Commission celebrates National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day with children and young people in care

Commissioner for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, Elizabeth Fraser, showed support for Indigenous young Queenslanders by attending the official launch of National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day held on 4 August at Parliament House.

Elizabeth joined the Minister for Child Safety, the Honourable Phil Reeves MP, and members of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Partnership Peak at Parliament House to recognise the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children within the family and community. Minister Reeves hosted the launch and acknowledged the special role of Indigenous children in Queensland’s future.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day was first observed as an annual event in 1988 by the Secretariat for Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) – a national peak body that advocates for the rights of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders.

The 2011 theme ‘From small to big: growing stronger every day’ acknowledges the role that services provide in supporting families and communities to raise resilient, healthy children, strong in their culture. Importantly, the Children’s Day reinforces the important role of keeping children connected to culture. All who attended committed to working to make this an annual event in Queensland.

Prior to the Parliament House engagement, Elizabeth was also a guest of honour at the opening ceremony for another Children’s Day event held at Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens. This particular event was the result of collaborative planning between the Commission, Brisbane North Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services and other agencies and service providers. Mt Coot-tha provided the venue for over 140 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, and their carer providers, to enjoy a fun day of culturally based activities and learning.

The Commission’s Community Visitors (CVs) helped on the day with coordinating groups of children and activities. CVs have a specific role to regularly visit children and young people in out-of-home care to verify their safety and wellbeing and advocate on their behalf when necessary.

Last Updated: September 1, 2011

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