Australian Childhood Foundation’s journey towards reconciliation, guided by First Nations leadership.

For more than twenty years, Australian Childhood Foundation has been walking with First Nations children, families, and communities. This week, we were proud to launch our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

This plan was not written quickly. It comes from listening deeply, sitting with hard truths, and learning from the wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is built from many conversations and many acts of courage, reminding us that reconciliation is not a project with an end point, but a way of walking together into the future.

We acknowledge the truth of our shared history. The pain of colonisation, the hurt of racism, and the deep trauma of children taken from family, culture, and Country. We honour and respect that for thousands of generations, First Nations peoples have spoken with authority on what is best for their children, families, and communities. Too often, those voices have been silenced. Our commitment is to walk alongside, to listen, and to support self-determination in every part of our work.

At the heart of this journey are leaders like Stacey Dellow, our First Nations Cultural Consultant. Stacey is a proud Wiradjuri and Wonnarua woman, living on Dharug Country in Western Sydney. Since joining the Foundation five years ago, Stacey has wrapped her culture, strength, and wisdom around us.

As co-chair of the RAP Working Group, Stacey reminds us that this plan is more than words on a page. It is a promise. A map we can turn back to if we lose our way. She speaks about cultural safety not as an idea, but as a lived experience:
"For me, this was new. A mainstream organisation encouraging me to bring my cultural lens into everything I do. I was trusted to work in a way that felt true and safe, and that gave me space to grow."

For Stacey, cultural safety means more than policies—it means having the courage to speak when something doesn’t feel right, knowing her voice will be heard, and knowing change will follow.

Because of leaders like Stacey, we have grown our support for First Nations children and families, and we now have our first national First Nations Cultural Consultant role. Stacey’s hope—and ours—is to see more First Nations staff leading within the Foundation, to build stronger partnerships with Aboriginal organisations, and to keep deepening our ties to community.

We walk this path with humility. We know reconciliation is not about having the answers. It is about being willing to learn, to question ourselves, to sit with not knowing, and to keep showing up.

At the centre of our RAP are relationships—with place, with family, with community, and with each other. We believe that children are strongest when they are surrounded by culture, kin, and belonging. For us, reconciliation is about walking side by side, sharing stories, and working together for the wellbeing of all children.

Through our RAP we commit to:

• Building strong safe and respectful partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations.
• Honouring cultural ways of knowing, being, and belonging in everything we do.
• Creating safe spaces for all First Nations voices within our organisation, from staff networks to leadership roles.
• Making sure our staff continue to learn from Elders, communities, and Country.
• Celebrating and respecting cultural days and protocols that are important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This journey will take time. It is not a quick walk, but a long one. We will make mistakes, and we will learn from them. What matters is that we keep walking together, listening, learning, and growing in partnership with First Nations peoples.

As Stacey says:

"With our RAP now launched, I feel hopeful. I see the possibility of true and authentic partnerships with Aboriginal communities. I look forward to the positive changes that will come as more First Nations voices and professionals shape our work and guide our future."