The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and its Balit Durn Durn Centre (BDDC) are calling for urgent investment in Aboriginal-led health and wellbeing services following the release of the 2025 Family Matters Report by SNAICC
The Report shows what Community has long said: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people thrive when families are supported early through culturally safe and responsive, community-controlled services. Yet these programs remain critically underfunded, leaving families vulnerable to crisis and contact with child protection.
“Year after year, the data tells the same story. Our children do best when families are supported early, not when they are met with crisis-driven systems,” said Dr Jill Gallagher AO, VACCHO CEO.
“The Family Matters Report 2025 shows the status quo is failing our kids, young people and families. We need long-term investment in Aboriginal-led services that walk with families, not just respond when it’s too late.”
Additionally, the Family Matters Report 2025 highlights the problematic nature of unborn (or pre-birth) reports. Unborn reports can contribute to expectant mothers avoiding prenatal care, not disclosing subsequent pregnancies if a child is removed and not reporting family violence for fear of child removal.
Victoria has the highest rate of removal of infants into out-of-home care (OOHC), where 51.1 per 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants were placed into OOHC, which is 19 times the rate of non-Indigenous infants.
VACCHO CEO Dr Jill Gallagher AO warns that without long-term investment, meaningful change for Aboriginal children, young people and their families will remain out of reach.
The Nest: Early, Aboriginal-Led Support for Families
VACCHO’s 2026–27 State Budget submission calls for immediate investment to establish the Nest Aboriginal Family Wellbeing Service an Aboriginal-Led response to Recommendation 33.4 of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.
The Nest will deliver statewide, wraparound, culturally safe health and wellbeing services and support for children aged 0–11 and their families, helping to:
- strengthen parental capacity and child development
- reduce stressors including parental mental illness, addiction, and family violence
- support school readiness and emotional wellbeing
- prevent crises and reduce child protection involvement
Sheree Lowe, Executive Director, Social and Emotional Wellbeing and the Balit Durn Durn Centre says the Nest will provide trauma-informed, culturally grounded programs for children, caregivers, and families.
“The Nest is Community-driven, evidence-based solution,” said Ms Lowe.
“Investing in healing keeps children and young people safe, strong and connected to family. The roadmap is here. What we need now is investment and action.”
VACCHO urges the Victorian Government to fund this Aboriginal-led initiatives to give families the support they need before crisis hits, keeping children safe, strong, and connected to family, Culture, and Country.
