Bibliographies
The following bibliography has been compiled from the Australian Family & Society Abstracts database and other resources held in the Institute's library. Where available a link to the document on the Web is provided. Most items can be borrowed from the Institute's library via the inter library loan system. Online publications in PDF format require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Indigenous families
Aboriginal family wellbeing facilitation
service: an Indigenous parenting and family wellbeing
initiative.
Kelly, Loretta; Laurie, Veronica
In: Good practice: a collaborative quest: Forum papers,
National Forum for Family Relationships Services Program
practitioners. Canberra, ACT: Department of Family
and Community Services, 2002, 3p
The development and funding of the NSW Aboriginal Family
Wellbeing Facilitation Service is discussed in this
paper. The paper explains the partnership between the
mainstream counselling and mediation service (Interrelate
Mid North Coast) and the Aboriginal organisation (Yarrawarra
Aboriginal Corporation). The emphasis on Aboriginal
community control and ownership of the program are
explored, as well as the barriers that were faced in
putting the philosophy of community control into practice.
The continuing challenges that the service faces in
order to provide grass roots Aboriginal community control
are also discussed. (Author abstract, edited)
Aboriginal intermarriage and economic status
in western New South Wales.
Peterson,
N; Taylor, J
People and
Place v.10 no.4 2002: 11-16, tables and Online (PDF)
The
strength of the Aboriginal domain in western New South
Wales is suggested by the fact that 94 per cent of
children from intermarriages are classified by their
parents as Aboriginal. Census data also indicate that
people in mixed marriages in this area are economically
better off especially in regard to housing, than those
in marriages where both partners are Indigenous. This
raises questions about possible transformation of the
Aboriginal domestic moral economy and the place of
sharing within it. (Journal abstract)
An
innovative family support program by and for Indigenous
Australians: reflections in evaluation practice.
Tsey, K
Journal of Family Studies v.6 no.2 Oct 2000: 302-308
The Family Wellbeing course developed out of the
collective experience of a group of Adelaide based
survivors of the stolen generations. This article
outlines the background to the course and describes
the Family Wellbeing approach; evaluation challenges;
and adapting the Family Wellbeing course in Alice
Springs to the needs of other rural and remote
Aboriginal communities.
Are we there yet?! Systemic practice in a regional Victorian
maternal child and family health service.
Fonseca,
Alison
VAFT News (Victorian Association of Family Therapists) v.27
no.6 Dec 2005: 7-10
The Maternal Child and Family Health
Service in Baw Baw Shire, Victoria, provides a counselling service for
vulnerable families with an emphasis on systemic practice. This article
describes the development of the service, the role of the family
counsellor, the way the counsellor works with Indigenous families in the
region, narrative techniques used, the role of feedback, and
challenges.
Assessing family and community life through the National
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey: an
evaluation.
Weston, Ruth; Gray, Matthew
Family
Matters no.73 2006: 32-37, tables
This paper provides an
overview of a survey of Indigenous Australians, the National Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS), and describes the key
measures of family and community in the survey. The authors describe and
evaluate a selection of key measures of family and community used in the
2002 NATSISS, and then examine in greater depth the utility of two of
these measures, namely child care use and the incidence of 'stolen
generations'. They also suggests aspects of family and community life
that may be valuable additions to future social surveys of the Indigenous
population and provide suggestions for improvements to the NATISS.
Best Start atlas: children aged 0-8 years in Victoria.
Australian Bureau of Statistics; Victoria. Department of Human
Services
Melbourne, Vic: Office for Children, 2005, 136p, Online (PDF
10Mb)
The Best Start project aims to improve the
health, development, learning and well being of all Victorian children
under the age of 8 years. The Best Start atlas presents and analyses a
range of characteristics about these Victorian children. It aims to
provide the Department of Human Services with an evidence base for use in
developing child health policy, program development and evaluation. The
atlas is divided into sections on population, families, socio economic
environment and physical environment. It covers marital status; families
with Indigenous dependents; multifamily households; median weekly family
income; median family income of one parent families with children aged
less than eight years; education and English proficiency; child health,
development, learning and well being; women fully breastfeeding at three
months and six months; education and learning; services; immunisation
services; maternal and child health; and children with ambulatory care
sensitive conditions admitted to hospital.
Changing a system for the benefit of the child: the Magellan
project.
Brown, Thea; Frederico, Margarita; Sheehan,
Rosemary; Hewitt, Lesley
In: Our future generations: National
Indigenous Child Welfare and Development Seminar, Tuesday 22nd - Thursday
24th July 2003: seminar report. Melbourne, Vic: Secretariat of National
Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, 2003, p173-175
The
findings of a study that examined the management of child abuse
allegations in the Family Court of Australia and which led to the
establishment of a case management model, the Magellan program, are
presented in this paper. The paper discusses the recommended changes
based on the findings, the implementation process, the principles of the
Magellan program, outcomes, and the position of Indigenous families in
the Magellan project.
Child
abuse and family violence in Aboriginal communities: exploring child
sexual abuse in Western Australia. For the Western Australian Government
Inquiry into Responses by Government Agencies to complaints of Family
Violence and Child Abuse in Aboriginal Communities.
Stanley, Janet; Kovacs, Katie; Tomison, Adam; Cripps, Kyllie
Melbourne, Vic: National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Australian
Institute of Family Studies, 2002, 88p, Online (PDF 506K)
The
term family violence has a different meaning in Indigenous communities
than it does in the broader Australian community. This report reviews
the literature on family violence and child abuse in Indigenous
communities in Western Australia, with particular reference to child
sexual abuse. It discusses the experience and prevalence of family
violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities; causal factors of
family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities; Aboriginal
beliefs about gender and sexuality; research findings regarding mandatory
reporting of child abuse and sexually transmitted infections; and best
practice in government agency responses to sexual abuse of Aboriginal
children and solutions to Aboriginal family violence.
Child welfare approaches for Indigenous communities: international
perspectives.
Libesman, Terri
Child Abuse
Prevention Issues no.20 Autumn 2004: 39p, tables, and Online
A one size fits all approach to indigenous policy does not work, this
paper argues. It examines the history of indigenous child and family
services and reviews legislation and services delivered to indigenous
communities in Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. It
considers problems with conventional social work and child welfare
methods and discusses partnerships and collaboration, factors
contributing to culturally competent work, the legacy of historical
removals, staffing and training issues, indigenous community control,
standards, accountability, traditional healing and cultural revival,
community awareness raising, traditional healing and offender treatment
for sexual abuse, family preservation versus child protection, family
group conferencing and other models, and early intervention. It presents
two case studies of successful Canadian indigenous controlled child and
family services.
Children
and families in transition : towards a child-centred
integrated model of practice.
Bagshaw,
Dale Margaret; Quinn, Karolyne; Schmidt, Birte
Magill, SA: Hawke
Research Institute for Sustainable Societies, University
of South Australia, 2006, 316p, figures, and Online
(PDF 1.61MB)
The
project Children and Families in Transition (CAFIT)
is an ongoing, collaborative research-based project
between the Conflict Management Research Group, Hawke
Research Institute, University of South Australia
and Centacare Family Services, funded by the Telstra
Foundation. It aims to research the experiences and
special service needs of separated families and their
children in order to develop early intervention strategies
to promote child-centred practices and positive, cooperative
parenting, informing a 'best practice' model of service
provision to be piloted and tested. This report outlines
the findings of first stage research. This included
a literature review, an initial online survey of service
providers nationally and internationally, and then
interviews with key stakeholders, including separating
parents and caregivers and their children, and staff
from selected service providers, including those working
with separating Indigenous families; the appendices
provide details. Seven sets of recommendations were
developed to address the following: hearing children's
voices when their parents separate; enhancing communications
between parents and their children before, during
and after separation; minimising the effects of parental
conflict, violence and abuse on the children; assisting
parents to help their children cope with separation;
supporting children, and also specifically Aboriginal
children, during the separation of their parents;
developing a best-practice child-centred model of
service delivery for children and families in transition.
The second stage of the project to be carried out
in 2006 is outlined.
Discussion paper for WAM/WOM Work and Family
Workshop.
Bourke, J
In: WAM/WOM Work and Family
Workshop, Sydney, March 2002: workshop materials. Canberra, ACT: Office
of the Status of Women, 2002, 1-7, (no.18)
The author raises
many issues concerning family friendly workplaces in the Northern
Territory, specifically relating to discrimination because of pregnancy,
parental leave, childcare, family responsibilities, and the lack of
rights for casual workers. She discusses some of her concerns about the
Community Development Employment Program, a cross between welfare and
work for Indigenous communities. She then outlines some suggestions for
improving regulations relating to work family balance.
Ear disease and Aboriginal families.
Howard,
Damien; Hampton, Dianne
Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker
Journal v.30 no.4 Jul - Aug 2006: 9-11
The impact on
Aboriginal communities of conductive hearing loss, which is caused by
middle ear disease, is discussed. This article looks at the effects on
social and emotional outcomes, on learning and behavioural problems, and
on family life.
Evaluating Aboriginal empowerment programs: the case of
Family WellBeing.
Tsey, K; Every, A
Australian and
New Zealand Journal of Public Health v.24 no.5 Oct 2000: 509-514,
tables
Relative powerlessness has long been recognised as a
major factor shaping Aboriginal health. This article evaluates the
effectiveness of a Family WellBeing empowerment course. It was found
that participation in the program resulted in high levels of personal
empowerment. The course enhanced participants' sense of self worth,
resilience, ability to reflect on causes of problems and problem solving
ability. Participants felt that they were able to bring about modest,
but significant, improvements in their general sense of well being.
There was no evidence, however, of organisational and community
empowerment. The effectiveness of this program shows the importance of
resourcing Aboriginal people to develop their own programs that address
trauma and other issues. The study highlights the following lessons for
the use of empowerment interventions to improve health conditions,
particularly among socially disadvantaged groups: a need to adopt an
ecological approach that simultaneously addresses empowerment in multiple
settings; a need to ensure that such programs reach a critical mass of
the target group; and for policy makers and practitioners to take a
longer term approach to empowerment interventions. (Journal abstract,
edited)
Families and Schools Together as a community development tool in remote
Indigenous communities in Northern Territory.
Seiffert, Marjorie
In: Families Matter: 9th Australian Institute of
Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, February 2005 - proceedings.
Melbourne, Vic: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2005, 6p, Online
only
This paper examines the use of a highly structured
family strengthening program as a tool in community building within two
remote Aboriginal communities, Nauiyu in the Daly region, and
Kunbarllanjnja in Arnhem Land. The NT Christian Schools Association chose
Families and Schools Together (FAST) to trial in primary schools in the
region around its new bush secondary school, Woolaning Homeland Christian
College. FAST was chosen as it used a strengths-based approach with whole
families, focused on relationship building in a community, was
research-based, and demonstrated consistent outcomes in a range of
communities including Indigenous communities in America and Canada, and
with urban Indigenous families in Western Australia. Through the training
of a local team, it also had the potential to develop local community
capacity. The paper provides an overview of FAST, and discusses whether
the program achieved its goals.
Families
First area review lessons.
Fisher, Karen; Thomson,
Cathy; Valentine, Kylie
SPRC Newsletter no.89 Mar 2005: 6-8, 16,
figures, and Online (whole issue PDF 194KB)
The New South
Wales Government's Families First strategy aims to identify children and
families needing assistance and to support them through a coordinated
network of prevention and early intervention services. This article
discusses the key lessons from the area review component of the
evaluation of Families First. It looks at organisational capacity,
resource capacity, staff capacity, leadership capacity, network capacity,
and engaging Aboriginal communities.
Families First area review Illawarra: final report for
The Cabinet Office of New South Wales.
Thomson, Cathy;
Valentine, Kylie; Fisher, Karen; Aggett, Nicole
Kensington, NSW:
Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 40p,
tables, figures (SPRC report no.2/06), Online (PDF 360K)
This
report is the third in a series undertaken by the UNSW Evaluation
Consortium for the Cabinet Office as part of the evaluation of Families
First. It presents the findings of the Area Review in Illawarra as a
regional locality in moderate need in the early stages of Families First
rollout. In the first 12 months, Families First in Illawarra focused on
building structures to support the development and implementation of new
service models and coordinated early intervention and prevention service
networks. Considerable efforts were made to link to and engage with local
Aboriginal groups and networks. The key findings from the Area Review
concern management, implementation, Aboriginal participation and access
and system capacity.
Family
and community life.
Gray, Matthew; Weston, Ruth
In: Indigenous socioeconomic outcomes: assessing recent evidence: a CAEPR
conference, the Australian National University, Canberra, August 11-12,
2005: Conference program and presentations. Canberra, ACT: Centre for
Aboriginal Economic Research, Australian National University, 2005, 31p,
figures, Online only (PowerPoint (373K) and Streaming Audio)
The reasons for studying family and community life are explored in this
presentation. The presentation looks at the contribution to the study of
family and community life of the 2002 National Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Social Survey. It considers definitions of 'family',
'community', 'family life'and 'community life'and explores difficulties
of collecting data on family and community, particularly for Indigenous
populations.
Family and social factors underlying the labour force status of
Indigenous Australians.
Hunter, B; Gray, M
Family Matters no.62 Winter 2002: 18-25, tables and Online (PDF 436K)
This paper seeks to identify the extent to which family and
social factors either enhance or detract from Indigenous economic
participation. Defining 'discouraged workers' as those who want to work
but are not actively looking for work, the authors note that Indigenous
people are far more likely than other Australians to be discouraged
workers. The article reports on the results of analysis of data from the
1994 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey (NATSIS) which
provides a unique opportunity to examine the processes underlying
Indigenous labour force status. The research extends the range of factors
examined in studies of Indigenous labour supply to include cultural and
social environmental factors, and focuses on what leads to Indigenous
people becoming discouraged workers. The importance of family, cultural
and social environmental factors in determining the labour force outcomes
of Indigenous people is highlighted, and implications discussed.
Family Court mediation and Indigenous families.
Ralph, Stephen
Indigenous Law Bulletin v.6 no.5 Aug - Sept 2004:
10-12
The Family Court offers many services that aim to
respond sensitively and appropriately to the needs of Indigenous
families. This article describes these services, considers the
characteristics and nature of Indigenous family law disputes, and
presents a case study that illustrates the model of court mediators and
Indigenous family consultants working together.
Family Link Project.
Weerasigne, Sepi; Hunter,
Sue-Anne
In: Our future generations: National Indigenous Child
Welfare and Development Seminar, Tuesday 22nd - Thursday 24th July 2003:
seminar report. Melbourne, Vic: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and
Islander Child Care, 2003, p110-111
Victoria's Family Link
Project aims to enhance the accessibility of family support services to
Aboriginal families by assisting mainstream organisations to be
culturally appropriate and to expose Indigenous family support services
to mainstream models of practice that may be relevant to the Indigenous
sector. This paper sets out the goals of the project, the stage the
project is currently at and some initial observations.
Family wellbeing: my story.
Gibson, Teresa
Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal v.28
no.6 Nov - Dec 2004: 3-5
The Family Well Being program was developed by a group
of Indigenous people to create a setting where Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islanders could gather, talk about
issues and gain support. This article describes how
the program works, the challenges and highlights, and
the impact of the program on one of the project officers.
Fathering
and Indigenous families: a North Queensland community
partnership - paper presented at the Helping
Families Change Conference, Melbourne, February
2001.
Howard, S
Brisbane, Qld: Commission for Children and Young People,
Papers and publications, 2001, 6p, Online only (53K)
This paper provides a brief overview of the diversity
of Indigenous culture prior to white settlement; addresses,
in some detail, changes in what has been called the
traditional Indigenous family structure and the resultant
impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
and young people; and identifies issues that need to
be considered in parenting programs for Indigenous
people. A brief description is provided of a trial
Indigenous fathering program that aims to meet the
needs of children whose fathers are in prison, being
developed by the Commission for Children and Young
People, collaborating with the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Advisory Board (ATSIAB).
Fathering
behind bars.
Howard, S
In: Family Futures: issues in research and policy,
7th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference,
Sydney, July 2000. Melbourne, Vic: Australian Institute
of Family Studies, 2000, 9p, figures, Online only
The Children's Commission is particularly concerned
to support children and young people who are marginalised
and in vulnerable situations in society. As part
of the Focus on Fathering Project it is interested
in exploring issues relating to fathers in prison.
The Commission is concerned by statistics which indicate
the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in prisons
(1585 per 100,000 population compared with 116 per
100,000 'other people' according to 1997 Crime and
Justice statistics), and youth detention (343 per
100,000 of Indigenous young people compared with
15 per 100,000 of non Indigenous young people). The
Queensland government's Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Advisory Board (ATSIAB) is also interested in programs
that support Indigenous inmates to maintain strong
connections to their families and communities. ATSIAB
and the Children's Commission are working together
to explore issues around the relationships between
fathers and their children when the father is in
prison. This presentation explains the nature of
this aspect of the Focus on Fathering Project, and
highlights the key issues which have been identified
regarding fathering behind bars. (Author abstract,
edited)
Footprints to where we are: a resource manual for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander children's services.
Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC)
North Fitzroy, Vic: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child
Care, 2005, 108p, figures, and Online (PDF 4.5MB)
This
resource kit for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
presents information on culturally relevant services and systems that can
help produce the best outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
children. It covers: Aboriginal and Islander child and family welfare
services; key approaches in the child and family welfare sector; service
provision and key terms in the child and family welfare sector; child
development; Aboriginal perspectives on early childhood; the importance
of family in children's development; children's development needs;
developmental states and milestones; prenatal development; food and
nutrition; growth and development; language development; early literacy;
cognitive development and intelligence; the senses; physical development;
and information on the governance of organisations. The kit includes
several case studies.
HAPPI evaluation report: an
evaluation of the Centacare Homeless and Parenting Program Initiative,
South Australia.
Porter, Margaret; Witham, Patricia
Canberra, ACT: Department of Family and Community Services, 2003, 68p,
tables, figures, Online (PDF 207K)
Centacare's Homeless and
Parenting Program Initiative (HAPPI) is a mobile service working with
families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within the Adelaide
metropolitan area. It is based on an intervention model and aims to
assist families requiring help with parenting support and skills
development. It targets children up to the age of twelve, and was
designed to include a significant focus on Aboriginal families and
children. This report presents an evaluation of the program, an overview
of its position in relation to broader service delivery to homeless
families in South Australia, and a comparison with the findings and
experience of similar programs elsewhere. The report provides background
information, a literature review, the evaluation methodology and results,
summary, conclusions and recommendations. The appendices include the
client and agency questionnaires used in the evaluation.
Having our voices heard: Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander youth perspectives.
National Indigenous Youth
Leadership Group
Canberra, ACT: Department of Family and Community
Services, 2005, 27p, figures, ill, and Online (PDF 936K)
This
survey sought to identify the issues most important to young Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people. The results are grouped into the
following categories: addictions and substance abuse; crime and justice;
education; home environment and family; health and well being; cultural
identity; youth being confused by life; employment; nothing to do; young
girls having babies; getting young Aboriginal people off the street;
community; bad influences; poverty; and having a say. This report also
includes biographies of the members of the National Indigenous Youth
Leadership Group.
Homeless
and parenting.
Belperio, D
Parity v.15 no.2 Feb 2002: 23 and Online
The Homeless and Parenting Program Initiative (HAPPI)
was established in South Australia in September 2001
to reduce the impact of homelessness on family relationships.
The objectives of the program, which is described in
this article, are to improve the knowledge and skills
of homeless parents, improve the relationships between
homeless parents and children, increase the participation
of homeless families in case management processes and
support plans, and increase the delivery of appropriate
support services to homeless Indigenous parents.
Household composition, equivalence scales and the reliability
of income distributions: some evidence for Indigenous and other
Australians.
Hunter, B H; Kennedy, S; Smith, D
Economic Record v.79 no.244 Mar 2003: 70-83, tables, figures
Indigenous families experience substantial and multiple forms of economic
burden arising from the size and structure of their families and
households. Indigenous households are more likely to have more than one
family in residence than other Australian households and are more likely
to be multigenerational with older Indigenous people living with younger
people in extended family households. This paper seeks to characterise
the economies of household size in Indigenous and other Australian
households using equivalence scales that cover the range of feasible
values and 1995 National Health Survey data. (Journal abstract)
Indigenous Early Years Family Support and Access
Program.
Martin, Karen
In: Our future generations:
National Indigenous Child Welfare and Development Seminar, Tuesday 22nd -
Thursday 24th July 2003: seminar report. Melbourne, Vic: Secretariat of
National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, 2003, p91-94, tables
The Early Years Family Support and Access Program aims to
support 280 Indigenous families with children under three years old in
Ipswich, Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns. The program aims to increase
attendance rates of Indigenous early childhood students, address health
and nutrition problems, train professionals to be effective in Indigenous
communities and schools, develop culturally sensitive and respectful
strategies and achieve accountability. This paper explains the program
structure and operations, achievements, strengths, and challenges.
Indigenous families and households in a time of welfare
reform.
Daly, A; Smith, D
In:
8th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference,
Melbourne, 12-14 February 2003: proceedings. Melbourne,
Vic: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2003,
7p, tables, figure. Online only (PDF 29K)
While
there are difficulties in comparing results over time
based on self identification of Indigenous status in
the Population Census, published data from the 2001
Census on Indigenous families and households confirm
the findings of earlier Censuses. Indigenous families
and households are larger than other Australian families
and they have lower incomes. Indigenous families are
more likely to be sole parent families and less likely
to be couple only families without children. In 2000-2001,
the proportion of Indigenous families with dependents
on Parenting Payment Single (PPS) was twice the proportion
of other Australian families. The current debate on
welfare reform is therefore likely to affect these
families particularly. (Author abstract)
Indigenous family consultants at the Family Court of
Australia.
Akee, Josephine
In: Smyth, B.,
Richardson, N. and Soriano, G. eds. Proceedings of the International
Forum on Family Relationships in Transition: legislative, practical and
policy responses: 1-2 December 2005. Melbourne, Vic: Australian
Institute of Family Studies, 2006, p258-261, and Online
Mistrust of the Australian system, the government and the courts is not
uncommon among Indigenous people and is one important barrier to
accessing the family law system. The low number of Indigenous family law
workers makes access more difficult. The author of this paper shares her
experience working as an Indigenous Family Consultant in Cairns,
explaining the ways she tries to make the family law system accessible to
Indigenous people.
Indigenous family violence.
Cummings,
E
Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter
no.10 Mar 2002: 3-4, and Online (whole issue 543K)
In
relation to the issue of which term to use, 'domestic' or 'family'
violence, the author provides information on the terminology used in the
Northern Territory, particularly in remote areas. She explains that
Indigenous women see family and domestic violence quite differently to
the wider community and have their own interpretation. The term family
violence is preferred by the Indigenous community in the Northern
Territory and more accurately describes how violence reverberates through
the entire family.
Indigenous Family Violence Forum: Which way now? CQU, Mackay, 4 May
2004.
Reilly, Lyndon
Queensland Centre for
Domestic and Family Violence Research Newsletter v.2 no.4 Jun 2004: 2-5,
and Online (PDF 464K, whole issue)
The four objectives of the
Indigenous Family Violence Forum, held in May 2004, were to: highlight
the work being done by Indigenous people and organisations to prevent
domestic and family violence; identify policy, research or practice areas
needing more support; bring Indigenous Queenslanders together to share
information and ideas; provide a forum for Indigenous people to
contribute advice on areas needing further action. This article evaluates
the objectives and reports responses of Forum participants to them.
Indigenous
household structures and ABS definitions of the family: What happens when
systems collide, and does it matter?
Morphy,
Frances
Canberra, ACT: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy
Research, Australian National University, 2004, 19p, (CAEPR Working paper
no.26/2004), Online (PDF 2.37MB)
In August 2001 the author
observed the conduct of the national Census at an outstation community in
the Northern Territory, with the purpose of evaluating the Australian
Bureau of Statistic's Indigenous Enumeration Strategy (IES) as it was
applied in this particular context, and assessing the quality of the data
that were collected. This paper focuses on the questions that were
designed to elicit information about household structure. The author
argues that 'pursuing the red herring of forcing Indigenous families and
households into mainstream categories is a waste of time and effort, and
diverts attention from the significant underlying issues'.
Indigenous
parenting project.
Secretariat of the National Aboriginal and Islander
Child Care (SNAICC); Swinburne University of Technology.
Department of Child and Family Studies
Canberra, ACT: Department of Family and Community Services,
2004, 140p, and Online (PDF 377K)
Phase One of the Parenting Information Project consists
of a literature review, program audit and substantial
national consultations on parenting information and
programs for Australian parents including those from
culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
This document reports upon the Indigenous component.
The Department of Child and Family Studies at Swinburne
University of Technology reviewed the literature on
Indigenous parenting, and conducted a program audit
which involved the identification and documentation
of the diverse range of current Australian and international
Indigenous parenting programs. The Secretariat of the
National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC)
consulted with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
parents, foster carers, Indigenous people in transition
to parenthood and other family or community members
responsible for bringing up children in remote, rural
and metropolitan areas to find out what additional
parenting information and support governments should
provide. The report covers all aspects of the project,
including a survey of key stakeholders specialising
in Indigenous family issues in the areas of policy
development, research and development, program planning
and service delivery.
Indigenous projects funded by Partnerships Against Domestic
Violence.
Strategic Partners Pty Ltd
Meta Evaluation
Bulletin no.6 Apr 2001: 1-21
A review of the literature is
summarised, focusing on the incidence of family violence in Aboriginal
communities in Australia; barriers to reporting family violence;
Aboriginal perspectives and approaches to family violence; and finding a
response to Aboriginal family violence. An overview is then provided of
the Indigenous projects being conducted across Australia with funding
through Partnerships Against Domestic Violence, and some initial outcomes
from the various projects are described. Projects and services include
rural and remote initiatives, relationship services, family support
services, advocacy projects, and crisis intervention.
Indigenous Yarning Service (Indigerrelate) evaluative
report.
Cuthbertson, N
Family Services Australia
Newsletter no.23 Dec 2000: 52-54
An Indigenous Relationship
Education Pilot project, known as Indigerrelate Indigenous Yarning
Service, and established at Lismore NSW by Interrelate in liaison with
the Indigenous Community Advisory Panel, is described in this paper. The
focus of the program is directed towards improving the psychological well
being and behavioural patterns of Indigenous families. Community
participation and cross cultural awareness issues are addressed.
Justice in family law through the eyes of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander women.
Ruska, K; Turner, D
Paper presented at National Conference on Community Legal Centres,
September 2001, 11p
The particular disadvantages experienced
by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in the practice of family
law are identified in this paper. These disadvantages can be seen in:
barriers in accessing legal aid; lack of appropriate support mechanisms
for Indigenous women in key agencies; lack of cultural sensitivity and
awareness of professionals working in family law; and outcomes for
Indigenous women in the Family Court. The authors draw on research by
the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Legal and Advocacy
Service, Brisbane to address those situations in the Family Court where
the father is non Indigenous. Recommendations are provided, highlighting
the role the legal profession should play in ensuring that current
government legislation and practice does not repeat the mistakes of the
past.
Lost in translation? Remote Indigenous households and
definitions of the family.
Morphy, Frances
Family
Matters no.73 2006: 23-31, figures
The definition of the
'family' by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) takes the nuclear
family as their starting point. Using an anthropological approach to
kinship, this paper argues that the nuclear family structure is not a
'natural' outcome of Aboriginal Australian kinship systems, and explores
the implications of this for the quality of Indigenous household data in
the national Census. The purpose of the research as explored in this
article is twofold: to evaluate the ABS Indigenous Enumeration Strategy
and to assess the quality of the data that were collected. The paper
focuses on the responses to the questions designed to elicit information
about family and household structure. These data are supplemented by
genealogical information that the author collected in the course of
independent anthropological fieldwork.
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social survey
2002.
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Canberra, ACT:
Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2004, 80p, tables, figures (ABS
catalogue no.4714.0)
The results of the 2002 National
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social survey, which is designed to
enable analysis of the interrelationship of social circumstances and
outcomes that may be experienced by Indigenous Australians, are presented
in this report. It looks at the population context of Indigenous people
and presents statistics relating to changes since 1994 in the following
areas: culture and language; removal from natural family; health and
disability; education; work; income; housing; law and the criminal
justice system; family and community attachments; participation in
community activities; support; stressors; cultural attachment; smoking;
alcohol consumption; work; financial stress; victimisation; transport;
and information technology.
Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: A snapshot, 2004–2005 new
Canberra, ACT:
Australian Bureau of Statistics
(ABS catalogue no. 4722.0.55.002)
This report provides an overview of the health and social circumstances of older (aged 55 years and over) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Topics covered include family and community, culture and language, health status, long-term health conditions, disability, health risk factors, immunisation, service use, hospitalisation rates and mortality.
Our future generations: National Indigenous Child Welfare and
Development Seminar, Tuesday 22nd - Thursday 24th July 2003: seminar
report.
Melbourne, Vic: Secretariat of National Aboriginal
and Islander Child Care, 2003, 175p, tables, figures
This
report of the National Indigenous Child Welfare and Development Seminar
contains the texts of papers and speeches presented at the conference,
and includes information on the following workshops: Permanency planning
and discussion of Rumbalara Department of Human Services family decision
making project; Strengthening Indigenous families and communities?;
Meeting the developmental needs of Indigenous children aged 0 - 3; Issues
in accreditation for Indigenous child care services: creating an
accreditation system that works for Indigenous communities; Training and
professional development for Indigenous care and early childhood
services; Supporting carers to care: strategies for strengthening
Indigenous foster care; Training and professional development for
Indigenous child and family welfare services; Mainstream child welfare
agencies working with Indigenous children and communities: getting the
partnership right; Beyond apologies: what now for the stolen
generations?; Protecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
in rural and remote communities; Supporting the child care needs of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in rural and remote
communities; Indigenous family violence; Resourcing the field: challenges
of and progress by support agencies for child care and early childhood
support services for Indigenous families; Aboriginal child placement
principle: the rhetoric and the reality; Child abuse: not our way;
Looking after children; Aboriginal and Islander child care agencies: from
crisis intervention to family support. Examining the further development
of AICCAs to focus on primary prevention and family support; Historical
perspectives and future directions for child welfare in South Australia,
Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and the
Northern Territory; A fork in the road: redefining the well being of
Indigenous children in foster care; Indigenous children 0 - 5:
developmental issues; Indigenous child protection, the Family Court and
the Magellan Project. Most papers have been individually indexed.
Palya palyanma pipirri wiima tjutaku = Doing good for little
kids: child care conference, 14-18th May, 2001.
Alice
Springs, NT: Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi Aboriginal Incorporation, 2001,
video, col., 29 min.
This video features images from the 2001
Palya Palyanma Pipirri Wiima Tjutaku (Doing good for little kids) Child
Care Conference, including activity sessions and presentations. Speakers,
attendees and organisers speak about the events and goals of the
conference. Aboriginal child rearing practices and the retention of
Aboriginal culture are discussed. Excerpts from the speeches of
Government ministers are featured, along with discussion about how to
best work with government and how to improve children's services.
Finally, women speak of the benefits the conference had for them.
Parenting influences on adolescent alcohol use.
Hayes, Louise; Smart, Diana; Toumbourou, John W; Sanson, Ann
Melbourne, Vic: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2004, 104p,
tables, figures (Research report no.10), and Online
Alcohol
use is widespread among Australian adolescents, and high risk use is a
serious and growing problem. A range of individual, family, peer, school
and community characteristics have been shown to be risk factors for the
development of adolescent alcohol use and misuse. This report reviews and
synthesises the research and interventions concerning the impact of
parenting factors on adolescent alcohol use. It focuses particularly on
recent Australian research and research with Indigenous and other
cultural sub-groups, but also includes influential research conducted in
other countries. It concludes with discussion of implications for
research and policy, highlighting key conclusions that may be drawn from
the findings reviewed.
Parenting project report
SNAICC News Sept 2004: 6-7
The SNAICC Parenting information Project, which developed
recommendations for government on parenting information
and programs for Indigenous families, was completed
in June 2004. This article covers the research process
and the key findings of the project.
Port Augusta Aboriginal Families Project: an initiative of
Family and Youth Services, South Australian Housing Trust and Port
Augusta Hospital.
McCallum, S
Adelaide, SA:
Department of Human Services, 2000, 95p
The Port Augusta
Aboriginal Families Project is now in its third year of operation,
beginning in February of 1998. It is a venture undertaken by the South
Australian Housing Trust (Port Augusta), Port Augusta Hospital, and
Family and Youth Services (Port Augusta), which are divisions of the
Department of Human Services. It was created in order to target
intervention to Aboriginal families who have multiple problems, and who
have been involved with numerous agencies over a long period of time. It
was recognised that such families are extremely difficult to engage, and
resource-heavy for all agencies with which they may be involved. It was
also apparent that more-of-the-same interventions would not be useful in
attempting to create change for such families. Instead, this service
aimed to apply the principles of empowerment, participation and
partnership in a creative way. This report is a review of the Project's
work-to-date which highlights its successes, and calls attention to some
areas which require further attention. The report also includes a number
of recommendations designed to enhance the Project's functioning.
Prevention
and early intervention for children and families.
Fisher,
R
In: Children, Young People
and Communities: the Future is in Our Hands Conference
- papers. Canberra, ACT: Australian Institute
of Criminology, 2001, 9p, Online only (31K)
Arguing
that identification of risk and protective factors
has been vital in the development of effective
preventive and early intervention services, this
paper discusses issues of: the changing nature
of families; Aboriginal issues; increasing drug
use in the community; risk factors for children
and families; and a range of early intervention
and prevention initiatives including, Parenting
Line, parent information centres, parenting information
on Aboriginal families, Parent Link Volunteer
Home Visiting Service, Under Tens Preventive
Family Support Service, Home School Support,
Building Blocks, Best Start, and the WA Strong
Families Program.
Protecting children: an inquiry into abuse of children in
foster care.
Queensland. Crime and Misconduct
Commission
Australian Indigenous Law Reports v.8 no.4 2004:
81-93
Issues faced by Indigenous children and their families
when they come into contact with Queensland's child protection system are
discussed in this article. A historical overview of the treatment of
Indigenous people is given, and the following topics are discussed: child
protection today, the Child Protection Act 1999, key concerns raised at
the Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Foster Care, the role of Aboriginal
and Islander child care agencies, the Indigenous child placement
principle, placement with non Indigenous carers, placement options,
children and biological parents, issues from Cape York, the Gulf and
Torres Strait regions, and case management plans.
Protecting kids: our way.
Cape/Gulf RAATSICC
Network
Families Australia Bulletin no.2 Summer 2002: 10-11, and
Online (complete issue PDF 1.3MB)
In remote communities
across Cape York Peninsula and the Gulf of Carpentaria a collection of
services, known as the Cape/Gulf Remote Area Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Child Care (RAATSICC) Network, has been strengthening families
and promoting the well being of children for over ten years. This article
outlines the philosophy and some of the services provided by the network
and points to the Cape/Gulf RAATSICC Network Web site at
www.raatsicc.org.au.
Recognition of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child-rearing practices in family
law: response to Recommendation 22: Pathways Report, 'Out of the
Maze'.
Family Law Council (Australia)
Canberra,
ACT: Family Law Council, 2004, 41p, Online (PDF 410K)
In
January 2005 the Family Law Council provided this report to the
Attorney-General on the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander child-rearing practices in family law. The report recommends
four changes to the Family Law Act 1975 to assist courts to take into
account the kinship obligations and child rearing practices of
traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Other
recommendations concern expanding the Family Court's Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander consultant program, and exploring better ways of
recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kinship practices by
other Federal and State government agencies. (Publisher abstract,
edited)
Responding to Indigenous homelessness in South
Australia.
Aboriginal Housing Authority (South Australia);
South Australia. Department of Human Services. Aboriginal Services
Division
Parity v.16 no.9 Oct 2003: 9-11
South
Australia's Indigenous population is overrepresented among the state's
homeless. This article first describes the scope and purpose of
Aboriginal Housing Authority (AHA) programs designed to reduce Indigenous
homelessness and associated problems. It then describes current
partnerships between the Aboriginal Services Division of the Department
of Human Services and community agencies providing support for Indigenous
families.
Return to the heart.
Abbott, Kathy
Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal v.28 no.2 Mar - Apr 2004:
4-5, ill
The Akeyulerre Apmere 24 hour cultural health
service in Alice Springs balances traditional Indigenous healing equally
with western medical practice. It offers a choice of languages and many
services, including the Family Well Being Program, prison services,
smoking ceremonies and cultural education for schools and organisations,
and services for young people.
Selected findings from the 2002 National Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Social Survey.
Australian Bureau of
Statistics
In: Trewin, D. ed. Year book Australia: 2005. Belconnen,
ACT: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2005, p154-159, tables, figures
(Year book no.87)
Data from the 1994 and 2002 National
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social surveys relating to
population context, family and community, community involvement, personal
stressors, culture and language, health, education, work, income,
housing, law and justice, victimisation and involvement in the criminal
justice system are presented in this article.
Skills and strengths of Indigenous men.
Hammond, Craig
Newcastle, NSW: The Engaging Fathers Project, 2003,
DVD (7 min.)
This DVD, made by young men from the community,
shows images of Indigenous fathers, pops, uncles and brothers playing
with and caring for their children in everyday situations. It aims to
show positive images of Indigenous men in family relationships.
Strong
families, then strong communities
Pearson,
N
Cairns, Qld: Cape York Partnerships - Publications
- paper prepared for the Roundtable Forum, Canberra,
October 2000, 17p, Online
The author analyses the situation in the Cape
York Peninsula, stating that there is a general consensus
about the following things: 'that the situation of
our people is not good; that our economic dependency
is a central problem and we must overcome it if we
are to overcome our social problems; that the policies
and the things that we have been doing to try to overcome
our problems, have not worked to now, and in fact our
problems have deepened; and, that we need a new direction'.
He states that 'We have until now committed three major
errors in the theoretical analysis of our structural
problems: we have misinterpreted our history, we don't
understand the dynamics of substance abuse epidemics,
and we do not understand the reasons for our ill health'.
Consequences of this theoretical confusion are examined,
and the author then focuses on how to strengthen families
weakened by passive welfare dependence. Rather than
trying to develop communities by denying families and
smaller groupings, the author argues, we need to recognise
and strengthen families and smaller groupings, and
thereby develop community. He outlines three ideas
for family devolution in Cape York, and makes recommendations
to the Commonwealth Government in relation to how it
may assist the people of Cape York Peninsula to overcome
the problems that are of concern to both government
and our people.
Stronger Families and Communities Strategy: project
profiles.
Fish, Ellen ed.
Stronger Families
Learning Exchange Bulletin no.6 Spring - Summer 2004: 28-33, and
Online
Profiles of several new and established NSW Stronger
Families and Communities Strategy projects, covering setting,
methodology, aims and some outcomes, are presented in this section. The
new projects are: Koori Link project in Orange; Moree Family Support
Services; and Tilligerry Family Network project. Follow up profiles are
given for the following established programs: Boggabilla Community Link
Centre; HIPPY in La Perouse; Red Ochre Links in Dubbo; and Wellington
Community Networkers.
Surveying socially fluid and mobile populations: lessons from
recent longitudinal surveys of indigenous Australians.
Hunter, B; Smith, D
Paper prepared for the Department of Family and
Community Services Panel Data and Policy Conference, Canberra, May 2000,
44p, tables
This paper documents the lessons for the design
and conduct of longitudinal data collections from recent surveys of a
socially fluid population, Indigenous Australians. A brief discussion of
two small scale longitudinal case studies is provided to illustrate the
problems of surveying socially fluid and mobile populations. The DEWRSB
survey is then examined to illustrate the resulting difficulties for an
analysis based on individuals. Issues covered include: Indigenous
Australians and the National Survey of Living Standards; the Centre for
Aboriginal Economic Policy Research / Department of Family and Community
Services research project; sampling and methodology issues; interviewing
techniques in a cross cultural context; defining the Indigenous family
and household; the Barriers to Work Project; the DEWRSB longitudinal
survey of Indigenous jobs seekers; National Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Survey methodology and Indigenous Enumeration Strategy;
measurement issues for mobility and household boundaries; and cost
effective strategies for surveying Indigenous Australians. The appendix
provides details of the implementation of the surveys.
Talking about grog: informing and engaging
communities.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Commission (ATSIC)
Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal
v.27 no.6 Nov - Dec 2003: 21-24
Prior to the NSW Government's
Alcohol Summit, which took place in August 2003 in Sydney,
representatives from NSW Aboriginal communities met to discuss the impact
that alcohol use has had on Aboriginal populations. The principles for
moving forward that were agreed upon at this meeting are outlined in this
article, along with key issues and recommendations to the summit. These
relate to: informing and engaging the community; preventing abuse and
harm; alcohol dependence, disease and treatment; effective health care
service delivery; alcohol related injury and trauma; family health and
well being; workforce development and infrastructure; alcohol related
crime and anti social behaviour; alcohol and the justice system; and
responsible supply and consumption.
Teach your children well: third generation clients: is
homelessness the norm?
Cresswell, A
Parity v.15 no.2
Feb 2002: 13
The author reports that the Beryl Women's Refuge
in the ACT is now seeing second and third generation clients, and that
some women clients are at the Refuge to escape the violence of men who
were once child clients of the service. Most third generation clients are
Indigenous women. The Refuge now operates a Kids Club where children can
learn about alternatives to violence and find ways to escape the domestic
violence victim - perpetrator cycle. The author points out that domestic
violence is a major cause of family homelessness, and urges widespread
early intervention measures to eliminate intergenerational violence.
The changing role of Indigenous men in community and family
life: a conversation between Graham Atkinson and Bob Pease.
Atkinson, G; Pease, B
In: Pease, B. and Camilleri, P. eds.
Working with men in the human services. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin,
2001, p174-187
In this conversation between Graham Atkinson,
a member of the Victorian Koori community, and Bob Pease, Atkinson
provides some personal details of his background and describes his work
at Yuruga Enterprises, an Indigenous owned and controlled consulting and
training firm. Issues raised in relation to working with Aboriginal men
include: the differing impacts of colonisation on Indigenous men and
women; causes of Indigenous men's ill health; alcohol use and affects on
relationships; intervention programs; attitudes of Aboriginal women to
the men's camp; domestic violence and Indigenous responses; culturally
appropriate approaches; description of men's business and women's
business; and possibilities for Indigenous and non Indigenous men to work
cooperatively together.
The experiences of young Australian Indigenous women in
pregnancy, childbirth and post-partum period: a framework for a
community-based model of care.
Minniecon, D; Parker, E;
Cadet-James, Y
Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal v.27
no.2 Mar - Apr 2003: 14-16
This was a qualitative study
conducted over a twelve month period. Participants involved in this
study were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women living in the
greater Cairns area. Five women who participated in the study were
interviewed three times during the study, once before childbirth, after
childbirth and six weeks after the birth of their baby. The study
identified barriers that exist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
women accessing mainstream antenatal and postnatal services as well as
existing barriers with hospital staff. The women also identified the
importance of family support during pregnancy, childbirth and the post
partum period. (Journal abstract)
The family and cultural identity in Aborigines and Torres
Strait Islanders of Chinese Ancestry: a rural-urban divide.
Ramsay, G M
Journal of Family Studies v.6 no.2 Oct 2000:
199-213
Few empirical studies exist that specifically assess
the impact of family on the development of cultural identity (Reference
Group Orientation = RGO) in individuals of mixed cultural heritage.
Moreover, no studies exist involving individuals of dual-minority
heritage and the rural Australian, especially the Indigenous, experience.
In this study, self-narrative (ethnographic interview) of Aborigines and
Torres Strait Islanders with Chinese ancestry reveals the essential
position of family in determining an individual's RGO outcome. Virtually
all the participants acknowledge that the rich Indigenous cultural
life-experience and upbringing provided by their families influenced
their development of unquestioned, stable Indigenous RG0s. However,
layered problem-free onto their core (Indigenous) RG0s are varying
degrees of 'other-culture' (here Chinese) identifications. The study
argues that the differential impact of past and present government
policies across the rural-urban divide has proved an obstacle to the
formation of bicultural RG0s in mixed-heritage family members. (Journal
abstract)
The Family Law Affidavit Pilot Project: legal assistance for
Indigenous women.
Song, Claire Minsung
Indigenous
Law Bulletin v.6 no.17 Feb 2006: 2-3
The Family Law Affidavit
Pilot Project aims to help Aboriginal women in rural and remote New South
Wales in the drafting of family law affidavits. This article describes
the background to, and aims of, the project, and summarises the progress
to date.
The flipside of sixpence: Aboriginal stories of hope and
reconciliation.
Larner, Glenn
Australian and New
Zealand Journal of Family Therapy v.25 no.1 Mar 2004: 37-44, illus.
This article reports on a 2002 interview with Colleen Brown
which continues and extends her project to educate family therapists
about Aboriginal experience and culture. Her interview presents the life
narrative and painting of Cecily, an Aboriginal artist and writer asked
by Colleen to portray her life experience of growing up in a white foster
family. Colleen surprises us with a creative message of hope and
reconciliation about the stolen generation, because Cecily expresses
gratitude to the white family who brought her up. Colleen responds to
questions about the significance of Cecily's story, her own words being
that Cecily 'did that painting for me like the others so I could show
family therapists what the other side of the coin is, the flipside'.
The Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung Aboriginal Family Mediation
Project progress report.
Kelly, L
In: What about me?
The voice of children in the Family Relationships Services Program: 2001
annual conference proceedings. Deakin, ACT: Family Services Australia,
2001, p33-37
The author presents a report on the Gumbaynggirr
and Bundjalung Aboriginal Family Mediation Project that involved
consultation with 25 Aboriginal communities in the named region. The
community meetings included discussion about the types of conflict that
occurs within families, the types of dispute resolution that follow this,
the needs of Aboriginal families, the role of Aboriginal customary law,
and the types of family services that are needed. She describes the
process followed by some community members who underwent training to
become a part of Interrelate's new General Aboriginal Family Mediation
Panel.
The importance of the 'family meeting' in health care
communication with Indigenous people: findings from an Australian
study.
McGrath, Pam; Patton, Mary Anne; Holewa, Hamish;
Rayner, Robert
Australian Journal of Primary Health v.12 no.1 Apr
2006: 56-64, table
Findings from a National Health and
Medical Research Council study on the importance to Indigenous people of
including the network of extended family and community in health care
communication are examined. In particular the importance of
communicating through family meetings with Aboriginal people during end
of life care is explored. The data was collected through a series of
open ended, qualitative interviews conducted with members of the
Aboriginal community and Northern Territory health professionals.
Acknowledging Aboriginal peoples' relationship rules and communicating
through family meetings are practices that demonstrate respect for
Indigenous cultural processes of information sharing. Anger on the part
of Aboriginal people about lack of information can occur when such
processes are ignored or not understood. Respecting the need to 'share
the story' broadly with appropriate people in the extended family and
community network through family meetings is noted as vitally important
in health care, especially during the dying trajectory. ([Journal
abstract, edited)
The Safe Living in Aboriginal Communities Project,
Whyalla.
Partnerships Against Domestic Violence
(Australia)
Canberra, ACT: Office for the Status of Women,
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2002, 84p, tables, figures,
illus.
The Safe Living in Aboriginal Communities project has
been undertaken using a community development approach. The project has
worked to identify relevant and meaningful approaches to minimise family
violence through a process of exploration and community problem solving.
The project has as its principal aim the refinement and testing of the
Family Wellbeing (FWB) Counselling Training Course model, which involves
processes relevant to the community and supportive of the development of
community driven solutions to family violence over a sufficient period of
time. Specifically, the Safe Living in Aboriginal Communities Project
has the following objectives: to provide a safe environment to enable
Aboriginal people to share their stories about family violence in their
communities; to utilise the FWB model and test its effectiveness and
appropriateness in addressing family violence; and to identify the
changes to local services and their practices which would make them more
responsive to the needs of Aboriginal people experiencing family
violence.
Trauma trails, recreating song lines: the transgenerational
effects of trauma in Indigenous Australia.
Atkinson, J
North Melbourne, Vic: Spinifex Press, 2002, 324p, figures
After observing the severity of social problems on central Queensland
Aboriginal reserves, which were often dismissed by government
representatives reluctant to interfere, the author went in search of a
solution. This book is the outcome of an effort to conduct research (from
1993 - 1998) that was meaningful and that would provide practical and
relevant outcomes for Aboriginal communities. The author sought a
contextual understanding of violence and trauma, and the cultural and
individual process of recovery from this trauma. She used the culturally
appropriate research approach of dadirri, or listening to one another, to
collect stories about the trauma and healing of many Indigenous people.
She considers how violence relates to child development, family and
community fragmentation, alcohol and drug misuse, race and gender
injustice, criminal behaviour and poverty.
Trying to find a founding father.
Denborough, D
Dulwich Centre Journal no.1 2001: 7-9
The author states that he has learnt largely through
conversations with Indigenous Australians something
of the importance of honouring heritage, or respecting
those who lived lives dedicated to their children,
grandchildren, great grandchildren. But honouring ancestory
is a complex process when your family histories are
interwoven with the dispossession of others. In this
article, he addresses aspects of this complexity by
composing a letter to his great great grandfather,
Samuel Griffith, who was involved in drafting the Australian
constitution and is considered one of the 'founding
fathers' of Australian federation.
VIYAC: voices telling it like it is: young
Aboriginal Victorians on culture, identity and
racism. With a summary report by the Youth Affairs
Council of Victoria: Painting a picture with
stats and facts. new
Victorian Indigenous Youth Advisory Council;
Youth Affairs Council of Victoria
Melbourne, Vic: Youth Affairs
Council of Victoria, 2006, 54p, figure, Online (PDF 1843K)
Three key issues affecting Indigenous youth are culture, identity and
racism. Excerpts from interviews with young Indigenous Victorians about
their perspectives on these issues are presented. They discuss what
their culture means to them, the value of their culture, their connection
to culture and how it can be strengthened, how connection to culture
influences their life, what it is to live with pride, their Aboriginal
identity and what it means to them, the expectations their communities
have for them and their role as a young person in their community,
society's expectations of them and how that impacts on their identity,
what racism is, their experiences of racism as young Aboriginal people,
and the impacts of these experiences. The report then presents
information on connection to culture, land and experiences of
dispossession and removal; education; employment; child protection;
juvenile justice; housing and homelessness; health and well being;
strengths and protective factors.
Who cares? A
study of diverse care arrangements in Australian society.
Page, J
In: Family futures: issues in research and policy, 7th
Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Sydney, July 2000.
Melbourne, Vic: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2000, 12p, Online
only (36K)
Arrangements for the care of children in
Australian society today are far more diverse than when the Commonwealth
first provided financial support for families with children in 1941.
Family structures and patterns of care today reflect a diversity of
changing lifestyles, interpersonal relationships and cultural
differences. Children may be shared by former partners or in the care of
non-parents, for example, foster carers. They may be in transitional care
arrangements such as short-term respite care or in the care of
institutions. Many are in non-nuclear family situations arising from the
child raising practices of ethnic or Indigenous groups. Initiated by the
Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services, the Diverse
Care project has been looking at outcomes from family assistance for
families with dependent children in a range of caring arrangements.
Phase One of the project was completed in December 1999 after
consultations, workshops and focus groups with Indigenous families, newly
arrived ethnic groups and families from 'atypical' family groups. The
latter included those likely to have experience of children going into
foster or respite care, to be foster carers themselves, sole parents
sharing the care of children with separated or divorced partners and
grandparents parenting their grandchildren. This paper provides an
analysis of the findings of those consultations; discusses a Statement of
Care pilot currently trialling more flexible payment arrangements in four
Indigenous community locations; and also discusses options emerging in
Phase Two of the project for removing the administrative constraints
affecting outcomes for some families in diverse caring situations.
Women's
lifework: labour market transition experiences
of women.
Smyth, Ciara;
Rawsthorne, Margot; Siminski, Peter
Kensington,
NSW: Social Policy Research Centre, University of New
South Wales, 2005, 106p, tables, figures, Online (PDF
468K)
This study examines the labour
market transition experiences of Australian mothers
who are balancing work and family responsibilities.
It investigates their work preferences, socio economic
characteristics, values, the changes around the birth
of a child, their changing labour market preferences
over the life course, and factors that constrain or
facilitate their ability to balance their parenting
and employment roles, including home, workplaces, children
and social policy. The study involved in depth interviews
with 20 mothers, including single parents, Aboriginal
women, women from a non English speaking background,
and women living in non metropolitan areas. It includes
an analysis of quantitative data from the Household
Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey (HILDA)
relating to women's labour force participation, family
formation, work preferences and life satisfaction.
Working together: a model of mediation with Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander families in the Family Court of
Australia.
Ralph, S; Meredith, S
Family Court Review
v.40 no.3 Jul 2002: 329-337
The Family Court of Australia has
employed four Aboriginal Family Consultants within the Family Court
Mediation Service in Darwin and Alice Springs. The program encourages and
assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to use the dispute
resolution services provided by the Court, and hopes to promote access to
justice in these family law cases. In this article the authors describe
how the model operates, and use case studies to demonstrate where the
program is successful.
Working with ATSI communities.
Alley,
Georgina; Marion, Colleen; Honner, John
In: Our future generations:
National Indigenous Child Welfare and Development Seminar, Tuesday 22nd -
Thursday 24th July 2003: seminar report. Melbourne, Vic: Secretariat of
National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, 2003, p109
MacKillop Family Services adopted the Aboriginal placement principle in
1998, but there was still no organisation wide approach to the provision
of culturally specific services to Indigenous clients. This paper traces
the efforts of MacKillop to strengthen practice with young Aboriginal
people and families and reflects on why these policies are now working
well.
Young Aboriginal fathers project: research
report.
Hammond, Craig; Fletcher, Richard; Lester, John; Pascoe,
Sue
Newcastle, NSW: Family Action Centre, University of
Newcastle, 2004, tables, figures
This publication reports on a research project conducted
by the Engaging Fathers Project of the Family Action
Centre and Umulliko Centre for Indigenous Higher Education
at the University of Newcastle. In the view of the
participants in this project, it's hard enough being
a young Indigenous man today but it's twice as hard
being a young Indigenous father. The research project
investigated the service needs of young Aboriginal
fathers and the service delivery in the Hunter region.
It surveyed service providers and interviewed a group
of young Aboriginal men who had become fathers at a
young age. Positive role models were identified as
a major area of support needed by these fathers. A
program to develop resources for the community resulted
from the research report, including a set of Our kids
need dads who ..., posters, and a DVD showing positive
images of Indigenous fathers, grandfathers, uncles
and brothers playing with and caring for their children
in everyday situations.
Young Aboriginal fathers: the findings
and impact of a research project undertaken in
the Hunter Valley, NSW.
Hammond, Craig; Lester, John; Fletcher, Richard;
Pascoe, Sue
Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal v.28
no.5 Sept - Oct 2004: 5-7
In Australia, there has been very little systematic
investigation into the needs of young Indigenous
men in their fathering roles. For many young males
who become fathers, the compounding issues of being
adolescent, Indigenous and male have serious implications
for positive outcomes in their role as fathers. If
young Aboriginal men are to be more involved in family
life, identified barriers need to be removed and
services need to be redesigned to support fathers'
involvement. Although the literature on Indigenous
fathers is sparse, there is clear evidence that traditional
Indigenous cultures involved examples of intimate,
caring, involved father roles. However, it is equally
clear that colonisation undermined and devalued the
role of the father in the family and that Indigenous
fathers are deserving of specific support in reconstructing
a culturally appropriate, contemporary fatherhood.
Within the Hunter region of NSW, Indigenous and non-indigenous
family-related services have been established to
meet family health, welfare, housing, education,
training and employment, and cultural needs of the
Indigenous community. It is important that providers
recognise the need for culturally appropriate provision
of services that they incorporate consultation with
the Indigenous stakeholders.