Breaking the cycle: Suicide and child services in Australia

In April, Australia recorded its youngest suicide in child protection custody: a 10-year-old Indigenous (First Nations) boy who died while under the care of the West Australian Government. The child, who had been living with relatives approved by authorities, had been in care for the past 3 years. It was not the first suicide of a First Nations child in state care; there have been reported suicide deaths of children in all forms of placement ranging from foster care to residential group care. The tragedy has, however, once again highlighted the high rates of First Nations suicide, the increasing number of First Nations children being removed from their families, and the failure of successive governments to take meaningful, culturally appropriate, and safe action.