SNAICC - National Voice for our Children has called for an immediate investigation into the leaking of confidential information relating to child protection notifications involving Kumanjayi Little Baby and her family.

SNAICC chief executive Catherine Liddle said she was horrified to read details in national media about confidential information regarding a mother and children fleeing domestic violence.

"Leaking these details has only served to demonise a mother trying to keep herself and her children safe," said Ms Liddle, an Arrernte and Luritja woman (from Central Australia), said on Wednesday.

"In the Northern Territory, exposure to family violence is a mandatory child protection report. This does not necessarily mean a child is at risk and should be removed from family.

"Notifications do not mean substantiation."

NT's child protection minister, Robyn Cahill, has launched an investigation into the department after revelations emerged that several protection notifications had been issued with regards to Kumanjayi Little Baby in the lead up to her abduction.

Ms Cahill told Sky News she had asked the department for information about their interactions with the girl and her family on Monday, April 27, after she disappeared, and did not receive a briefing until last Friday, when she was told about the notifications.

"I am calling for an independent investigation from someone who is removed from the existing situation so we can have total accuracy and be sure that we are getting the information that we need to get to understand how this failure could happen," Ms Cahill told the broadcaster.

Ms Liddle said "the safety of children is always paramount" and she is "pleased to see the ... Minister asking questions about the actions of workers in her department".

"But I would urge her to investigate the leaking of information that could very well place the mother of Kumanjayi Little Baby in danger," she said.

"The leaking of this information also erodes trust in the very system that is meant to keep our children safe.

"I don't know which NT agency is responsible for the leaks but the details leaked to media would narrow it down as to who has access to this information."

Ms Liddle added that she was also "very concerned" at plans we are hearing that the Northern Territory government plans to erode the Child Placement Principle.

The government is expected to introduce long-planned changes to child protection legislation to the Parliament next week.

More than 90 per cent of children in care in the Northern Territory are Aboriginal. Current laws provide protections for Aboriginal children in care, including placing them with family or kin and close to Country, however a "special and exceptional circumstance" provision would be added under draft legislation floated more than one year ago.

In documents circulated to the child protection sector in January 2025, NT Department of Children and Families drafting instructions state: "A court has discretion to not uphold the principle in special/exceptional circumstances..." if it is believed doing so would adversely affect the child.

The Aboriginal Child Placement Principle was developed to provide nationally accepted standards for Indigenous children in care in response to a series of reports over the previous three decades, including the 1997 Bringing Them Home Report.

"Again, Aboriginal families and communities are being targeted and blamed when we know this is fairly and squarely a failure of government systems such as justice, corrections and public housing," Ms Liddle said.

"This was a child who was very loved and her family are shattered at her loss."