Presenters: Stephan Lund – Executive Manager, Wanslea Foster Care. Jodie Plug – Foster Carer, Wanslea Foster Care. Abstract: Aboriginal children in non-Aboriginal foster families require special attention regarding cultural and family connection. Wanslea Foster Care strives to connect children as much as possible with their cultural networks to ensure that their sense of belonging and identity is maintained and enhanced. Recruitment of Aboriginal foster families has proven difficult for Wanslea Foster Care. The agency uses a variety of strategies to engage Aboriginal families. More than 50% of children placed with Wanslea are Aboriginal so the service needs to find ways to ensure that the cultural needs of Aboriginal children are met. Wanslea Foster Care has tried to improve the cultural inclusion of Aboriginal children and families. Staff and foster carers receive cultural awareness training regularly. There is a Cultural Connection Working Group that drives policy and practice across the agency. This presentation will highlight work being done to improve practice in the agency, and therefore outcomes for children and families. A film has been made to highlight a strong connection that was made between foster and birth family in one case which resulted in a child being returned to family. The foster carer worked very hard to meet the child’s cultural needs and to engage the birth family. The film will be shown, followed by a discussion circle to speak about how we can better meet the cultural needs of Aboriginal children in care. It is not acceptable that Aboriginal children are isolated from their culture and family when they are placed in care. Wanslea takes very seriously its responsibility to connect children to family and culture, particularly in the knowledge that the Aboriginal culture has an oral tradition which needs to be passed on from person to person.