Aboriginal children are over-represented in the child protection system. According to Department of Communities and Justice data, approximately 50% of the children in out of home care are Aboriginal. The Aboriginal Case Management Policy (ACMP) and the Aboriginal Child Placement Principles (ACPP) are designed to ensure that when Aboriginal children encounter the child protection system their connections to family, kin, community, culture and country are safeguarded. 

This audit will consider whether the rights of Aboriginal children and young people in the child protection system are effectively safeguarded and will investigate the following components in detail:

• governance and accountability mechanisms
• practices, systems and resources 
• monitoring and quality assurance systems.

This audit is being conducted concurrently with another audit on the child protection system: Oversight of the child protection system. 

Estimated tabling period 

First half 2024

Agencies audited 

The main auditee is the Department of Communities and Justice.

For both this audit and the Oversight of child protection systems performance audit, we have also included in the scope, as auditees, five non-government organisations who are contracted by the Department of Communities and Justice to deliver child protection services.