The Department for Child Protection (DCP, the Department) Draft Suicide Prevention Action
Plan is framed around staff, children, young people, carers and families.
While ARA Inc. agrees that it is crucial that these groups are included, key groups with substantial contact with the Department – adults with lived and living experience of being adopted, mothers of loss to adoption, and others affected by adoption, have been excluded. These are population groups that are at high-risk for vulnerability to suicide and suicide-related distress.
Not only should they be mentioned as a responsibility of DCP, they should have been identified as
priority groups and given the same opportunity for consultation as the other priority groups listed on page 9 of the draft Action Plan.
Read the full submission HERE.