and culture.
Data Analysis
BetterStart Health and Development Research Group from The University of Adelaide were commissioned to provide a detailed data analysis of child protection contact patterns in South Australia.
Read the BetterStart Report.
Submissions
The Inquiry opened for public submissions between 1 July 2022 – 12 May 2023.
A total of 44 submissions were received: 21 from individuals and 23 from organisations, including kinship carers, non-Aboriginal carers, parents, young people, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, government departments, non-government organisations and peak bodies.
Organisational submissions can be viewed below:
- Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement
- ac.care
- Centacare Catholic Family Services
- Child and Family Focus SA
- Child Death and Serious Injury Review Committee
- Connecting Foster & Kinship Carers SA
- Create Foundation
- Department for Child Protection
- Department of Human Services
- Emerging Minds
- Family Violence Legal Service Aboriginal Corporation
- Junction Australia
- KWY
- NPY Women’s Council
- Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People
- Relationships Australia SA
- South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network
- South Australian Council of Social Service
- The Carer Project
- The Reily Foundation
- Youth Court of South Australia
Why an Inquiry is necessary
The Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People’s role is to advocate for the rights and interests of all Aboriginal children and young people in South Australia.
This includes inquiring into systemic-level matters related to their rights, development and wellbeing.
Commissioner April Lawrie explains why she is undertaking this Inquiry.
What the statistics show
South Australia has the:
- second highest rate of Aboriginal entry into out-of-home care nationally
- highest rate of Aboriginal children on long-term guardianship orders
- lowest rate of reunification for Aboriginal children
- second lowest proportion of expenditure on family support services
- third lowest proportion of expenditure on Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
Without change, it is predicted that by 2031 as many as 140 in every 1000 Aboriginal children will be in State care.
Read more about the background to the Inquiry.
About the Inquiry
The Inquiry examined the policies, practices and procedures of State authorities in applying the principle when removing and placing Aboriginal children.
The Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People conducted the Inquiry.
The Inquiry commenced on 30 June 2022.
The legislative basis for the Inquiry is section 20M of the Children and Young People (Oversight and Advocacy Bodies) Act 2016.
An Aboriginal Advisory Group was established to guide and support the Inquiry and engagement approach.
ATSICPP Inquiry Terms of Reference.
Read more about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.
Inquiry process to date
The stories of Aboriginal children, young people, families and community impacted by removal and placement decisions are essential to informing the Inquiry’s findings.
Written Submissions
The Inquiry has received written submissions from members of the Aboriginal community, State authorities, non-government organisations and service providers.
The timeframe for written submissions has now closed.
Community Forums
The Commissioner has hosted 14 regional and metropolitan community forums to engage directly with Aboriginal families and community as well as visiting regional and remote communities to host private sessions:
APY Lands – 1-4 May 2023 (Private sessions)
Berri – 6 September 2022
Ceduna – 8 November 2022
Coober Pedy – 14 November 2022 (Private sessions)
Gawler – 12 September 2022
Kadina – 14 December 2022
Mount Gambier – 4 August 2022
Murray Bridge – 24 August 2022
Northern Metro (Salisbury) – 15 December 2022
Oodnadatta – 15 November 2022 (Private sessions)
Port Augusta– 30 November 2022
Port Lincoln – 2 November 2022
Port Pirie – 20 September 2022
Southern Metro (Christie Downs) – 15 September 2022
Victor Harbor – 7 December 2022
Western Metro (Port Adelaide) – 17 October 2022
Whyalla – 1 December 2022
Yalata – 14 July 2023 (Private sessions)
Engagement with Aboriginal children and young people
The Commissioner has hosted four sessions held with Aboriginal children and young people currently living in care or with a care experience, including targeted sessions with young people living in residential care as well as young people under guardianship and in the youth justice system at Kurlana Tapa Youth Justice Centre.
Sector Stakeholder Forums
The Commissioner has hosted 16 sector stakeholder forums and meetings with government agencies and non-government service providers, including the Department for Child Protection, Department of Human Services, SA Health, Department for Education, Aboriginal Community Controlled and non-Government organisations.
Private Sessions
The Commissioner has held private sessions to allow individuals and families to share their experience in a confidential setting.
The timeframe for requesting a private session has now closed.
Privacy notice for submissions
This privacy notice explains how the Inquiry team will manage the personal information it collects from you when you make a submission to the Inquiry.
Read the Privacy Notice
Privacy notice for submissions
This privacy notice explains how the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People will manage any personal information collected from you when you make a submission to the Inquiry into the application of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP) in the removal and placement of Aboriginal children in South Australia.
Why are we requesting your personal information?
The Commissioner is seeking submissions to hear about people’s experiences regarding the removal and placement of Aboriginal children.
The personal information of individuals and representatives of organisations is being requested to assist the Commissioner and her office with the management of submissions.
This information will inform the Commissioner’s Inquiry into the application of the ATSICPP in South Australia.
What information are we requesting?
As part of your submission, you will be asked to provide some personal information, including your name, contact details, and relevant population profile information.
Besides your name and contact details, all other personal information requested is entirely optional.
When making an individual submission you will also be asked if you would like to make your submission public.
Who do we disclose your information to?
After receiving your submission, the Commissioner will only use your information for the purposes of the Inquiry.
Your personal information will only be disclosed in public documents if you have given your consent. This will depend on what you elect in your submission.
If you agree to your submission being made public under your name
- your submission may be referenced in public documents prepared by the Commissioner, for example, our interim or final reports.
- In these documents, your name and other identifying details about you may be included. However, your contact details including your phone number or address will not be published.
- Part or parts of your submission may be quoted or paraphrased.
If you agree to your submission being made public anonymously (not naming you)
- your submission will only be used in our public documents once it has been de-identified.
- De-identified means that your name and any information or features that would identify you will be removed. Anyone reading the document would not know that it refers to you.
- Using your information in a de-identified way will help to give the community an understanding about your experiences without identifying you.
- Part or parts of your submission may be quoted or paraphrased in a de-identified way.
If you do not want your submission to be made public
- your submission will not be published in any way in any format.
- This means that we will not refer to the information you have provided to the Commissioner on the website or in any public document in any way other than for statistical analysis (which will not identify you).
Your personal information will not be disclosed to any other party unless you have provided consent or unless the disclosure is required or authorised by or under law.
How will we use your personal information?
The Commissioner will only use your personal information in a way that is consistent with, and incidental to, the purposes of the Inquiry.
The Inquiry team will examine all submissions to inform the content of the Inquiry report. They will not refer to any specific individuals in the Inquiry report unless you have given consent for your submission to be made public with your name included.
How will your personal information be stored?
On receipt of your personal information, the Inquiry team will store your personal information in a secure database and will take reasonable security measures to protect your personal information from loss, unauthorised access, use, modification, disclosure or other misuse.
Further information and access to your personal information
You have a right to access your personal information and you have a right to request your information be correct.
For more information, please contact the Inquiry team.
Preliminary report
The preliminary report, released in October 2023, summarises emerging themes from the Inquiry into the application of the principle in South Australia.
The report reflects the voices of more than 400 Aboriginal children, young people, families and community members and more than 500 sector stakeholders.
The report makes 17 early recommendations to inform the South Australian Government’s proposed reform of the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017. Read the report alongside the Commissioner’s submission to the Statutory Review of the Act.
Public hearings
A series of public hearings have commenced to hear from witnesses across academia, government and the Aboriginal community controlled sector.
Advocacy for individual cases
The Inquiry focused on systemic issues.
If advocacy is needed for an individual case, visit the ‘useful links’ page or contact the Commissioner’s office for advice.
