SNAICC Conference – Bring Them Home: Securing the rights of our children

The conference is hosted by SNAICC – National Voice for our Children. SNAICC is the national non-government peak body in Australia representing the interest of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The conference is convened to assist with the achievement of the SNAICC vision: An Australian society in which our communities are empowered to determine their own future; where the rights of our children, young people and families are protected; where our cultural identity and achievements are valued; and our children and families have access to culturally appropriate services.

As the largest conference of its type in the southern hemisphere the SNAICC Conference provides the opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, policy makers, researchers, government representatives, other non-government organisations and industry representatives to gather and make renewed commitments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The conference provides a powerful and inspiring learning experience for attendees and features:

• International and local keynote speakers
• Over 70 concurrent sessions, yarning circles, panels and workshops
• Displays, poster presentations, exhibitors
• Cultural highlights and performances
• Social events and opportunities to network and connect with peers

It is expected that the 2017 conference will again attract a diverse audience of 1000 participants from all over the country. This will provide a dynamic networking and learning opportunity for attendees. SNAICC aims to develop a program and conference experience that is culturally rich, interactive and culturally safe.

Bring Them Home: Securing the rights of our children

Our 2017 conference gathering coincides with the 20-year anniversary of the seminal Bringing Them Home report, which exposed the violations of fundamental human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities through the policies and practices of the Stolen Generations.

The Bringing Them Home report unearthed the ongoing grief caused by these policies and their far-reaching impact.  It charted a way forward to redress the wrongs, to support those who had experienced wrongs, and to ensure that such a phenomena would never happen again. 20 years on many recommendations lay unimplemented and rates of child removal continue to soar. Never before have so many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children been removed from family and culture.

The SNAICC Conference will be centred on this anniversary to raise awareness and discussion of ongoing child removal, its causes and consequences for children, families and communities.

The focus will be on strategies and best practice in supporting children to be safe and cared for within family and culture – strategy and best practice in reducing interaction with the child protection system.