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Rethinking The “Best Interests” Of The Child: Voices From Aboriginal Child And Family Welfare Practitioners, Maureen Long, Rene Sephton

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

n Victoria, recent reforms to the child and family welfare system, through the introduction of the Children Youth and Families Act (2005), have significantly strengthened the principle of the ‘‘best interests’’ of the child. Giving substance to the principle, this legislation defines a set of standards and a practice framework to guide its application. How this is to be applied is of particular interest to the Aboriginal child and family welfare sector, given that the principle of best interests has historically underpinned the removal of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families on the basis of …