The federal government has given at least in-principle support to all but two of the recommendations from the royal commission into the protection and detention of children in the Northern Territory that it considers apply to commonwealth matters.

The royal commission made more than 230 recommendations in its damning final report in November, of which only 28 come under federal or shared jurisdiction, the federal government has said.

In a joint statement, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, Indigenous affairs minister Nigel Scullion, and social services minister Dan Tehan said the federal government was “committed to taking action where appropriate” but noted that “the majority of the findings and recommendations are matters for the Northern Territory government”.

Turnbull called the royal commission in July 2016 after a report by the ABC Four Corners program aired footage of horrific abuse in Don Dale youth detention centre.

Ruth Barson, director of legal advocacy at the Human Rights Law Centre, said the commonwealth’s response was “largely abrogating responsibility”.

The Cth Government called the NT Royal Commission after witnessing horrific abuse. 18 months later, it's largely abrogating responsibility and turning its back on vulnerable children: https://t.co/m3nLdNZ800 — Ruth Barson (@RuthHRLC) February 8, 2018

Among the recommendations deemed not a federal government responsibility were the call to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12; banning juvenile detention as an option for anyone under 14 except for serious crimes; and closing Don Dale youth detention centre.

In a response released late Thursday, the federal government gave its full support to recommendations around developing a custody notification scheme – which Scullion has offered to fund – as well as establishing and participating in a tripartite forum with the territory government and community members to ensure a coordinated deployment of youth justice and child protection programs.

It also gave in-principle support to conducting an audit of federal funding of family and child protection services in the territory; committing to a place-based approach for implementing the recommendations of the royal commission in consultation with local communities; and helping to establish and fund a network of 20 family support services to help families understand and navigate the child protection system.

Recommendations around improving the unified national collection of data around key issues such as youth recidivism rates and children transitioning out of out-of-home care also received in-principle support, as did a recommendation that the NT supply Indigenous deaths in custody data and that the Australian Institute of Criminology publish that data annually.

A recommendation that Medicare benefits be paid for health services administered to children in detention, including Medicare or national disability insurance scheme-funded foetal alcohol spectrum disorder assessments, was not supported on the grounds it would be double dipping, because the federal government already funded states to provide health services in prisons.

It also did not support a recommendation to grant counsel assisting in a royal commission the power to compel witnesses, saying it was sufficient that royal commissioners had that power.

Turnbull, Scullion and Tehan said they had committed to “improved national leadership and the coordination of early intervention for at-risk children”.

“The commonwealth is committed to improving partnership arrangements with the Northern Territory government to ensure investments achieve improved outcomes for children, and make the community a safer place for everyone,” it said.

The territory receives $4.2bn in federal funding, and has received $720m for programs directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the oft-criticised Indigenous advancement strategy (IAS).

Turnbull said his government had already committed $53m to evaluate its Indigenous affairs policies and funded programs, including the IAS.

The statement also extended the offer of three years’ funding for a legislated custody notification service to other states and territories, saying it had written to all jurisdictions and “we strongly encourage them to accept our offer”.

Western Australia and South Australia have said they are considering the funding offer but have not made any announcements.