Twenty years ago, in 2004, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) released an Acknowledgement Statement to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, recognising the role of social workers in the Stolen Generations and for their actions of colonial violence. This was a critical moment for our profession – one that demanded reflection, accountability, and a commitment to justice and anti-colonial practice. Today, we reaffirm and expand that commitment, acknowledging that much work and action remains.

The removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families persists at rates higher than ever, perpetuating intergenerational trauma and colonial violence. These practices are not relics of a colonial past—they are the ongoing operations of colonial structures and systems that continue to deny Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sovereignty, disregard cultural authority, and undervalue the world’s oldest living cultures.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sovereignty was never ceded. Sovereignty and culture continues. This truth must guide social workers in all aspects of practice. The ethical obligations of our profession demand that we actively confront colonial structures and systemic racism. Social workers must critically reflect on their own roles within these systems and take purposeful action to dismantle the mechanisms of colonial harm.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and communities have long been leaders in social justice, resisting colonialism and its devastating impacts with resilience, strength, and cultural integrity. Their leadership embodies values of community, care, and justice that Social Work aspires to uphold. As a profession, we must walk in the footsteps of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, listening and learning from their teachings.

The values of social justice, human rights and integrity cannot exist without the centring of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and sovereignty.

The AASW stands in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in their fight for sovereignty and self-determination. We commit to amplifying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and supporting the necessary systemic changes. This includes advocating for the end of practices that perpetuate family separation and dispossession, and for the creation of policies and systems that are led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
We recognise that issuing statements alone is not enough. Our words must be matched by action, accountability, and ongoing critical examination of our profession and its practices. The profession of Social Work must advocate for justice and the dismantling of systemic racism in all its forms.

The journey towards justice requires collective action. As we mark this 20th anniversary, we recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of decolonising Social Work and addressing the legacies of harm caused by our profession. This is not just a moral imperative – it is a professional and ethical obligation.

The AASW calls on all social workers to take responsibility, to act with integrity, and to contribute to a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sovereignty is honoured and centred. Together, social workers can, and must, do better.

Written by the AASW Board