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Our Aboriginal Plan

We have recently launched a three year Aboriginal Plan which sets out Berry Street's vision, commitments and beliefs & assumptions for our work with Aboriginal children, young people, families, organisations and Communities.

Download the full plan here.

As a community service organisation with a long history of providing out of home care, we recognise that Berry Street will inevitably have played some role in the past policies and practices that lead to the Stolen Generation (see Our Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities here). We believe our past means we have a heightened responsibility to ensure we contribute to a better future for Aboriginal peoples and their Communities. We are all too aware that Aboriginal people continue to experience significant disadvantage in Australia and acknowledge the urgent need to address this disadvantage.

 In the Aboriginal Plan we state that Berry Street is committed to:

• Promoting and supporting Aboriginal self determination and enhancing the capacity of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to deliver services to their people.
• Working in respectful partnership with Aboriginal organisations and Communities.
• Supporting Aboriginal organisations and Communities to secure the resources they need for child and family welfare services, including prevention and early intervention services.
• Providing high quality services to Aboriginal children and families.
• Delivering services that are culturally competent, aware, respectful and responsive.
• Providing a culturally safe workplace and service environments.
• Advocating for better health, education and welfare outcomes for Aboriginal children and families.
• Understanding the significance of inter-generational trauma in the lives of Aboriginal children, families and Communities.

If you would like further information about Berry Street's commitment to Aboriginal children, young people, services, organisations and Communities contact us.