Aboriginal children

1
Aboriginal childrens wellbeing and the role of
culture Outcomes of an Australian research
project into measurements and assessment tools
for Aboriginal and Islander children

• Ms Jane Harrison Aboriginal Research Officer,
  School of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe
  University, Take Two and the Victorian Aboriginal
  Child Care Agency (VACCA)
• E-mail j.harrison_at_latrobe.edu.au
• Investigators Margarita Frederico, La Trobe
  University, Muriel Bamblett VACCA, Annette
  Jackson Take Two,
• Sue Anne Hunter and Peter Lewis VACCA

2
What was the project?

• Funded by AIATSIS and managed by
• The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency
  (VACCA)
• La Trobe University and
• Take Two, a mainstream child and family welfare
  and child mental health agency
• Aim To develop a culturally sensitive framework
  and tools to accurately and sensitively describe
  the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal
  children who have experienced significant abuse
  and/or neglect

3
What was the project?

• Many of the current psychological measures are
  western based and dont tap into an Aboriginal
  cultural value system - things like identity,
  relationships within family and community,
  sharing, obligations to others, taking
  responsibility, etc - the things that are
  important to us as Aboriginal people. Aboriginal
  worker
• Historically assessed using measures which
  ignored
• Culture Beliefs Connection to community
  and place
• Spirituality Individual experiences.
• A lack of culture and connectedness is a risk
  factor for Aboriginal children

4
The context of Aboriginal children in Victoria

• Intergenerational trauma due to
• Colonisation
• Stolen Generations
• Assimilation
• Racism
• Institutionalisation
• Poverty and other forms of disadvantage
• While the physical health data tell a
  damning-enough story, it is in the broad arena of
  psychological and social health that the
  devastation experienced by Indigenous peoples
  over the past two centuries is truly brought
  home. (Penman, 2006, p. 28)

5
Over representation in child protection

• 10 of the number of CP clients (1 of Victorian
  population)
• 12 times more likely to be in out of home care
  (DHS, 2006).
• 57.0 of Victoria's Indigenous population are lt
  25 years. (cp 39.0 in the non-Indigenous
  population)
• 3.0 (12.0 non-Indigenous) gt 65 years (AAV,
  2008)

6
Methodology

• Action research with a focus upon engaging
  Aboriginal and nonAboriginal practitioners and
  policy makers.
• A synthesis of findings from
• The literature
• Qualitative analysis of existing measures and
  assessment approaches
• Interviews with 24 informants from Aboriginal
  and non Aboriginal organisations
• Validation of the findings via focus groups and
  the project reference group.

7
Key findings literature review

• Western definitions think of the child in terms
  of physical and emotional wellness and forget the
  importance of cultural and social connectedness.
  Non Aboriginal worker
• Spirituality for any child is important.
  Aboriginal worker
• Dearth of research into
• Aboriginal children, including their wellbeing
• Assessment tools or outcome measures
• Wellbeing into children in out-of-home-care
• The Aboriginal childs perspective
• Cultural connection and spirituality was
  overlooked

8
Key findings

• Some child protection workers say were
  culturally aware but they have no real
  understanding of the need for connection the
  childs Aboriginality is seen as peripheral
  rather than core. Non Aboriginal worker
• Organisational and worker cultural competence
  critical
• Engagement and forming positive relationships
  critical
• A lack of engagement prevents children
  benefiting from services.

9
Engagement

• The relationship you form with them is the first
  thing, and without that you wont get anything
  from them. You need to establish their safety and
  think about the settings and situations in which
  you engage. Aboriginal worker
• Where you engage Professional boundaries
  blurred
• Approach as equals qualification are not
  important
• Aboriginal person to vouch Be flexible
• No jargon Open ended questions what
  if
• Gender issues Eye contact Literacy
• Cultural triggers Work with local
  community
• Bear in mind your blissful ignorance

10
Key findings

• Improving their wellbeing is a process of
  facilitating attachment to extended family and
  community. Aboriginal worker
• It is a key change when they are strong in
  culture. Aboriginal worker
• Sometimes we are the only Aboriginal person they
  know. Aboriginal worker
• Children without a connection to their culture
  are denied their heritage.
• The Aboriginal Child Placement Principle
  mandates for cultural connection.
• Cultural work not always defined.

11
Aboriginal Childrens Cultural Needs
Personal identity
Ext. family, community, clan
Cul values, beliefs, practices
Aboriginal childrens cultural needs
Country/ land
History
Cultural expression, events
12
Developing a measure

• Workers might say the child doesnt identify
  without understanding why that might be so.
  Culture is viewed is a tack on. It is not seen
  as central for the child. Non Aboriginal worker
• Cultural Yarn
• Primary school aged children and older
• Uses appropriate domains and language
• Measures their perceptions and attitudes towards
  their Aboriginality

13
Cultural Yarn - domains

• Whether they call themselves Aboriginal
• Who their mob is
• Where they are from
• Totem
• How much they know about Aboriginal culture
• Whether they speak Koori English or language

14
Cultural Yarn - domains

• Whether they listen to Aboriginal music/play
  instrument
• View Aboriginal films/TV shows
• Their participation in Cultural/sporting events
• Whether they eat traditional foods
• Go back to traditional country

15
Cultural Yarn - domains

• Whether they have Aboriginal friends
• Whether they have non-Aboriginal friends
• Whether they know an Aboriginal Elder
• Whether they have an Aboriginal mentor or role
  model
• How close they are to that person

16
Cultural Yarn - domains

• Whether they have a grown up who puts them first
• If that person is Aboriginal
• Whether they would bring up their own kids with
  culture
• If they feel connected to their Aboriginal
  family
• How they feel about being Aboriginal

17
Conclusion

• Resilience equals culture. Non Indigenous
  organizations dont seem to realize its
  importance. Or they see culture as something
  dead, up in the Territory, but not here in an
  urban setting. Aboriginal worker

18
Conclusion

• You might not achieve wellbeing but are able to
  work towards it. Aboriginal worker
• I would appreciate having more understanding
  on how to best measure and document a childs
  social and emotional wellbeing. Non Aboriginal
  worker