Submission – The Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families to Stay Together from the Start (SAFeST Start) Coalition

The SAFeST Start Coalition are a coalition of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous researchers, health professionals and community members.

This submission outlines the coalition’s responses to issues including: the connection between colonisation and contemporary systemic injustice experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in the child protection system; rates of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander infant removal and placement in outof-home care in Victoria, specifically relating to infants (aged under 1); case studies which demonstrate systemic injustice during the perinatal period within the child protection system; examples of good practice that should be adopted or expanded to address systemic injustice; and identification of critical recommendations which have not been accepted or properly implemented.