“We don’t want you to come in and make a decision for us”: Traversing cultural authority and responsive regulation in Australian child protection systems

Abstract

The Ngulluk Koolunga Ngulluk Koort (Our Children Our Heart) project conducted extensive Elder and community consultation to develop principles and practice recommendations for child protection governance in Western Australia. We explore these principles and practice recommendations and highlight the need for culturally safe community consultation and governance with a focus on repairing damage incurred by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community from past child protection policies. We argue that using principles of responsive regulation and the inclusion of Elder voices in child protection decision making is critical to closing the gap between current practice and what is "best practice" for Aboriginal children and families. We also identify important considerations for preventing further harm through consultation processes, and issues of authority.

Identifying key dimensions of indigenous led child welfare services: A qualitative literature review

“…There are strong arguments in support of vesting the responsibility for delivering these services primarily with Indigenous peoples and communities (Blackstock et al, 2023). However, the principles identified here also provide guidance on the programmatic elements essential to centring Indigenous knowledges, standpoints, and priorities in mainstream child welfare and child protection services (Hamilton et al, 2022).…”

Policing Child Protection: Motivational Postures of Contesting Third Parties

“…Their goal is to bring procedural justice into a highly discriminatory system and to ensure that children maintain cultural links and connection with country, preferably through placements with extended family. Sharynne Hamilton and her colleagues (Hamilton et al, 2022) have paved the way for next steps along this path with the Ngulluk Koolunga Ngulluk Koort (Our Children Our Heart) project in Western Australia. Hamilton et al (2022) co-designed with Elders and senior Aboriginal community leaders a set of socially inclusive principles and practices for child protection decision-making that meant the community voice would no longer be subordinate within the child protection system.…”

“…Sharynne Hamilton and her colleagues (Hamilton et al, 2022) have paved the way for next steps along this path with the Ngulluk Koolunga Ngulluk Koort (Our Children Our Heart) project in Western Australia. Hamilton et al (2022) co-designed with Elders and senior Aboriginal community leaders a set of socially inclusive principles and practices for child protection decision-making that meant the community voice would no longer be subordinate within the child protection system. Hamilton et al (2022) advocate for a responsive regulatory approach to child protection in which all structures and processes are reviewed through a lens that recognises historical injustice and Indigenous knowledge about how child protection matters might be best addressed.…”

“…Hamilton et al (2022) co-designed with Elders and senior Aboriginal community leaders a set of socially inclusive principles and practices for child protection decision-making that meant the community voice would no longer be subordinate within the child protection system. Hamilton et al (2022) advocate for a responsive regulatory approach to child protection in which all structures and processes are reviewed through a lens that recognises historical injustice and Indigenous knowledge about how child protection matters might be best addressed. They advance an argument for child protection authorities setting up a "forum to work with Elders 'Birdiya with Birdiya' (boss with boss) on ways to work with the families and communities toward recovery, which are solution-focused and culturally relevant" (p. 9).…”

“How About Being Trustworthy Rather Than Asking Families to Trust?”: A Prerequisite for Child Protection Authorities Partnering with Indigenous Communities

“…While progress has been made on data collections and 'wrap-around' coordinated services, collaborative practice that respects the voice of advocacy groups, families and children is far from being mainstreamed across jurisdictions (Davis, 2019;Hamilton et al, 2022;Morley et al, 2022;Ross et al, 2017). 7 The five elements of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Placement Principle-prevention, partnership, participation, placement and connection-have been poorly implemented (Davis, 2019;Department of Social Services, 2020, 2021SNAICC, 2022).…”