Next steps for governments and responsible organisations to act (AIHW)

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) latest findings, which reveal the ongoing harm Stolen Generations survivors and descendants face, provides clear evidence of the impact of government inaction, and where accountability is needed.

Governments, service providers and responsible organisations must act on the solutions that survivors, descendants and communities have identified for decades.

The AIHW findings demonstrate the real-world consequences of decades of inadequate policy, service and systems responses.

Half of survivors experience high psychological distress, one in three were admitted to hospital in the past year, and one in five report problems accessing health services.

Around 200,000 — half of the entire Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult population — are descendants of the Stolen Generations and living with the intergenerational impact of removal policies.

The Healing Foundation Board Chair Professor Steve Larkin (Kungarakan) said five years has passed since the last AIHW analysis about survivors was released, yet little action has been taken by governments, service providers and responsible organisations.

“The healing and wellbeing outcomes we’re seeing in the latest findings from AIHW provides essential visibility for the lived experiences of survivors and descendants,” he said.

“It’s clear from the findings that nationwide calls highlighting the urgent need for culturally safe, trauma-informed care, particularly in aged care, social services, social and emotional wellbeing and mental health, continue to be ignored by governments.

“There is an urgent need for real structural reform and genuine and adequate investment in Indigenous-led, community and place-based solutions and partnerships.”

Findings reinforce what survivors have been calling on for decades

Nearly 30 years after the Bringing them home report was tabled in parliament, just 6 percent of recommendations have been fully implemented.

Many survivors participated in the inquiry process in good faith, hoping for genuine recognition, justice and meaningful change. Yet the pace of reform has fallen short of what survivors and descendants have long called for.

Without urgent action, many ageing survivors risk reaching the end of their lives without receiving the recognition, support and culturally safe services they have been waiting decades to see.

Improve access to support

The Healing Foundation is calling on coordinated, whole‑of‑system reform to address the harms experienced by Stolen Generations survivors and descendants.

The AIHW findings highlight the need to remove barriers to care and ensure survivors can access services.

Immediate action we are calling for includes:

• For Government to develop a Stolen Generations Access and Prioritisation Card, to help reduce re-traumatisation and the burden of navigating complex systems. 
• As survivors age with complex and intersecting health and wellbeing challenges, governments and service providers must be equipped with the knowledge, practices and accountability frameworks to provide culturally safe, trauma informed care. 
• Long term investment for Stolen Generations organisations, which play a unique role in healing, connection, advocacy and service navigation. 
• Investment in healing, family wellbeing and community-led supports is critical to improving outcomes for future generations and for reducing pressure on health, social services, child protection and justice system.
• Better identification of survivors and descendants within Closing the Gap, health, aged care, disability and social and emotional wellbeing datasets is needed to improve services, decision-making, accountability and measurement of outcomes. 

The Healing Foundation is committed to achieving better outcomes for survivors and descendants, but lasting change requires governments, service providers and communities to act together. The evidence is clear, the solutions are known, and the time for action and accountability is now.

Our action plan From Sorry to Action: A plan to act on Bringing them home (2026-2028), provides a clear pathway for governments and stakeholders to deliver meaningful change within survivors lifetimes. 

Related information   

• AIHW data on Stolen Generations survivors and descendants 

• Joint AIHW/The Healing Foundation media release
• The Healing Foundation key messages