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| SNAICC | |
|---|---|
| Name | SNAICC |
| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Location | Australia |
| Focus | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families |
SNAICC SNAICC is the national non-profit peak body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families in Australia. It acts as a coordinating and advocacy organization, engaging with Indigenous communities, state and territory agencies, and national institutions to influence policy, deliver programs, and support community-controlled services. SNAICC works across social services, health, legal, and cultural sectors to advance the rights and wellbeing of First Nations children.
SNAICC was established in 1981 in response to community-led initiatives and campaigning linked to events such as the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, and the policy shifts following the Whitlam Government. Early activity connected with organizations like the Aboriginal Legal Service, Aboriginal Medical Service, and Aboriginal Housing Company helped shape SNAICC’s remit. Through the 1980s and 1990s SNAICC engaged with inquiries including the Bringing Them Home report and with national processes under the Hawke Government and Keating Government, aligning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander coalitions such as the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples and organizations like the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
In the 2000s, SNAICC contributed to dialogues around the Northern Territory Emergency Response and participated in consultations linked to the Closing the Gap framework initiated under the Rudd Government. SNAICC has maintained partnerships with legal bodies such as the Human Rights Commission (Australia) and interacted with international mechanisms like the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
SNAICC’s mission emphasizes the protection, development, and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. Objectives include promoting community-controlled services, influencing national policy frameworks like Closing the Gap, supporting cultural and linguistic maintenance through links to institutions such as the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, and ensuring compliance with instruments including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It aims to build capacity among community organizations, advocate in forums like the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia and the Council of Australian Governments, and collaborate with research bodies such as the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
SNAICC operates as a peak body governed by a board and member network drawn from state and territory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family services. Its governance model reflects community-controlled principles similar to those used by the Aboriginal Medical Service networks and regional bodies like the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service. The organization liaises with Commonwealth departments including the Department of Indigenous Affairs (historical), Department of Social Services (Australia), and engages with parliamentary committees such as the Senate Community Affairs References Committee. It maintains administrative partnerships with peak councils like the National Indigenous Australians Agency and engages with standards systems including frameworks developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
SNAICC delivers programs focused on child protection alternatives, family strengthening, early childhood development, and cultural competency training. Programmatic work often intersects with service providers such as Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, early learning initiatives tied to the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children, and legal assistance from entities like the Law Council of Australia. SNAICC produces resources, training modules, and policy toolkits informed by research from the Australian Institute of Family Studies and evaluation by bodies such as the Productivity Commission. It hosts conferences and forums that bring together contributors from the Australian Council of Social Service, academia including University of Melbourne and Australian National University, and community leaders from regional centers like Alice Springs and Darwin.
SNAICC leads advocacy on issues including child removal, kinship care, culturally appropriate out-of-home care, and family reunification. It engages with national campaigns, submits to inquiries by the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and participates in intergovernmental negotiations with the Council of Australian Governments and federal ministers. SNAICC’s policy work links to legislative frameworks such as state child protection acts and national strategies like National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children. It also contributes evidence to inquiries by the Productivity Commission and collaborates with human rights bodies including the United Nations Human Rights Council.
SNAICC partners with Indigenous peak bodies, research institutions, philanthropic organizations, and legal and health sectors. Collaborators have included the Lowitja Institute, Menzies School of Health Research, Telethon Kids Institute, and advocacy partners like the Reconciliation Australia and Berry Street. It works with government agencies including the National Indigenous Australians Agency and engages with international partners through UNICEF and United Nations mechanisms. SNAICC also forges local links with community-controlled providers such as the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency and regional Aboriginal councils.
SNAICC has been influential in shaping national debate on Indigenous child welfare, contributing to reforms in child protection practice and raising awareness through reports and submissions to bodies like the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs. Supporters cite its role in promoting culturally safe services and strengthening community governance, while critics have questioned peak bodies’ capacity to represent diverse local interests, drawing comparisons with debates involving the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples and state-based peaks. Ongoing critique also engages with broader policy controversies such as responses to the Northern Territory Emergency Response and interventions under successive governments. Despite critiques, SNAICC remains a central actor in networks spanning legal, health, research, and policy institutions.