Empowering Aboriginal children

Growing strong Aboriginal children

It takes shared decision-making and co-design with Aboriginal leadership and community to better support Aboriginal children and their families. The Office for Early Childhood Development recognises the role of family as first teachers, decision makers and partners and respects the unique value of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child-raising practices. We understand this requires deeply listening to, and engaging with families, the local Aboriginal community, the community-controlled organisation sector and Elders in meaningful impactful ways.

We are committed to upholding the rights of Aboriginal children to access preschool environments that work from the strengths of children’s culture to build and reinforce positive self-identity. We will work with Aboriginal leadership and organisations to help empower children to embrace their identity and culture, language and family through respectful relationships, culturally rich and inclusive play-based curriculum and cultural safety. In recognising the importance of 3-year-old preschool for many Aboriginal families, the government has increased its existing offer of preschool for 3-year-old Aboriginal children, in government settings from 12 to 15 hours a week from 2024. The Department for Education will also extend its Enter for Success Strategy, so Aboriginal children can enrol in any government preschool from 2025.