Delivery of Culturally Responsive Early Intervention and Family Support Programs to Aboriginal Children and Families I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which I speak and pay respects to their creator spirits, ancestors, and their Elders. We all want to protect our children. Families should always be networks of nurture and circles of care where that protection occurs. But for Aboriginal children, since colonisation there has been an ongoing struggle to have our families recognised as the best carers for our children and organisations such as VACCA know only too well the implications of the past on today’s children. For it was on the government established missions and reserves that our children and families were placed, with some children taken from families and put in dormitories, there were also times when they were even fenced off from their families. During this time adolescence and having fair skin too meant that you had to leave the mission or reserve. And then later, the policies of assimilation that led to the Stolen Generations meant that the Aboriginal family was seen as a risk factor for our children. On the missions and reserves our lives were dictated to by government appointed protectors. In the case of the Stolen Generations, our children were taken away for their protection. But we now know – what my people always knew – that the so called ‘protection’ of the coloniser was in fact the biggest risk factor our children had to face. We need to see Aboriginal culture as a strength and as a protective factor which promotes, not diminishes, resilience for our children. We need to recognise that for Koorie kids the maintaining and strengthening of culture is the right service response. Any service response that ignores, or worse, denigrates, Aboriginal culture is itself a risk factor for our children.   Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency

Why We Do The Work We Do The challenge for VACCA today is to turn around the following statistics: Aboriginal children and young people make up 8.3% of the total number of current clients in the child protection system. The under 18 year old Aboriginal population is 10.5 times more likely to be involved in the child protection system. 5.7% of the under 18 year old population recording as Aboriginal; is involved in the child protection system in comparison to 0.5% of the non-Aboriginal population. Aboriginal children are 6 times more likely to be removed from their family by Child Protection. So the challenge for VACCA today is to turn around the following statistics: Aboriginal children and young people make up 8.3% of the total number of current clients in the child protection system. The under 18 year old Aboriginal population is 10.5 times more likely to be involved in the child protection system. 5.7% of the under 18 year old population recording as Aboriginal is involved in the child protection system in comparison to 0.5% of the non-Aboriginal population. Aboriginal children are 6 times more likely to be removed from their family by Child Protection.

Koorie FACES The program builds confidence in parents and families of Aboriginal children, focuses on the value and importance of Aboriginal culture and Indigenous families, uses a range of activities to ensure participants are involved in a fun and interactive learning environment, applies Aboriginal leaning styles and includes group discussions, story telling – particularly by Elders, roles plays, fun group activities which are highly visual and interactive and time to reflect on learning The Koorie FACES program is a family strengthening program developed by the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO). The program aims to build confidence in parents and families of Aboriginal children, with an emphasis on an increased understanding and knowledge of self, Aboriginal culture and parenting practices and styles to build resilience against drug and alcohol misuse in children. Koorie FACES focuses on the value and importance of Aboriginal culture and Indigenous families; using a range of activities to ensure participants are involved in a fun and interactive learning environment. Aboriginal leaning styles have guided the methodologies used throughout the program and include group discussions, story telling – particularly by Elders, roles plays, fun group activities which are highly visual and interactive and time to reflect on learning.

VACCA Playgroups Provide activities which promote healthy development and enrich the lives of Koorie children. Strengthen identity and cultural awareness. Strengthen families by connecting them to Community Strengthening inter-generational links. Providing parenting advice and support Link children and families to universal services where required.

Dhum Djirri Aboriginal Family Decision Making (AFDM) AFDM in the North West metropolitan regions is an approach to planning and decision making that: Is embedded in the principles of indigenous self determination and governance Is guided by Aboriginal cultural values and tradition, Takes into account the nature and issues relevant to an urban Aboriginal population Is based on a partnership between N&WM region Child protection, VACCA and ACES Is inclusive and empowering of members of the child or young persons family and community and, Has as its primary goal the protection, safety and well being of Aboriginal children and young people who are at risk of abuse and neglect.

Dhum Djirri Aboriginal Family Decision Making (AFDM) Family Decisions making is a culturally respected meeting involving the child or young person, significant others of the child or young persons community, Elders, and Community organisation staff. The decisions to be made by families in regard to protecting a child at risk of harm. The Aboriginal Family Decision Making empowers families and communities to have control over addressing their own issues and allows for realistic change. working together allows for the effects of change to be implemented in ways which are of benefit to all involved and enables the maintenance of an Aboriginal child/young person’s link to community, encouraging stronger families and communities. The example of Aboriginal Family Decision Making (AFDM) Family Decisions making is a culturally respected meeting involving the child or young person, significant others of the child or young persons community, Elders, and Community organisation staff. The purpose of the meeting is for decisions to be made by families (inclusive of extended family members) in regard to protecting a child at risk of harm. The Aboriginal Family Decision Making concept empowers families and communities to have control over addressing their own issues and allows for realistic change. The ability of all these people to work together will allow for the effects of change to be implemented in ways which are of benefit to all involved and will allow for the opportunities to maintain an Aboriginal child/young person’s link to community, encouraging stronger families and communities.

Child First - Culturally Responsive Intake Cultural identity needs to be ascertained at the beginning of the intake process Consultation must occur with an Aboriginal Liaison worker Families are given assurance that Child FIRST response will be culturally sensitive and competent From the beginning, the Aboriginal families are informed of the role of the Aboriginal Liaison worker. Family is immediately aware that their culture acknowledged and valued. Consultation can be identified or de-identified Cultural identity needs to be ascertained at the beginning of the intake process Consultation must occur with an Aboriginal Liaison worker Families are given assurance that Child FIRST response will be culturally sensitive and competent From the beginning, the Aboriginal families are informed of the role of the Aboriginal Liaison worker. Family is immediately aware that their culture acknowledged and valued. Consultation can be identified or de-identified 13

Child First - Aboriginal Liaison Worker The role includes: Exploring appropriateness of the referral Providing advice and information Support to non Aboriginal workers working with Aboriginal families – Practical support. Assisting in assessing risk and strengths Identifying cultural issues- cultural safety – connection to community Exploring support services/programs for families The role includes: Exploring appropriateness of the referral Providing advice and information Support to non Aboriginal workers working with Aboriginal families for eg ways of working with Aboriginal families Assisting in assessing risk and strengths Identifying cultural issues- cultural safety – connection to community Exploring support services/programs for families

A FAMILY’S JOURNEY THROUGH VACCA FAMILY SUPPORT A Family can refer or be referred in at many points in the continuum All families apart from playgroup families undergo an Assessment process during which a service plan is developed and recommended The service plan may recommend that the family requires and is eligible for one or more of our programs. The family is allocated a worker from the program which is assessed as being the service option that is central to achieving positive change for the family. A Family can refer or be referred in at many points in the continuum – from playgroup, community based intake to Family Restorations program All families apart from playgroup families undergo an Assessment process during which a service plan is developed and recommended The service plan may recommend that the family requires and is eligible for one or more of our programs. The family is allocated a worker from the program which is assessed as being the service option that is central to achieving positive change for the family.

VACCA Website www.vacca.org Email: matthewd@vacca.org