While it is important that the family’s desires for the child are taken into account and respected, if the child has been identified as Aboriginal to child protection and is in the care of the state then there is a responsibility to act in the best interests of the child and develop a cultural plan that reflects their Aboriginal heritage. Cultural information to inform the cultural plan may have to be sought from the child’s Aboriginal grandparents, extended family, or community Elders.
The plan should still include a plan to connect the child to family, community and culture which will then allow the child to make an informed choice around their identity when and if the time comes.