Empowering Aboriginal children
We invite you to listen to our Acknowledgement of Country.
Acknowledgement of Country
Skip to descriptionWe acknowledge the Aboriginal Peoples as the first peoples of South Australia and as custodians of the lands, waters, skies and communities where we live, learn and raise children.
These words, shaped with the guidance of our Aboriginal Leadership Committee, speak to the foundations of our work and our respect for Aboriginal Peoples as the first knowledge-sharers for 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 Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation (ACCO) 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 Aboriginal children to embrace their identity and culture, language and family through respectful relationships, culturally rich and inclusive play-based curriculum and Aboriginal cultural responsiveness and 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 has extended its Enter for Success Strategy, so Aboriginal children can enrol in any government preschool from 2025.
Working together for Aboriginal children
We work in partnership with Aboriginal leadership and Communities supported by an Aboriginal Co-design Governance Group, to co-design and invest in initiatives for Aboriginal children, so they retain and increase the benefits of 3-year-old preschool. Co-design commenced in 2024 and includes collaboration with:
- the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON)
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO)
- Wakwakurna Kanyini - the South Australian peak body for Aboriginal children and families
- the South Australian Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Council (SAAETCC)
- SA First Nations Voice to Parliament representatives; and
- SNAICC (the National voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children)
We know ACCOs are best placed to provide community-led and culturally responsive and safe services to Aboriginal children. Opportunities to support and collaborate with the ACCO sector will emerge through ongoing Aboriginal co-design processes and informing initiative design and implementation of the Aboriginal 3-year-old preschool strategy.