An initiative helping hundreds of families to make decisions about how their children can be safely cared for at home, is being expanded in Port Augusta, in a major milestone for the successful program.

Aboriginal Family Support Services (AFSS), which facilitates Family Group Conferences for Aboriginal families, is setting up a team in the Upper Spencer Gulf city to help support locals to engage in family-led decision making.

The Department for Child Protection funds AFSS to run Family Group Conferences – which have supported more than 1200 children to maintain family connections – for Aboriginal families in South Australia.

AFSS is recruiting for a facilitator, along with a child advocate, to support the program to meet growing need in the region, as families face a range of challenges including domestic family and sexual violence, mental illness and intergenerational trauma.

The expansion marks the first time AFSS, an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation, has had staff members specifically focusing on Family Group Conferences based in country South Australia.

The team at AFSS’ Port Augusta office will work with families in Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Whyalla and Coober Pedy, drawing on their local knowledge and building relationships on the ground, to provide much needed supports for children.

It comes as Relationships Australia SA, which provides Family Group Conferences for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal families, is also expanding, recruiting a coordinator for Port Augusta, in addition to its existing Adelaide-based staff and another coordinator already based on the Eyre Peninsula.

The expansion follows a recent report that found children who have participated in a Family Group Conference were 150 per cent less likely to be placed in care than those in comparison groups where conferences did not take place.

The report, led by nationally recognised child protection and family support researcher Dr Jacynta Krakouer, found children on short-term orders and Aboriginal children experienced better outcomes through participating in Family Group Conferences.

The program was also found to reduce the risk of children being placed into care soon after birth. During 2024-25, 320 Family Group Conferences were held in South Australia, involving more than 540 children and young people.

About 270 Aboriginal children participated in these conferences. Following the Family Group Conferences, almost 90 per cent of all children who participated – and 84 per cent of the Aboriginal children – remained in the care of their families.

Under the Children and Young People (Safety and Support) Act 2025, the state’s family group Conference program is to be expanded, with a requirement that these conferences should always be convened for Aboriginal families.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard

Family Group Conferencing draws on and mobilises the strengths of extended family. The significant benefits of the program for children, young people and their families, have never been clearer – we know children who have participated in a conference are much more likely to remain safely at home.

I’m so pleased this highly successful and important program is expanding in the Upper Spencer Gulf - the stronger the reach we have in regional South Australia, the better the outcomes for children, families and whole communities.

We’ve invested an additional $13.4 million into Family Group Conferencing, with a strong focus on supporting Aboriginal families across our state and helping Aboriginal children to safely remain connected to family, culture and community.

The reforms we are driving are showing results but we know there is more to do and our Government will continue to find ways we can help keep children and young people safe so they can be loved, nurtured and have a bright and fulfilling future.

Quotes attributable to Linley Shine, Mayor of Port Augusta

We know children and young people in care are some of our most vulnerable in the community and looking after their safety and wellbeing is all our responsibility.

I want to thank the State Government for this important investment and Minister Hildyard for ensuring that this support extends to our region of Port Augusta.

Delivering Family Group Conferences in regional and rural areas ensures we are supporting families closer to home, and we are keeping families connected in a cultural sympathetic way.

Quotes attributable to Aboriginal Family Support Services Chief Executive Officer Sharron Williams

Family Group Conferencing is about self-determination – it’s about the right to be able to speak in the best interests of your children.

It’s about ensuring that families are part of the decision-making while they’re working on their own capacity to look after their children. It helps keep children strong, with their family, their culture and on Country.

The demand is growing and our best resolve is to ensure that we have people in the community, for community, in Port Augusta.