16 OCTOBER 2026
VACCA is calling on the next Victorian Government to invest in Aboriginal-led solutions that keep children connected to family, culture and Country and give Aboriginal children and families the opportunity to thrive.
Victoria has the highest rate of over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care where they are 22 times more likely to be in out-of-home care than non-Aboriginal children. Aboriginal-led initiatives are already changing that trajectory. With the right investment, these approaches can be expanded to prevent children entering care, support children to return safely to their families, and break cycles of disadvantage.
VACCA CEO Muriel Bamblett said Aboriginal communities have the knowledge, expertise and solutions to create better outcomes for Aboriginal children and families.
“Aboriginal children and families deserve services that are culturally safe, trusted by community, and led by the people who understand what it takes to keep children connected to family, culture and Country," Ms Bamblett said. “Aboriginal community controlled organisations have the capabilities. They need investment to deliver the solutions that create better outcomes for our children and families.”
VACCA is calling on the next Victorian Government to invest in the following priorities:
- Expand VACCA’s Pre-birth Response program statewide, helping to prevent Aboriginal babies from entering Child Protection.
- Establish a Place-based Partnership in the Latrobe Valley to deliver on Victoria’s Closing the Gap commitments and support community-led solutions to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care.
- Expand VACCA’s Nugel program, an Aboriginal-led approach to child protection, that is helping more children safely reunify with their families.
- Restore and grow funding for Kinship Finding, so Aboriginal children in out-of-home care can access vital connection with family, culture and community.
- Pilot an innovative Aboriginal-led model of out-of-home care, Raising Boorais Together, designed to strengthen connection to culture, family and community and help children leave care sooner.
- Invest in Moorumbina Mongurnallin, so that it can continue to provide culturally affirming housing and support for young Aboriginal people leaving out-of-home care or at risk of homelessness. Invest in culturally safe education supports, so that our young people can access the support they need.
- Strengthen Aboriginal workforce and organisational capacity, ensuring Aboriginal community-controlled services can meet growing demand and continue to deliver culturally safe, effective support
- Establish an Aboriginal Knowledge Practice Centre, creating a dedicated centre to build, share and strengthen Aboriginal knowledge and practice, and support ACCOs to generate their own evidence.
Ms Bamblett said these investments would help Victoria meet its commitments under the national Closing the Gap and the Wungurilwil Gapgapduir roadmap, while creating better outcomes for Aboriginal children and families, as well as for the broader community.
“When Aboriginal children grow up safe and strong, the benefits extend across generations,” Ms Bamblett said.
“The next Victorian Government can choose to keep funding systems that respond after families reach crisis, or it can invest in Aboriginal-led prevention, early intervention and models of care that address the causes of disadvantage before a child ever enters care.”
“Our platform provides a practical roadmap for the next Victorian Government. We are ready to work with government to deliver these solutions and create lasting change for Aboriginal children and families, and for Victoria."
Read more in VACCA’s 2026 State Election Platform: Victorian State Election 2026: Real change where Aboriginal children and families need it most - VACCA
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Media enquiries
Simone Egger - Senior Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
PH: 0472 505 780 E: simone.egger@vacca.org