At-risk Indigenous Families Given $44 Million Government Boost

A young girl holds up an Australian Aboriginal flag on Australia Day in Sydney, on Jan. 26, 2022. Steven Saphore/Getty Images

With Indigenous children almost 12 times more likely to be placed in out-of-home care, the Australian federal government will spend $44 million (US$28.6 million) over four years to help their families navigate the child protection system.

The money is being committed to ensure a Closing the Gap target is achieved to reduce by 2031 the number of Indigenous children in out-of-home care by 45 percent.