Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this post contains the names of people who have passed away and discusses the Stolen Generations
Written by: The Healing Foundation Board Chair, Professor Steve Larkin, Kungarakan
On 26 May 1997, the Bringing them home report was tabled in Australian Parliament. Grounded in the testimony of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who experienced forced removal from their families, the report marked a significant national moment of truth-telling.
Truth-telling is a critical step to allow Stolen Generations survivors an opportunity to share the impacts of forced removals, and be heard. Truth-telling contributes to healing for individuals, families and communities.
Next year marks 30 years since the report’s release, a moment that invites reflection on what has changed, and what responsibility remains. Education has always been central to what the report asked of the nation. Stolen Generations survivors have consistently called for this history to be explicitly taught, so that all Australians understand the policies, impacts and legacies of forced removal.
In response to this ongoing call, survivor-led initiatives continue to support educators to engage with this history in ways that are truthful, culturally safe and trauma informed. One such initiative is The Healing Foundation’s Stolen Generations Resource Kit, developed to assist schools in translating the intent of the Bringing them home report into meaningful educational practice today.
What happens next is a shared responsibility, one in which educators and the education sector play an important role.
The National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families formally documented the trauma experienced by Stolen Generations survivors and presented 83 recommendations aimed at healing and preventing future human rights violations. Importantly, it explicitly recognised education as part of healing. While the report is often referenced in public discourse, many educators report that its findings and recommendations were not consistently embedded into their own schooling or teacher education. For some, the Inquiry is remembered as a moment in time rather than an ongoing call to action. This coming anniversary provides an opportunity to revisit its intent, not as history alone, but as guidance for how truth-telling can be meaningfully woven into classroom practice today.
The Healing Foundation’s ongoing work continues to be shaped by the legacy of the Bringing them home report, with research, policy advice and community-led resources grounded in survivors’ lived experience. Across education, health and aged care settings, survivors consistently highlight the powerful role education plays in both harm and healing.
The Stolen Generations Resource Kit supports educators to teach with confidence
The Stolen Generations Resource Kit supports educators to engage with this history in trauma-informed and culturally safe ways, with learning grounded in respect, care and accuracy. The resource kit is designed to be age-appropriate and carefully scaffolded across year levels, supporting educators to introduce this history in ways that are developmentally appropriate and guided by professional judgement. Students today are asking deeper questions and seeking thoughtful answers. Educators require guidance and support to ensure these conversations are led with confidence and cultural safety.
Teaching about the Stolen Generations is complex for all educators. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators and non-Indigenous educators may experience different challenges, but the complexity is real across the profession. Feedback gathered through external evaluations reinforced what many educators already know: confidence grows when teachers are supported with clear guidance, culturally safe language and resources developed alongside those with lived experience. Educators reflected that survivor-led framing reduced uncertainty and helped them move from hesitation to considered action, particularly when navigating sensitive conversations in the classroom.
As one educator reflected:
“Having access to a resource that was clearly shaped by Stolen Generations survivors gave me the confidence to teach this content properly – not just carefully, but honestly.”
Silence in classrooms and school communities may stem not from a lack of care, but from a lack of support, guidance and trusted resources. Survivor-led, curriculum-aligned tools help address this gap by shifting responsibility away from individuals and toward shared, system-wide approaches.
Importantly, these challenges are not limited to non-Indigenous educators. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers and education staff might also navigate additional cultural, emotional and professional pressures when this history is taught without adequate systemic support. Survivor-led resources help reduce this burden, contributing to safer learning environments for students, educators and school communities alike.
Educators report using the resource kit in flexible ways, as part of a single lesson linked to commemorative dates, integrated across a term-long unit, or embedded into whole-school professional learning conversations. This adaptability allows schools to engage in ways that align with their context, supporting both immediate classroom needs and longer-term cultural change.
The Stolen Generations Resource Kit is:
- Free and completely online
- Available from the Foundation years to Year 12
- Aligned to the Australian Curriculum Version 9
- Classroom-ready, with lesson plans, plug and plays resources and guidance
- Flexible across subjects and year levels
- Suitable for professional learning and staff development use
Anniversaries, such as National Sorry Day on 26 May, are not only about remembering the past, but they are also about deciding what we carry forward. As schools reflect on the enduring legacy of the Bringing them home report, educators are uniquely placed to support students in understanding this history with honesty, care and respect.
The Stolen Generations Resource Kit is one survivor-endorsed way schools can support this work, drawing together truth-telling, curriculum-alignment and cultural safety to help school communities move forward thoughtfully.
Further reading
For educators and school leaders who would like to explore the themes and sources referenced in this article in greater depth, the following resources may be useful:
Australian Human Rights Commission (1997)
Bringing them home: Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families.
The full report, including findings and the recommendations for healing and reform.
Kevin Rudd (2008)
Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples. The National Apology delivered to the Stolen Generations, acknowledging past policies and their enduring impacts.
The Healing Foundation
Stolen Generations Resource Kit for Teachers and Students.
Survivor-led, curriculum aligned teaching resources supporting culturally safe engagement with Stolen Generations histories from Foundation to Year 12.
The Healing Foundation
Research and evaluation publications examining the role of trauma-informed, culturally safe education practices in supporting truth-telling and healing.
The Institutions Map
The Institutions Map documents how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, forcibly removed under assimilation policies, were taken to missions, reserves, and institutions across Australia, illustrating the systematic separation from family, Country, and culture as part of efforts to erase Indigenous identity.
The Healing Foundation are the Brisbane Satchel Sponsor. Visit the team on 14 – 15 May 2026!
