This interim report provides an overview of the Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCO) child protection and out-of-home care (OOHC) sector landscape as it relates to service delivery, workforce, governance and community and client needs. The report serves as a baseline of the ACCO sector across New South Wales (NSW) and highlights the strength and commitment of ACCOs in keeping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people connected to family, culture and Country. The research also identifies systemic barriers that ACCOs face in planning and delivering services.

Despite being culturally appropriate and safe for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families in NSW, Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) are significantly under-resourced and under-trusted by government compared to non-ACCO Non-Government Organisations (NGOs). 

The report emphasises the need for flexible sustained funding, significantly scaled up transition of case management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in OOHC to ACCOs, investment in building and sustaining the ACCO workforce and strengthening supports for effective governance. Underpinning these findings, is the need to embed self-determination and community control of funding and service delivery. 

Key findings

• 2% of child protection funding is available to ACCOs for prevention and early intervention services.
• A lack of proportionate and sustained funding to the ACCO child protection and OOHC sector creates significant challenges in the recruitment and retention of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers.
• ACCOs have strong governance and deep community accountability but continue to face heavy administrative and compliance workloads.