Qld: New services to help stem abuse of indigenous children

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2004
Qld: New services to help stem abuse of indigenous children

By Nikki Todd

BRISBANE, April 22 AAP - More than 20 new or expanded indigenous childcare agencies
will be created in Queensland to help reverse the high number of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander children in protective care.

Child Safety Minister Mike Reynolds today told state parliament that indigenous children
were over-represented in protective care, particularly in the state's northern regions.

"Currently, 24 per cent of all children in protective care in Queensland are Aborigines
or Torres Strait Islanders and that's totally unacceptable," Mr Reynolds said.

"The percentage is much higher in north, north-west and far north Queensland, where
it is between 50 and 60 per cent."

Mr Reynolds said his department's main priority would be to establish 23 new or expanded
indigenous child care agencies, and the re-establishment of a peak body.

The new Child Safety Department was established after the recent state election, following
revelations of horrific levels of child abuse in protective care in the state.

Additional staff and funding levels have been committed to the department to deal with
the problem.

Mr Reynolds said culturally appropriate protection services would be provided through
compulsory cross-cultural training for staff, while a campaign to encourage more indigenous
people to become foster carers would also be developed.

"I'm hopeful all of these measures combined will significantly reduce child abuse and
neglect and the number of notifications in indigenous communities," he said.

AAP nt/sc/jv/tnf

KEYWORD: ABUSE

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