| The Principle | Aboriginal Child Placement Principle |
| ACS | Aboriginal Children’s Service |
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory |
| AICCA | Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Agency |
| ALRC | Australian Law Reform Commission |
| ATSI | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. It is recognised that ATSI is not a preferred term for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Wherever possible the full term has been used. However, this is difficult in tables and the term ATSI is used. |
| ATSIC | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission |
| Cth | Commonwealth |
| the Declaration | The Declaration on Social and Legal Principles Relating to the Protection and Welfare of Children, with Special Reference to Foster Placement and Adoption Nationally and Internationally |
| Departmental Policy (Tas) | Tasmania - Department of Community and Health Services Departmental Policy |
| DOCS | Department of Community Services (NSW) |
| the Draft Declaration | The Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples |
| the Draft Policy (NSW) | NSW - Department of Community Services Draft Policy Statement: Placement of Aboriginal Children for Adoption (8 May 1987) |
| HREOC | Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission |
| ICCPR | International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights |
| ICESCR | International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights |
| ICWA | Indian Child Welfare Act 1978 (US) |
| the ILO Convention | International Labour Organisation Convention 169 - Convention Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries |
| NGO | non-government organisation |
| NSW | New South Wales |
| NSWLRC | New South Wales Law Reform Commission |
| NSWLRC DP 34 | NSW Law Reform Commission Review of the Adoption of Children Act 1965 (NSW) (Discussion Paper 34, 1994) |
| NSWLRC Report 81 | NSW Law Reform Commission Review of the Adoption of Children Act 1965 (NSW) (Report 81, 1997) |
| NT | Northern Territory |
| the Policy Statement (Qld) | Queensland - Department of Families, Youth and Community Care Policy Statement in Relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fostering and Adoption |
| Qld | Queensland |
| RCIADIC | Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody |
| the Substitute Care Policy (WA) | Western Australia - Department for Family and Children’s Services Substitute Care Policy in Relation to Aboriginal Child Placement (1984) |
| SA | South Australia |
| SAACCA | South Australian Aboriginal Child Care Agency |
| SNAICC | Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care |
| Tas | Tasmania |
| TCA | Temporary Care Arrangement |
| UNCROC | United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child |
| Usher Report | Ministerial Review Committee Review of Substitute Care Services in NSW (Report of the Committee appointed by NSW Minister for Youth and Community Services, Sydney, January 1992) |
| VACCA | Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency |
| Vic | Victoria |
| WA | Western Australia |
| Working Party | Working Party of State Social Welfare Administrators |
