Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander services

CASPA is committed to providing culturally appropriate support to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, families, people with disabilities and communities we serve.

We are proud advocates for the maintaining and strengthening of connection to family, country and community. CASPA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support team works closely across all our programs to ensure they are designed to preserve and enhance the cultural connections of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people we support.

The bare feet of a young Aboriginal person are the only part of them visible. They stand in a rocky creek with clear water.

CASPA stories

Big or small, telling stories helps us understand our history, our differences and our common ground. They bring us together for a shared purpose, and inspire us to build a better world.

By sharing our stories, the stories of those we support, and the stories of our community, we aim to support a wider sense of connection and understanding.

Latest Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander stories

Transition of care to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO's)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are disproportionately represented in Australia’s out-of-home care system. In 2023, the Australian Government reported that 43.7% of young people placed in out-of-home care were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, despite the community making up less than 4% of Australia’s population. This disparity is linked to historical practices of the child protection system, which have had lasting impacts.

CASPA fully supports the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) transition of care plan for NSW. We are committed to collaborating with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO's) like Ngunya Jarjum to transfer all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in out-of-home care to culturally appropriate agencies. These agencies will best support their cultural needs, as well as their connections to country and kin.

During this transition, we will work closely with local ACCO’s to ensure that any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander young people currently in our care are receiving culturally appropriate support until care is able to be transferred.

Celebrating culture in community

CASPA's inaugural NAIDOC Oztag Gala Day has become an annual highlight on our cultural calendar and is a collaboration between CASPA, Lismore Oztag, Aboriginal Affairs NSW and the Widjabul Wia-Bal community. Players come from several Bundjalung Nation communities, including teams from across the Queensland border.

CASPA CEO Naarah Rodwell said she was delighted with the level of interest in the inaugural event which had exceeded expectations of organisers.

‘This incredible sports-focused community day brought together hundreds of children and their families from across northern NSW and southern Queensland to celebrate the 2024 NAIDOC Week,’ Ms Rodwell said.

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Join us in contributing to brighter futures and more resilient communities for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, families and people with disabilities we serve.

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