A new multi-agency facility on the APY Lands will help improve community safety through greater collaboration between key agencies.

The Umuwa Multi-Agency Facility was jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State Governments, as part of a $13.924 million initiative that also includes the building of police facilities at Indulkana, Fregon and Pipalyatjara.

The new facility, opened by Ministers Maher, Hildyard and Szakacs this week, will accommodate SAPOL and other agencies that provide vital child protection and family violence services in the region, such as the Department for Child Protection (DCP).

The $3.6 million purpose-built multi-agency facility features forensic interview capabilities, family breakout areas, communal agency areas and technology to improve connectivity across communities.

Co-locating these agencies will support greater information sharing, more coordinated service responses and will provide greater supports to vulnerable people and families.

Quotes

Attributable to Kyam Maher

The opening of this new facility at Umuwa is a significant step towards improving community safety and child protection outcomes.

Collaborative working between agencies on the APY Lands is pivotal to providing vital services in a wholistic and effective manner, particularly in policing, drug and alcohol services, child protection and domestic violence.

By co-locating agencies, information will be able to be more easily and quickly shared between agencies. As a result, services will be able to be delivered in a more cohesive, coordinated way.

Vulnerable people and families may be identified earlier, leading to targeted early intervention services that are coordinated across agencies.

Attributable to Katrine Hildyard

Child protection and family support workers in the APY lands face unique working conditions, working with families and communities providing intensive support to keep children and young people supported, safe and strong in their community and culture.

Really important work will be undertaken by the incredible workers who use this facility and crucially, it will be undertaken in partnership with families and SAPOL. This collaboration is a really important step in ensuring the best practice and support can be provided APY communities.

Attributable to Joe Szakacs

It is a privilege to open this important facility that is the culmination of intensive planning by SAPOL and teams within the Child Protection Department.

This is fundamentally about building on the already outstanding collaboration between Police and Child Protection, for the benefit of the APY Community.