Many Aboriginal children and young people under child protection orders or investigation are placed in care outside of their communities making maintaining family, community and cultural connections impossible.
What is SafeKIDS?
In partnership with The Aboriginal Corporation of West Coast Cape York Peninsula Traditional Land Owners (WCTO) and the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women, Act for Kids operates safe houses in Aurukun, Kowanyama, Napranum, Pormpuraaw and Doomadgee.
Due to the success of the safe houses in the Cape and Gulf, Act for Kids was also asked to set up an additional safe house in Cairns.
Safe Houses
Safe houses provide a safe and culturally appropriate home environment for children 0 – 17 years of age to remain within their communities and stay connected to family, culture and country whilst their ongoing child protection intervention and placement needs are assessed.
The safe houses also develop workforce capacity within the community through the training and employment of local community members.
How we help
The SafeKIDS Program aims to help keep kids in community. It is a partnership between Traditional Owners and Act for Kids. Act for Kids is a non-government organisation that works with children and families to keep kids safe from harm.
The Program also has a support worker who helps families get stronger for their kids. They can help in a lot of ways so kids can come home and stay with their family.
The Family Intervention Service
The Family Intervention Service works with the families of children under child protection orders to build capacity towards reunification.
What is the Safe House?
The Safe house provides a safe and caring home for kids under child safety to stay safely in community. It also allows kids under child safety who have been living a long way from home to come back to community and stay connected with their family, culture and country.
Referrals
All referrals for our Safe houses and Family Intervention Service come from the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women.
For more information please contact your local child safety service centre.
Changing the lives of kids in Australia
Five-year-old Maddie was physically, emotionally and verbally abused by her parents from birth, witnessing severe domestic violence and substance abuse, including Ice.
For the first six years of his little life, eight-year-old Aiden was beaten, burned, threatened, and degraded.