Key Elements of Aboriginal Cultural Plans:

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Connection to Culture:

• Ensure children know and experience their cultural heritage, practices, traditions, and languages.

• Support participation in cultural events, ceremonies, and activities.

• Provide opportunities for children to engage with their cultural heritage through storytelling, art, dance, and other traditional practices.

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Connection to Community and Family:

• Maintain and strengthen relationships with the child’s family, extended family, and community.

• Facilitate regular contact with parents, siblings, and other family, even if they are not the primary caregivers.

• Identify and engage with key community members, such as Elders, who can provide cultural mentorship.

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Connection to Country:

• Ensure children have opportunities to visit their traditional lands and understand their connection to Country.

• Provide experiences that foster a spiritual and physical relationship with the land.

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Cultural Identity Support:

• Include the child’s traditional language, skin group, totem, or Dreaming stories in their education and daily life.

• Ensure carers receive cultural awareness training to support the child’s identity development.

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Involvement of Aboriginal Organisations:

• Collaborate with Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) to develop and implement the cultural plan.

• ACCOs often act as a bridge between child protection systems and communities, ensuring cultural safety.

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Regular Review and Updates:

• Cultural plans should be living documents, regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the child’s developmental needs and changing circumstances.

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Tailored to the Child:

• Plans must consider each individual child’s specific heritage, language group, and kinship system, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach.