Detoxifying the Child and Family Welfare System for Australian Indigenous Peoples: Self-determination, Rights and Culture as the Critical Tools

Abstract

The toxic environment that is colonized Australia has broken many of the traditional circles of care for Indigenous children and created a service system which waits for Indigenous families to become dysfunctional before there is any response. The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) encourages an approach to Indigenous children and families which is culturally respectful, culturally appropriate and framed according to the need to respect self-determination and human rights. VACCA has developed early childhood and family welfare policies which identify how cultural-strengthening works as a preventative measure to address risk factors for Indigenous children. With the ongoing reforms to Child and Family Welfare arising from the Children, Youth and Families Act, the Victoria State Government in Australia has an historic opportunity to lead the nation in creating an Indigenous-led child and family service system which focuses on issues of prevention and early intervention. The new Act prioritizes cultural and community connection in the best interest principles for Indigenous children, recognizes self-determination and requires generalist children’s welfare services to be culturally competent. The only way to ensure that every Indigenous child is effectively cared for is by developing the capacity of Indigenous communities to look after their own by strengthening Indigenous organizations and agencies. It is Indigenous agencies who are best placed to deliver innovative programs which are culturally embedded and carefully targeted to restore the circles of care for Indigenous kids. Aculturally competent service system is what is needed to ensure better outcomes for Indigenous children.

Developing Soft Skills: Exploring the Feasibility of an Australian Well-Being Program for Health Managers and Leaders in Timor-Leste

“…Findings relating to well-being were of particular interest because it is in this area that this exploratory study contributes to the literature. The challenges facing modern managers and leaders, especially those responsible for rebuilding and strengthening public sector institutions in postconflict situations such as Timor-Leste, make it essential that management leadership training providers place well-being at the forefront of their approach (Bamblett & Lewis, 2007;Silove et al, 2014;Wolpe et al, 2004). Unfortunately, most research interest in management and leadership and well-being has focused on the effects of "good" or "bad" management and leadership on the well-being of subordinates; there has been limited interest in managers' or leaders' well-being in its own right (Byrne et al, 2014).…”

Indigenous family life in Australia: A history of difference and deficit

“…Further, associations with prostitutes (also, unwed mothers) or a “mixed‐race” mother were characterisations that directly arose from the regulation of Indigenous family life, in which marriages were prevented by anti‐miscegenation laws whereby only Protectors held authority to approve marriages across “racial” lines. In these ways, Indigenous family life came to be constructed as synonymous with definitions of child neglect, undesirability and unsuitable family life in Australian protectionist legislation (Bamblett & Lewis, ). Legitimised across all states by 1915, it is well‐established that such policies led to the removal of thousands of Indigenous children now known as the Stolen Generations (Read, ).…”

Understanding child neglect in Aboriginal families and communities in the context of trauma

“…Another component to this is the lack of culturally relevant service delivery to adequately meet the needs of children and families. Bamblett and Lewis () argue that Aboriginal Australian cultures generally parent within a community context and, because of this, the needs of the community need to be addressed in order for children to develop and thrive (p. 46). Likewise, Blackstock and Trocmé () offer a related Canadian perspective and assert that family and community issues are interrelated and as such “culturally based family interventions must be coupled with culturally based community development approaches to redress structural challenges to the safety of Aboriginal children” (p. 13).…”

“…These structural challenges include the struggles of poverty, lack of resources, and the inequitable access to services for Indigenous people (Blackstock & Trocmé, , p. 13). Additionally, Australian scholars argue that the historic nature of the child welfare system, removing children once a risk has escalated to crisis point, has created a culture of fear and reluctance of families to seek help (Bamblett & Lewis, , p. 46; Menzies & Gilbert, , p. 52).…”

“…Additionally, poverty and neglect were perceived to be synonymous despite the quality of nonmaterial care a child received (HREOC, , p. 23). Neglect was also perceived to align with the living arrangements of many Aboriginal families, such as parents living in de facto relationships as opposed to being married, parents sharing child‐rearing roles across extended family, or parents travelling for cultural purposes or to follow seasonal employment (Bamblett & Lewis, , p. 45).…”