Nyanya Munjindei Delegated Authority
About our service
Established in 2024, Nyanya Munjindei (ATSICHS Brisbane Delegated Authority) is our newest child protection decision-making program. We work with families to make recommendations for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children who are currently involved or at risk of involvement with Child Safety. Then, based on these recommendations, our CEO makes decisions about:
- Connection – when, where and how often our kids spend time with family, culture and community.
- Reunification – when and how we bring our kids home to parents or another family member, so they will be safe, supported and connected.
- Family Plans – approving family plans (also known as case planning).
This means that certain care, protection, and connection decisions will be made for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and young people, not by Child Safety, but by our CEO, Renee Blackman.
Our role
Our team works with children and their families to:
- hear the child and family storyline.
- be led by the voice of the child and the family.
- understand the child and family’s goals.
- identify important and significant family and community members that the child or young person should know, spend meaningful time with or live with.
- provide referrals for support for the children and/or their parents.
- ensure our kids are growing up strong in connection to their family, community and culture.
- identify opportunities to get our kids out of the child protection system and back to family and community where they belong.
Decision-making
Decisions are:
- made by ATSICHS Brisbane CEO and not Child Safety^.
- centered around the child or young person’s safety, protection, care and connection needs.
- carefully considered. Recommendations about each decision will be provided to the CEO by staff who work with and know the child and family.
- family-led and honour self-determination.
- culturally informed by the family and community.
- intergenerational trauma aware.
- made with open, honest and transparent connection.
- made with mob, by mob.
^ Decisions that are not related to connection, reunification and/or family plans will still be made by Child Safety.
Referrals
Referrals to the Nyanya Munjindei delegated authority program can be made if:
- The child and family identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- The family is currently working with Mt Gravatt Child Safety or Browns Plains Child Safety
- The referral has come from the child or family involved, or a Child Safety Officer.
We will seek consent from you before working with your family.
Contact us
To find out more about how our team can help, call (07) 3325 7400 for a yarn or email our Brisbane Region or Logan Region.
Resources
Nyanya Munjindei Delegated Authority Brochure
Read about our delegated authority program and our role working with children and their families.
our name
Nyanya Munjindei (pronounced Nya – nya – Mun – gin – dye) comes from the Yugambeh language, Nyanya meaning careful or carefully and Munjindei meaning protect.
We are committed to making decisions that are carefully considered and family led for the purpose of protecting our next generation, to ensure that decision-making for our children, young people and families is in their best interests, safe, culturally-informed and supports self-determination with the vision that we work as a community to keep our kids connected to family, community and culture and ultimately bring them home.
artwork
Resilience: Nurturing our Future by Chloe Watego.
Read more about the story here.
