It's been standard practice for presenters at the Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect to "acknowledge the traditional owners of the land, and pay respects to elders past and present". It recognizes Australia’s Aboriginal history, and is a reminder of the consequences of colonization for children and families today. Unfortunately, recognition and concern have not translated into effective action.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia comprise about five per cent of the total child population, and one-quarter of the in-care population. They are four times more likely to be investigated for suspected abuse or neglect, seven times more likely to be in foster care, and 23 times more likely to be on a youth justice order. The trend line for these grim statistics has not improved over time, and in some areas it is worsening.

But a longstanding concern in the Northern Territory, where 30 per cent of children are Aboriginal, is that lack of services has meant there has not been enough intervention to protect children. Dr Adam Tomison, Director of Policy and Service Development for family and children’s services in the Northern Territory Government, discussed the issues in his presentation on Thursday.

An inquiry into child sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities devised a comprehensive set of recommendations for the Northern Territory government to address the probl