WA Government commits $2.6m to deliver Aboriginal Representative Organisations pilot

The Western Australian Government has committed $2.6 million to delivering the Aboriginal Representative Organisation (ARO) pilot, which will commence in the Armadale and Kimberley regions in November this year. 

The AROs will be consulted on placement arrangements and cultural support planning to ensure Aboriginal children in care maintain a close connection to family, culture, community and Country. 

Yorganop Association, servicing the metropolitan pilot site in Armadale, will receive $584,706, and Aarnja Ltd in the Kimberley will receive $726,294 to implement the 12-month pilot.

“The WA Government recognises Aboriginal self-determination, leadership, and culture must be central to shared decision-making, partnership and service delivery into the future,” said WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti.

“This pilot is a great example of what the government is trying to achieve through its Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy and Closing the Gap Implementation Plan.

A further $1.3 million has been committed to extend the ARO service delivery model for an additional 12 months in the pilot locations following its conclusion in October 2023.

The initiative is a critical step toward implementing changes made last year to the Children and Community Services Act 2004, which include requirements for AROs to be consulted on placement arrangements and cultural support planning for children in their community.

The two organisations were selected based on their existing capacity and expertise, as well as strong local and cultural knowledge, which will strengthen the application of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle and ensure Aboriginal children in care are placed with family and remain in the community.

Independent Aboriginal consultancy Think Culture are in the final stages of developing a service model that is flexible and responsive to local needs. This has been informed by community-led stakeholder engagement, conducted by the Noongar Family Safety and Wellbeing Council and the Kimberley Aboriginal Children in Care Committee, in the pilot locations earlier this year.

The roll out of the ARO model State-wide following the pilot conclusion will involve a tender process open to all registered Aboriginal businesses. 

The initiative will also be critical to achieving socio-economic Target 12 under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which aims to reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care.