Next Steps–Recommendations for designing and delivering effective plans to end violence against First Nations women and children Participants at the Forum stressed that the development and implementation of national plans to address family violence and violence against First Nations women and children must be sustainable to achieve the goal of ending violence. This requires transformational and bold action. The following recommendations set out an approach for government to effectively progress the design and implementation of the standalone National Plan, which prioritises the self-determination of First Nations women and children in all their diversity. The recommendations are divided into two levels. The first level considers the processes required to design an effective Plan. The second level considers the structural reforms necessary to support the design and delivery of the standalone National Plan. The recommendations respond to the priority areas noted above, in particular the overarching themes and the system enablers. They are not intended to form the contents of the standalone National Plan, as the Plan’s focus areas must be identified throughout a self-determined, transparent and inclusive design approach led by First Nations women and children. For this reason, the recommendations do not include the service system reform priorities noted above, as this is not an exhaustive list. However, enacting these recommendations will enable effective service system reforms throughout the implementation of the Plan. As such, these recommendations speak to the commitment, design and delivery of a long-term standalone National Plan that is adequately resourced commensurate with the needs of women, children and families. The design and delivery of such a Plan, should necessarily be a staged approach, where actions can happen consecutively, and where necessary in parallel, to effectively respond to immediate, short/middle term and longer-term needs. Responding to and implementing these recommendations also requires a deeply considered humanrights and strength-based, trauma and healing-informed approach. It is paramount that First Nations women and children participating in the design and delivery of the plans are not (re)traumatised. The design approach should embed great sensitivity and mindfulness of the fact that many First Nations women and children are victim-survivors, and all have experience of, or are impacted by, intergenerational and contemporary traumas. Ultimately, the voices at the Forum, the findings presented in this Report and its recommendations, present a significant opportunity for all Australian governments to form caring, trusting and respectful partnerships with First Nations women and children victim-survivors. Partnerships that embrace the strengths and knowledges of First Nations women and children are capable of creating the unique solutions grounded in community and place, which can end violence. Wiyi Yani U Thangani • First Nations Women’s Safety Policy Forum • Outcomes Report | 39