Most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been affected by the Stolen Generations. The resulting trauma has been passed down to children and grandchildren, contributing to many of the issues faced in Indigenous communities, including family violence, substance abuse and self harm.

Two decades on from the publication of the Bringing Them Home report, the majority of the Bringing Them Home recommendations have not yet been implemented. For many Stolen Generations members, this has created additional trauma and distress.

Failure to act has caused a ripple effect to current generations. We are now seeing an increase in Aboriginal people in jails, suicide is on the rise and more children are being removed. Addressing the underlying trauma of these issues through healing is the only way to create meaningful and lasting change.

Commemorative events, like the 20th anniversary of the Bringing Them Home report, are an important part of the healing process, for Stolen Generations members, their families and the broader community. In order to change, you have to remember.

The anniversary presents an opportunity to reset—to secure sustainable support to help reduce the impact of trauma. This report makes three key recommendations:
1 A comprehensive assessment of the contemporary and emerging needs of Stolen Generations members, including needs-based funding and a financial redress scheme.
2 A national study into intergenerational trauma to ensure that there is real change for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the future.
3 An appropriate policy response that is based on the principles underlying the 1997 Bringing Them Home report.

While this report might primarily detail the response from government to the Bringing Them Home report, it is not a report to government about government. This is a report for everyone, and outlines as a whole how we can actively
support healing for Stolen Generations and their descendants. There needs to be commitment to making change. We all have a responsibility to do this together. (From the Executive summary). More information and resources related to healing intergenerational trauma can be found on the Healing Foundation website. A link to the 1997 report is also provided. Record #5779