The Territory Labor Government is investing in a permanent child protection presence in Ali Curung. A Child Protection Practitioner and a Senior Aboriginal Community Worker are now living and working in Ali Curung four days a week.
Ali Curung is a community of significant size within the Barkly District and has a need for increased and localised child protection services. This new structure replaces the previous model where a Tennant Creek officer visited twice a week.
Staff based in Ali Curung will be able to better respond to child protection concerns, as well as identify opportunities for community capacity building. They will also service the surrounding communities which includes Murray Downs, Ampilawatja and Utopia. All these communities are connected through language, cultural and family relationships, and geographic proximity.
Permanent staffing in Ali Curung is part of the Territory Labor Governments transition to a regional service delivery model for Territory Families staff. This regional approach will see staff permanently distributed to communities where an increased local presence is needed.
As noted by Dale Wakefield, Minister for Territory Families
Every child deserves a home that is safe and loving, and this is why the Territory Labor Government is investing $229 million over five years to overhaul our child protection and youth justice systems.
We are prioritising preventative measures by providing families with the right support early on, as well as ensuring that we boost our services to vulnerable children and their families right across the Territory.
We have heard clearly from Ali Curung leaders that for their community to progress, our child protection workers need to be a part of community life. By having staff permanently based in Ali Curung, we can be better connected with vulnerable families in that region, and boost our services.
Gerry McCarthy, Member for Barkly
The Territory Labor Government is restoring local decision-making and ensuring that we are empowering residents in remote communities to decide what is best for them.
