Trauma then and now: Implications of adoption reform for First Nations children

Turnbull-Roberts, Vanessa; Salter, Michael; Newton, BJ

doi:10.1111/cfs.12865

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Kinship processes play a fundamental role in First Nations child development (Bamblett et al, 2012; Turnbull‐Roberts et al, 2021; Krakouer et al, 2022). The Bringing them Home (BTH) report strived for the implementation of the ‘Indigenous Placement Principle’ hierarchy, where placements should be made in accordance with First Nations lore and engagement with Elders and community.…”

Section: Situating This Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘That's the bloodline’: Does Kinship and care translate to Kinship care?

Beaufils

2022

Aust J Social Issues

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Kinship for First Nations people is a fundamental, yet complex, element of one's culture, enabling both belonging and relationality, and extending beyond blood family and relations. Kinship is also recognized as important within out‐of‐home care (OOHC) systems, with kinship care being the predominant OOHC placement type in Australia (AIHW, 2021). However, when First Nations children and young people are removed by the state, and placed into OOHC, it is important to interrogate whether kinship placements enable cultural connection and continuity with First Nations ways of understanding Kinship. This article begins by contextualising current OOHC policy and practice in Australia where a westernised and homogenised concept of kinship care is touted as similar to First Nations notions of Kinship. Here, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP) has become oversimplified by equating kinship care with relative care, thus creating ambiguity in care and placements in OOHC, voiding First Nations traditions and ways of understanding Kinship while a young person is in care. This article then reports the findings of qualitative interviews with 37 First Nations and non‐Indigenous people concerning the use of the term ‘Kinship’ in OOHC in New South Wales (NSW), how it is operationalised and how it is understood. Wide‐ranging experiences by participants concerning Kinship within OOHC were evident, thus demonstrating the imperative for a broader understanding of Kinship. This understanding needs to be applied within OOHC in ways that are consistent with First Nations notions of Kinship, as kinship care placements on their own are not enough to keep children connected in culture. The findings from this study show that the term Kinship is applied problematically within OOHC in NSW by equating legal and policy definitions of kinship care with Aboriginal ways of understanding Kinship. Ensuring First Nations traditions, practices and notions of Kinship are applied for First Nations children and young people in OOHC contexts is paramount.

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Section: Situating This Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘That's the bloodline’: Does Kinship and care translate to Kinship care?

Beaufils

2022

Aust J Social Issues

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“…Public schools that engaged children in learning traditional First Peoples languages found that this strengthened students’ development of cultural identity, pride, and self-worth, which increased their engagement in learning (Korff, 2019; Purdie et al, 2008). Furthermore, there is a convergence of evidence to show that children who are removed from their First Peoples culture have poor developmental and psychosocial outcomes (Australian Human Rights Commission, 1997; Cunneen & Libesman, 2000; Turnbull-Roberts et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A theoretical conceptualisation of connection to culture in Australian First Peoples children

Henderson (Wiradjuri),

Hawkins,

Corporal (Eastern Arrernte)

et al. 2024

AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples

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Connection to culture in Australian First Peoples children is an important social determinant of health in child development and wellbeing. The current study draws upon the collective knowledge of Australian First Peoples Elders and community leaders to collaboratively develop the first theoretical conceptualisation of connection to culture in Australian First Peoples children. Through participatory action research, we integrated both Western and Indigenist methodologies. One-on-one qualitative narrative interviews were conducted with six Australian First Peoples Elders and community leaders. Their knowledge was summarised through a process of Western thematic analysis and Indigenist arts-based participatory analysis to identify core concepts and mechanisms of connection to culture in First Peoples children. The outcome was a theory of connection to culture in Australian First Peoples children. By better understanding how children connect to culture, we can better support children in connecting to culture, targeting an important factor of health and wellbeing.

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“…Adopted people impacted by coercive attitudes and practices known as forced adoptions have reported psychological distress and identity problems (Kenny et al, 2013). Stolen Generations policies under the guise of concerns for children's well‐being resulted in individual and collective trauma and lost ties to family and culture (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 1997; Newton, 2019; Turnbull‐Roberts et al, 2022). The Family Matters campaign has criticised the narrow legislative focus on legal permanency over relational permanency and cultural rights (SNAICC, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative analysis of third‐party permanency orders legislation in Australia

Wright

Cashmore

Wise

et al. 2022

Aust J Social Issues

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While permanency planning has long been a feature of child protection policy and practice in Australia (Tilbury & Osmond, 2006), the concept has gained greater prominence in recent years through nationally coordinated efforts and legislative changes. Permanency planning is defined by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) as the 'processes used by state and territory departments responsible for child protection to achieve a stable longterm care arrangement (which can be broadly grouped as reunification, third-party parental responsibility orders, long-term finalised guardianship/custody/care, and adoption)' (2021b, p. 90). A central priority of the last National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children Fourth Action Plan (2018-2020) was 'support[ing] better permanency options including…to reduce state guardianship for children who cannot be safely reunified with their families within a reasonable timeframe' (Department of Social Services [DSS], 2019, p. 24). 1 Over the last 5-10 years, states and territories have modified their child protection legislation to incorporate a range of legal orders, permanency hierarchies, and timeframes for decision-making about permanency options. These changes also appear in policy guidance.'Permanency' is a term used in out-of-home care services to convey different ways of belonging, through emotionally connected and stable relationships, a secure home and a right to one's culture (Wright & Collings, 2021). Multiple dimensions of permanency are highlighted in the literature (Sanchez, 2004). Relational permanency is conceptualised as the emotional connection between the child and their caregiver, including dimensions of caregiver commitment, child's sense of belonging and caregiver's support for on-going relationships with birth family (Pérez, 2017). Others hold a broader view of relational permanency as encompassing the child'sThis is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

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Trauma then and now: Implications of adoption reform for First Nations children

Cited by 9 publications

References 13 publications

‘That's the bloodline’: Does Kinship and care translate to Kinship care?

‘That's the bloodline’: Does Kinship and care translate to Kinship care?

A theoretical conceptualisation of connection to culture in Australian First Peoples children

Comparative analysis of third‐party permanency orders legislation in Australia

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