National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse

The National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030 (National Strategy) has been released.

The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) and the National Office for Child Safety are working together to ensure the National Strategy and the National Agreement for Closing the Gap reflect a holistic, complementary and non-duplicative approach to preventing harm to children.

Under the National Strategy, the Supporting Healing for Families programme will co-design and deliver Indigenous-led, place-based, and trauma aware healing initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, complementing the specialist support service system.

Supporting Healing for Families is being led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healing experts who are partnering with the NIAA to guide the decision-making about the design and implementation of the programme, including providing advice on the co-design and evaluation of funded initiatives. The expert group will ensure the design and implementation is Indigenous-led, trauma-informed, and culturally-based.

The NIAA will also work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experts to co-design and trial resources to support frontline health workers engage in trauma aware, healing informed, and culturally safe conversations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and mainstream services will be able to use the resources.

Read the full media release. 

More information on the National Strategy is available on the National Office for Child Safety website.