Question looms over future of Aboriginal Children and Family Centres
Fear is growing in 38 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Family Centres across the country, as they are waiting to hear from the federal and state governments about the future of their funding. The centres were established under a national COAG partnership – Closing the Gap: Indigenous Early Childhood Development – that is set to expire at the end of June.
Logan Child and Family Centre relies on the partnership for almost half of its income. The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care CEO Frank Hytten says state and federal governments need to stop talking and take responsibility. But Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion says state and territory governments need to develop and implement business models that put the centres on a sustainable footing.