National Sorry Day 2026: Truth-Telling, Reflection and Our Shared Responsibility

As Australia marks National Sorry Day on 26 May, and the beginning of National Reconciliation Week, OzChild is reflecting on the enduring impact of the Stolen Generations, the ongoing over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care, and the collective responsibility we all share in creating a different future.

National Sorry Day is a time to remember and acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families, communities, cultures and Country under government policies that caused deep and lasting harm.

For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, this is not simply history. It is living memory, ongoing grief, and intergenerational trauma that continues to shape families and communities today.

This year’s National Reconciliation Week theme, All In, is a call for all Australians to move beyond words alone and commit to reconciliation through everyday actions, relationships and systems change.

While the National Apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008 was a significant and important moment in Australia’s history, the reality remains deeply confronting. According to the 2025 Family Matters Report released by SNAICC, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are now 9.6 times more likely to be living in out-of-home care, or on third-party parental responsibility orders, than non-Indigenous children.

For organisations working alongside children and families, these numbers are not abstract. They represent children separated from family, culture, community and Country, often carrying layers of loss and disconnection that can last a lifetime.

OzChild Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa J. Griffiths said National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week provide an important opportunity for reflection, truth-telling and action.

At OzChild, that understanding continues to shape our organisation’s commitment to supporting the self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and walking alongside Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs).

This includes a public commitment to progressively transfer funding and referrals wherever possible to ACCOs, recognising that Aboriginal-led organisations are best placed to support Aboriginal children, young people and families in culturally safe and community-led ways.

We acknowledge there is still a long way to go.

Meaningful reconciliation is not built through symbolic gestures alone. It requires ongoing truth-telling, accountability, culturally responsive practice and a willingness to challenge systems and assumptions that continue to contribute to inequitable outcomes.

Despite the pain and injustice that remains, there is also hope in the strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, in the leadership of Elders and First Nations organisations, and in the growing movement toward truth-telling, self-determination and reform.

As National Reconciliation Week begins, OzChild is encouraging staff, supporters, carers and the broader community to reflect on what being All In means in practice.

That may look like listening more deeply to First Nations voices, learning about Australia’s shared history, supporting Aboriginal-led organisations and businesses, strengthening culturally safe practices, challenging racism and assumptions when they arise, or walking alongside First Nations colleagues and communities with humility and respect.

Reconciliation is not the responsibility of one person or one organisation alone. It belongs to all of us.

And meaningful change happens when we are willing to show up together, listen honestly, and remain committed to building a future where all children grow up safe, connected and strong in culture, family and community.