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  • 6 hours ago
There are more than 13-thousand young people in the state's Children protection system; and 46 per cent of them are Aboriginal or Torres Strait islander. It's a statistic that both community leaders and the government say is unacceptable. And there are now moves to reverse that trend.

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00:02Taneika Stewart knew she had to make changes or risk losing her youngest son after two
00:08of her other children were removed by Child Protection Services.
00:12Being like an addict and having an addiction, that was the only cycle I knew.
00:17I felt pregnant with him and then I was like, nah, I'm getting older, I'm not losing another
00:22baby.
00:23After getting treatment and specialist help from an Aboriginal family support team, Child
00:28Protection Services have deemed her safe to keep her son.
00:31I'm so happy and he's just a happy little baby too.
00:35My caseworker said, she goes, you know, he's a happy baby because of you.
00:39I wish I could have changed from my other babies.
00:43She's been working with an Aboriginal health organisation which runs intensive parenting
00:47programs across South West Sydney with the aim of preventing child removals.
00:52It's very rewarding.
00:53It fills the cup knowing that our babies are looked after.
00:56We need to prevent another stolen generation.
00:59Now the team here is about to double in size and the program will be rolled out to more
01:04than 20 other Aboriginal organisations as part of a $350 million state government investment.
01:10It's been the missing piece of the puzzle for a long time.
01:14Aboriginal communities have been calling for this for a long time.
01:17And we are so pleased to be able to deliver it.
01:20The child protection system has been under growing scrutiny.
01:23And a review is currently looking at why two foster children were living under the same roof
01:27as a convicted triple killer in Western Sydney, but it's hoped a focus on family preservation
01:32will ensure fewer children end up in out of home care in the first place.
01:36I'm just happy that I could be a mum, you know, to him and to my other kids now.
01:41Which I've had more contact with them, I've had more visits with them.
01:45Keeping more children safe at home and connected to their communities.
01:49I'm happy to be maybe at your tea.
01:49Check and check and check.
01:50Bye-bye.
01:50Keep your grease.
01:50Take care.
01:51Keep your 63-6.
01:53We're safe.
01:53Take care.
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