Priority Area 2 - Records, redress, and acknowledgements

Access to records is a critically important part of healing for survivors. More than just a piece of paper, they are the link, often containing crucial information, that can support them to reconnect with their families, culture, identity and Country. Many survivors and descendants face ongoing barriers that prevent them from accessing records held by government and non-government institutions, with some churches and non-government institutions refusing to release records.

Reparations are an essential aspect of healing for survivors and descendants. They are necessary to acknowledge the harm, trauma and gross human rights violations caused by forcible removal policies to Stolen Generations children and families, as well as the ongoing and intergenerational harm, trauma and disadvantage that survivors and descendants still experience today.

It is vital that survivors and descendants have equitable access to records, redress, and acknowledgements, apologies and commemorations, to accelerate progress towards meeting the Bringing them home report’s recommendations.

Bringing them home recommendations

The Bringing them home report made a series of recommendations on the need to maintain records and improve survivors’ access to personal and family records, and family tracing and reunion services, recognising the critical importance of restoring their connections with family, culture, and Country (recommendations 1,11, 13, 21, 22a-b, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29a-b, 30a-b, 31, 38a-c, 39). The report also recommended that reparations be made to all who suffered because of forcible removal policies, which must include establishing and acknowledging the truth about the past, formal apologies, commemorations, and monetary compensation (cultural, symbolic and financial compensation or redress) (recommendations 5a-b, 6, 7a-b, 15, 16a-b,17).

“Legislation continues to cause harm; it is not keeping up with the needs of the Stolen Generations.” -
- Participant at The Healing Foundation Records Symposium, 2025

 

“This is what happened to our kids, our families, my mother, me, my sister, my grandmother. We’re tired. We need to have access to those records. Without it we can’t heal. Our kids can’t heal. So I feel angry. I feel sad. And I’m sick of telling this story.” -
- Dr Kath Apma Penangke Travis (Arrente), Stolen Generations survivor

How far have we come?

The Are you waiting for us to die? report (2025) found that nearly half of the Bringing them home recommendations on records access, family tracing and reunion have not been fully implemented. A range of records are required to support survivors and descendants to heal and reunify, including Births, Deaths and Marriage records, hospital and police records, government held archival records, and privately held records. These records are held across different jurisdictions, with inconsistent policy and legal frameworks determining access conditions, including application processes, wait times and fees. This means that the process to access records for survivors can be cumbersome, bureaucratic, expensive and geographically limiting.

The review also found that recommendations on monetary compensation have not been met, and recommendations on acknowledgements have only been partially implemented. Redress schemes are largely administered by states and territories. Queensland has never had a scheme. There are also significant discrepancies between schemes across jurisdictions, resulting in survivors having unequal access to redress, or varying amounts of compensation, with some schemes still in operation (Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Western Australia) and others having ended (New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania).

“I’ll never forget that day, where I was, when I saw my original birth certificate. It transformed me from who I was.” 
- Ian Hamm, Yorta Yorta, Stolen Generations survivor

 

“It's more than just pieces of paper for Stolen Generations survivors. This is about connection. It's about their identity and finding family.” 
- Shannan Dodson, CEO, The Healing Foundation

Priority Area 3 - Education, research, and data

Education about the history of the Stolen Generations and the impacts of forcible removal, is fundamental to truth-telling, accountability, and preventing the ongoing policies and practices that continue to cause harm to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

Ongoing research into survivor experiences, intergenerational impacts on descendants, and the effects of forcible removal is critical to ensure policy and services are evidence-based, trauma informed and culturally safe.

More must be done to ensure Australia’s history is taught across a wide range of settings, and that research and data are consistently collected, shared and used to support learning, accountability and change.

Bringing them home recommendations

The Bringing them home report recommended that education about the history and effects of forcible removal be part of the core curricula for schools, undergraduate degrees and traineeships, and training for professionals working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities (recommendations 8A, 8B, and 9B). It also recommended an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led program of research and consultation to identify the range and extent of harms of forcible removal (recommendation 32).

How far have we come?

The Are you waiting for us to die? report (2025) found that the Bringing them home report recommendations on education and research have not been systematically implemented.

Stolen Generations education has been included in the Australian Curriculum since 2010. However, it has not been mandated in primary and secondary school curricula in all states and territories.

It has also not been mandated or systematically included in relevant vocational and university curricula, and progress is uneven across the university sector.

To address these gaps, governments and funders should also provide coordinated support and funding for research and data collection on the experiences and effects of forcible removal. This is necessary to enable culturally safe, survivor-driven research that informs understanding of survivors’ needs, and policy and service responses.

“I’m passionate that the real curriculum, the real history of Australia needs to be taught nationally. It needs to be a national curriculum. Atrocities and massacres and bad things happened to my people, and people have got to admit that in the curriculum.” -
- Uncle David Wragge, Wakka Wakka, Stolen Generations survivor

 

“Formal recognition of the hurt caused by past government policies is critical. It should be taught as history in schools because we don't want to repeat things. "We want to be a nation that sets the standard for the rest of the world to follow." -
- Sonny Morey, Stolen Generations survivor

 

“The education around the past removal policies and the impact that this still has on families now is so important. The education kits that were done are great and much needed as part of the truth-telling process.” 
- Tania Bin Baker, Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation CEO (Noongar)

Priority Area 3 – Actions

3.1

3.1

Every Australian has an increased awareness and understanding of the history of Stolen Generations and the ongoing impacts.

4 actions

	Actions	Responsible	Timeframe
3.1.1	Ensure the First Nations Education Policy: a) Reflects the importance of accurate education on Stolen Generations and intergenerational trauma as critical to belonging and positive experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children. b) Sets out a framework for culturally responsive and trauma informed teaching practices to ensure effective delivery of content.	Federal, state and territory Education Ministers, Federal Department of Education and state and territory education departments, Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)	May 2027
3.1.2	ACARA to monitor and review the extent to which Stolen Generations education is being appropriately embedded and prioritised in learning in all schools.	Federal, state and territory Education Ministers, Federal Department of Education and state and territory education departments, Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)	May 2027
3.1.3	State and territory education departments: a) Ensure Stolen Generations education is prioritised in learning and delivered effectively. b) Increase the uptake of the curriculum-aligned resources that are included in The Healing Foundations’ Stolen Generations Resources Kit for Teachers and Students, in class learning for children and young people across Australia. c) Identify and co-design any additional support, resources or professional development needed for teachers and schools to improve the delivery of Stolen Generations education.	Federal, state and territory Education Ministers, Federal Department of Education and state and territory education departments, Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)	May 2027
3.1.4	Australian universities to: a) Integrate Stolen Generations history into compulsory units across relevant disciplines, including integration in learning outcomes and assessments. b) Co-design curriculum and teaching resources with survivors and relevant organisations, and include survivor-led guest lectures or storytelling sessions. c) Incorporate Stolen Generations history into professional development programs (e.g. health, education, social work) and provide ongoing staff development on culturally safe, trauma informed approaches. d) Establish KPIs and reporting mechanisms to track implementation and secure funding for survivor-led curriculum development and resource creation.	Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), Universities Australia	May 2027

 

3.2

3.2

There is ongoing research into the needs of survivors and their descendants to ensure evidence-based and effective immediate and longer-term support.

4 actions

	Actions	Responsible	Timeframe
3.2.1	Produce an update of analyses of available demographic data of survivors and descendants, including health and socioeconomic outcomes and determinants, and analyses disaggregated by jurisdiction.	The Healing Foundation, AIHW	September 2026
3.2.2	Work with AIHW to establish a reporting framework for ongoing collection, measurement and reporting on Stolen Generations survivors and descendent health and wellbeing outcomes, including service use.	DHDA, NIAA, ABS, AIHW	February 2027
3.2.3	Undertake survivor-governed research into improving access to records including survivor interviews and a sector survey.	Jumbunna, University of Technology Sydney, The Healing Foundation	December 2026
3.2.4	Translate research outputs into training, information and resources for record holders and survivors.	Jumbunna, University of Technology Sydney, The Healing Foundation	December 2026

 

Priority Area 4 - Sector support and workforce development

Stolen Generations Organisations (SGOs) are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led bodies supporting Stolen Generation survivors, their families, and descendants. These organisations are typically survivor-led and centred, community-controlled, and focus on healing, connection, and advocating for the needs of those impacted.

SGOs have a critical role in supporting survivors and their descendants by providing culturally safe, trauma-informed, and healing-focused services.

Priority Reform 2 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap emphasises the importance of building the Aboriginal community-controlled sector through sustained investment and capacity building, recognising that community-controlled services achieve better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Governments must invest in a skilled, sustainable, and culturally safe workforce across the SGO sector and other sectors and industries supporting survivors and descendants.

“As a sector, we know what we need for service delivery. Clients need wrap-around holistic services. Healing is so important for survivors. “We need to capture our Aunties and Uncles stories, as part of healing, and to make sure these stories are kept safe for future generations.”
- Raelene Rosas, Northern Territory Stolen Generations Organisation CEO

Bringing them home recommendations

The Bringing them home report recommended that services for Stolen Generations survivors recognise local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on healing and wellbeing (recommendation 33A) and that government funding for mental health and wellbeing services be directed exclusively to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-based organisations (recommendation 33B).

The report also recommended that all professionals who work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities receive in-service training about the history and effects of forced removal (recommendation 9A) and government health services develop training for all employees on the history and effects of forcible removals of Stolen Generations children in consultation with relevant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations (recommendation 34A).

How far have we come?

The Are you waiting for us to die? report (2025) found that funding for SGOs is inadequate to meet survivors’ needs for healing and support.

Short-term and limited funding undermines the sector’s ability to provide long-term, culturally safe, and community-led healing and support programs.

Recommendations on workforce training have also not been fully implemented. The recommendation on education and training for health professionals has been partially met with national legislation that mandates education on cultural safety under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategy. However, there is a need for further specific training on working with survivors and descendants across sectors and workforces, including health, aged care, records, and redress.

“Commemorative and healing events are essential to acknowledging the truth of the Stolen Generations and supporting lifelong healing for survivors and their descendants. Sustained support for these gatherings ensures that culture, connection, and resilience continue to thrive across generations.” 
- Lynne Kinghan, Link-Up (NSW) Chief Executive Officer

Priority Area 4 – Actions

4.1

4.1

There is a strong and ongoing network of Stolen Generations Organisations.

2 actions

	Actions	Responsible	Timeframe
4.1.1	Develop a long-term investment strategy for the SGO sector that focuses on strengthening the sector to deliver local community-led healing initiatives, grow their programs and build holistic, long-term, sustainable and flexible service models.	NIAA	May 2027
4.1.2	Hold gatherings of SGOs and survivors to share information, determine priorities and opportunities and build capacity.	The Healing Foundation, SGOs	Ongoing

 

4.2

4.2

Stolen Generations Organisations are building their capacity, are well supported in fulfilling their mandate and are assured of funding continuity.

3 actions

	Actions	Responsible	Timeframe
4.2.1	Scope and provide a funding proposal for long-term funding for SGOs to support their operations and ensure sustainability in providing urgently needed support to survivors nationally.	NIAA	June 2027
4.2.2	Survey SGOs to gain an understanding of the sector and projected future needs to ensure continuity of resources to enable them to offer quality supports for survivors and descendants.	The Healing Foundation, SGOs	May 2027
4.2.3	Provide SGOs with support, through scholarships and paid study leave, for staff to undertake the Family History Certificate IV.	NIAA	July 2027

 

4.3

4.3

A skilled, sustainable, culturally safe and trauma informed workforce operates across sectors and industries.

2 actions

	Actions	Responsible	Timeframe
4.3.1	Develop and disseminate trauma informed worksheets and resources to support aged care and other community and health organisations to be trauma informed in the delivery of care.	The Healing Foundation, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Australian Dental Association, Coalition of the Peaks, Aged Care, Dental and GP peaks and relevant bodies	March 2027
4.3.2	Work closely with The Healing Foundation and key health and ageing peaks to: a) Co-design cultural safety training for the health and aged care workforces with survivors and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. b) Embed training requirements in health and aged care accreditation standards, funding contracts and role-specific competencies. c) Implement and monitor the delivery and uptake of training across the health and aged care workforces.	DHDA, ARIIA	June 2027

 

Priority Area 5 - Governance and accountability

Government, non-government organisations and other relevant agencies must commit to implementing the actions in this plan to take responsibility for past human rights violations and ensure accountability in delivering those actions.

Good governance will ensure recommended actions are progressed and that there is finally progress in actioning against the outstanding recommendations of the Bringing them home report.

Bringing them home recommendations

Mechanisms are embedded in the Bringing them home report to ensure governance and accountability for implementation of its recommendations, including a working party to establish a process for implementation (recommendation 2A), a National Inquiry audit unit to monitor and report on implementation (recommendation 2B), and requirements for all governments to provide annual information on implementation progress to the audit unit (recommendation 2D).

How far have we come?

The Are you waiting for us to die? report found that the requirement for a ‘whole-of-government policy response with immediate targets, long-term objectives and a continuing commitment’ has not been fulfilled, and there has been ‘no systematic government response to the needs and rights of Stolen Generations survivors and their descendants’. Failure to implement Bringing them home recommendations on governance and accountability means that responsibility has not been met, contributing to the overall lack of progress on the report’s recommendations.

“It’s time to take the necessary actions to ensure that no one is left behind, especially Stolen Generations survivors. They deserve recognition, support, and a future where their health and wellbeing are prioritised. Survivors and descendants comprise a large percentage of the adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population: targeted action could accelerate whole-of-community gains.” 
- Professor Steve Larkin, Board Chair, The Healing Foundation (Kungarakan)

Priority Area 5 – Actions

5.1

5.1

There is strong accountability for the delivery of the Bringing them home report recommendations through the Joint Council on Closing the Gap.

4 actions

	Actions	Responsible	Timeframe
5.1.1	States and territories include relevant actions within their Closing the Gap jurisdictional implementation plans.	State and Territory Indigenous Affairs Ministers	Ongoing
5.1.2	The Joint Council on Closing the Gap considers The Healing Foundation’s report on progress against this action plan annually.	Joint Council on Closing the Gap	May 2027
5.1.3	The Joint Council on Closing the Gap includes Stolen Generations as a standing item in all meetings, to enable discussion about progress against the Action Plan.	Joint Council on Closing the Gap	Ongoing
5.1.4	Under the leadership of The Healing Foundation Board and Reference Groups, a network/s of SGOs and survivors is established to more broadly inform the Action Plan and next steps post 2027.	The Healing Foundation	May 2028

 

5.2

5.2

Data collection and reporting on Stolen Generations and their descendants is strengthened.

3 actions

	Actions	Responsible	Timeframe
5.2.1	NIAA undertakes a review of the data collected on Stolen Generations, their descendants and SGOs in consultation with The Healing Foundation and survivors.	NIAA	May 2027
5.2.2	Include data on survivors and where possible, their descendants, in the Closing the Gap reporting dashboard.	The Productivity Commission, Co-Chairs of the Data Policy Partnership	February 2027
5.2.3	Include as a priority of the Data Policy Partnership reporting of data on survivors and their descendants in regular reporting on health, wellbeing and other measures.	The Productivity Commission, Co-Chairs of the Data Policy Partnership	February 2027