Bibliography

Rural issues and child abuse

Anchen, Rhonda.
The role of demographic characteristics in explaining increases in the incidence of child abuse in the Barwon region.
South Melbourne, Vic: MacKillop Family Services, 2003, 31p, tables, figures, maps (Monograph series no.25)

The dramatic increase in child abuse rates between 1996 and 2001 in rural regions, in contrast with that of the metropolitan area, is the focus of this study. The study explores the role of social and economic factors in explaining the increase in child abuse notification rates in the south west Barwon region of Victoria. The study looks at age profiles, family type profiles, income, dwelling type, education, and labour force participation and employment patterns.

Available from: Practice and Policy Unit, MacKillop Family Services, 237 Cecil St, South Melbourne 3205. Internet http://www.mackillop.org.au

Chui, Wing Hong, ed.; Wilson, Jill, ed..
Social work and human services best practice.
Annandale, NSW: Federation Press, 2006, 241p, figures, tables

The best practice models and frameworks available to social workers and other practitioners working in child protection, with young or adult offenders, in mental health, disability, health care, ageing, in rural and remote communities, with Indigenous Australians, and with migrants and refugees are examined. All chapters have been selected for individual indexing: Looking for the 'best' in practice: an introduction, by Jill Wilson and Wing Hong Chui; Child protection, by Chris Trotter; Young offenders, by Wing Hong Chui; Adult offenders, by Helen Cameron; Mental health, by Robert Bland and Noel Renouf; Disability, by Lesley Chenoweth; Healthcare, by Sandy Taylor; Older people, by Deborah Setterlund, Jill Wilson and Cheryl Tilse; Rural and remote communities, by Bob Lonne and Ros Darracott; Aboriginal Australians, by Joanna Zubrzycki and Bindi Bennett in partnership with an Aboriginal reference group; Migrants and refugees, by Jennifer Martin.

Coorey, Lyla, comp..
Child sexual abuse in rural and remote Indigenous Australian communities - a preliminary investigation.
Canberra, ACT: Department of the Senate, Parliament House, 2001, 116p, Online only (PDF 385KB)
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/indigenousaffairs_ctte/hearings/lyla_coorey_report_march05.pdf

This report is a preliminary attempt to address concerns raised by Indigenous people about the prevalence of child sexual abuse in remote and rual Aboriginal communities. Though there are no recommendations made in this report, it documents pertinent issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experiencing sexual abuse and aims to pave the way for further research into the subject. The report outlines a number of barriers, structural and communal, that need to be addressed, in order to improve access to appropriate services. Issues covered by the reports chapters include: Reporting child sexual abuse; Factors which increase children's vulnerability to sexual abuse in rural and remote areas; Intervention for child sexual assault in rural and remote Indigenous communities; Intervention for male offenders, and Prevention.

Available from: Senior Clerk's Office, Department of the Senate, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia. Phone +61 2 6277 3555 Email: seniorclerk.committees.sen@aph.gov.au

Ellis, R.
Good Health - Good Country: the sixth National Rural Health Conference.
Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal v.25 no.3 May - Jun 2001: 26-31

The sixth National Rural Health Conference was held in Canberra, March 2001, under the title of Good Health - Good Country and was managed by the National Rural Health Alliance. This article provides a summary of issues raised by key speakers, including Kim Beazley, John Anderson, Michael Woodridge, Jenny Macklin, Ian Hickie, James Fitzpatrick, Elizabeth Chalmers, Juli Coffin, Colin Endean, Kerry Arabeena, Mary Buckskin, Glenys Watts and Heather Campbell. The range of issues addressed include: rural health policy; provision of more doctors and health services; health services in Aboriginal communities; mental health services; health professional education for Aboriginal students; cardiac health; sexual health; oral health; substance misuse; domestic violence and child protection; workforce issues; and older people's health.

Available from: Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal, PO Box 502, Matraville NSW 2036. Email journal@aihwj.com.au. Internet http://www.aihwj.com.au

Gibbs, J.
Pre-service education and qualification: the impact on recruitment and retention in rural child protection.
In: One child's reality, everyone's responsibility: proceedings, 8th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. Melbourne, Vic: Department of Human Services, 2001, CD-ROM, 14p, figures

The author discusses the findings of a study that examined how rural child protection workers viewed the relevance of their pre service training and preparation for the job, and how this affected their decision to come into the program and to remain in the job. Typically, workers were found to have drifted into child protection because it appeared to be a good stepping stone to other career opportunities in the field and many described themselves as poorly prepared for the role. Workers who had completed a field education placement in child protection or who had prior experience appeared to have greater resilience. The paper includes a discussion about the implications for the academic institutions responsible for education and training of workers and the need for far greater collaboration between the agency workplace and academic institutions. (Author abstract, edited)

Available from: Department of Human Services, GPO Box 4057, Melbourne Vic 3001. Internet http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/

Havnen, Olga.
A response to the Federal Government's intervention in the NT.
Impact Winter 2007: 6-9

The Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the Northern Territory (CAO) represents various Northern Territory organisations and community sector organisations across Australia. In July 2007 it published a response to the Government's 'emergency' measures to address child abuse in the Northern Territory. This article summarises that response. It puts forward a two tiered proposal, consisting of an emergency response and a long term development plan. The emergency response includes funding and programs to deal with the problems of violence, abuse, sale of alcohol, health care and education services, on which agreement can be reached quickly by governments and community leaders. The long term development plan would continue the work commenced in the emergency response and would improve the capacities and services in Aboriginal communities to combat the underlying risk factors for children. The CAO's full response can be downloaded at: http://www.acoss.org.au/upload/publications/papers/ 2787__CAO%20report%20%208%20july.pdf

Available from: Australian Council of Social Service http://www.acoss.org.au/

Hodgkin, S.
Competing demands, competing solutions, differing constructions of the problem of recruitment and retention of frontline rural child protection staff.
Australian Social Work v.55 no.3 Sept 2002: 193-203

This article reports on a study conducted in rural Victoria. It examines the problem of recruitment and retention of frontline staff in the Victorian Child Protection program. The article delineates those factors identified by managers and supervisors as influencing workers to enter, stay and leave the program. Managers and supervisors have collective responsibility for recruiting and retaining staff. It is for this reason that their viewpoints are considered crucial in responding to the problem. What this study found was that, while managers and supervisors recognise that the problem is complex, they differ in the emphasis placed on facets of the problem, thus their approaches to solving it. As solutions are contested the problem is exacerbated. The argument advanced is that any response should recognise the complexity of the problem and solutions be considered in a coordinated way. (Journal abstract)

Available from: Australian Association of Social Workers, PO Box 4956, Kingston ACT 2604. Email aaswnat@aasw.asn.au. Internet http://www.aasw.asn.au

Lawler, S; Vann, J; Sheehan, J.
Who listens to the children? The plight of the child within the legal system.
In: One child's reality, everyone's responsibility: proceedings, 8th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. Melbourne, Vic: Department of Human Services, 2001, CD-ROM, 10p

Many child victims of family violence are concurrently under jurisdiction of the Crimes Family Violence Act and Family Law Act. The authors outline the anomalies between jurisdictions in relation to the existence of an intervention order and the granting of access under the Family Law Act. A case study of a family from rural Victoria is presented, and the following issues identified: a lack of mediation or positive intervention prior to or during the legal process; the need for mandatory legal representation for children involved in family violence; lack of positive police intervention in relation to breaches of the Crimes Family Violence Act and the subsequent ramifications for children suffering intolerable family violence situations; and difficulties with the financial cap in relation to the accessibility of legal aid. The authors offer suggested recommendations to address such problems. (Author abstract, edited)

Available from: Department of Human Services, GPO Box 4057, Melbourne Vic 3001. Internet http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/

Lonne, Bob; Darracott, Ros.
Rural and remote communities.
In: Chui, Wing Hong and Wilson, Jill eds. Social work and human services best practice. Annandale, NSW: Federation Press, 2006, p172-191, figure

Social work practice in rural and remote communities is characterised by closer practitioner / community relationships, the use of generic methods in generalist practice across many fields, personal and professional isolation, and structural and resource inadequacies. This chapter presents a framework for understanding these issues and identifies best practice approaches in generalist practice and in the fields of child protection and family violence, health care, and with young people, youth justice and corrections.

Lovatt, Heather; Dow, Debbie.
Family support frameworks in practice: a regional Queensland perspective.
In: Building stronger families: Conference on International Research Perspectives on Child and Family Welfare, Mackay, Queensland, 6-8 August 2004: conference papers. Mackay, Qld: Centre for Research on Community and Children's Services, 2004, 21p, Online (PDF 82K)
http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/56368/20070824-0001/www.croccs.org.au/downloads/2004_conf_papers/040802DebbieDowPUBLISH8%5B1%5D.doc.pdf

Current literature and policy relating to family support in the Queensland child protection system, and its application in regional Queensland, are discussed in this paper. Two regional examples of family support responses from the Mackay Whitsunday Region are used to discuss the highs and lows of implementing family support initiatives. These examples are an inner city neighbourhood centre in the largest city in the region and a rural family support program at a neighbourhood centre that involves significant outreach across two local government shires and five communities.

Available from: Mackay Centre for Research on Community and Children's Services, PO Box 1401, Mackay Qld 4740. Internet http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/56368/20070824-0001/www.croccs.org.au/index.html/

Nancarrow, Heather; Huggins, Jackie; Slann, Shirley; Lui, Bel; Fatnowna, Harold.
2005 Indigenous family violence prevention forum: men and women working together.
Mackay, Qld: Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, 2005, 7p, Online (PDF 129K)
http://www.noviolence.com.au/public/papers/2005forumissuespaper.pdf

Issues raised at the 2005 Indigenous family violence prevention forum are outlined. These are: responding to domestic and family violence in rural and remote communities; child protection policy and practice; innovations in education to prevent Indigenous family violence; and Indigenous justice issues. This paper includes recommended strategies to address these issues.

Available from: Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research http://www.noviolence.com.au/

Partnerships for children - parents and community together: a summary of a seminar 'roadshow' offered in 13 locations across Australia.
Parkville, Vic: Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, 2001, 50p, tables, maps, photographs

This booklet provides a record of the seminar 'roadshow' held in 13 locations in regional Australia, that was initiated and organised by the Centre for Community Child Health at the Royal Children's Hospital. These seminars were attended by parents and a wide range of professionals, and provided participants with the opportunity to meet and talk to one another as a means of building good working partnerships. The seminars aimed to challenge people to look critically at their practice in relation to parent - professional partnerships. Presentations were made by: Gay Olchiltree on 'Building communities: why bother?'; Anne Stonehouse on 'The agony and the ecstasy - exploring the nature of parent - professional partnerships' and 'Lessons from the roadshow'; and Janet Gonzalez-Mena on 'Honouring diversity in partnerships'.

Available from: Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Flemington Road, Parkville Vic 3052. Email ccch@cryptic.rch.unimelm.edu.au. Internet http://www.rch.org.au/ccch

Patterson, Susan.
Multiple partners for mental health.
In: Program and papers: 8th National Rural Health Conference, 10-13 March 2005, Alice Springs, Northern Territory. Deakin, ACT: National Rural Health Alliance, 2005, 8p, tables, Online (PDF 171K)
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/events/ruralhealth/2005/papers/8nrhcfinalpaper00246.pdf

Community based mental health services in the Eyre Region in South Australia began in 1994 at the Eyre Regional Health Service. This paper outlines barriers to health service delivery in rural and remote environments. It discusses the particular challenge for the new service, which needed to develop and implement a model of care that afforded equitable access to a comprehensive mental health service utilising existing resources. The paper discusses partnerships, recruiting, Aboriginal social and emotional well being, drug and alcohol services, adult survivors of child sexual abuse, mental health care for older people, child and youth mental health, general practitioners, and psychosocial rehabilitation.

Available from: National Rural Health Alliance, PO Box 280, Deakin West ACT 2600. Email nrha@ruralhealth.org.au. Internet http://www.ruralhealth.org.au. Subscription: Blackwell Publishers

Taylor, S Caroline.
Public secrets / private pain.
Women Against Violence: An Australian Feminist Journal no.15 2003 - 2004: 12-21

It is an interesting contrast. On the one hand society has never been so aware and conscious of child sexual abuse and sexual violence against women and children, but despite this awareness the degree of denial, victim blaming, prejudice and ignorance around sexual abuse continues to pose challenges for those affected by such violence and those who work and research in this field (Taylor, 2002). This paper is concerned with identifying and articulating some of these ongoing challenges within a rural domain. Given both the author's grass-roots involvement, activism and professional work in the field of sexual assault against women and children, this paper draws on relevant research literature concerned with sexual violence and rural communities, before utilising a case study and vignettes obtained either directly from victim/ survivors' or from the author's research in issues of sexual assault. It is my intention to bring together a small sample of experiences relating to sexual violence within rural domains to elucidate the very real and ongoing challenges that face those victim/survivors. (Journal abstract)

Available from: Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA House), 270 Cardigan Street, Carlton Vic 3053. Email casa@rwh.org.au Internet http://www.rwh.org.au/casa/wavj.cfm/

Wadiwel, Dinesh.
NCOSS visits far west NSW: Broken Hill, Lighning Ridge, Walgett and Moree.
NCOSS News v.31 no.11 Dec 2004: 6-7

The Council of Social Service of New South Wales conducted regional visits to Broken Hill, Lightning Ridge, Walgett and Moree in July 2004 to make contact with communities and gather data for its pre budget submission to Government. This article presents information on conditions in these areas in relation to: child abuse, sexual assault, domestic and family violence; children and young people at risk; education and employment; health; housing and homelessness; Aboriginal people and law and order; and transport.

Available from: Council of Social Service of New South Wales, 66 Albion St, Surry Hills NSW 2010. Email info@ncoss.org.au. Internet http://www.ncoss.org .au

Ward, Bernadette M; Anderson, Karen S; Sheldon, Maria S.
Patterns of home and community care service delivery to culturally and linguistically diverse residents of rural Victoria.
Australian Journal of Rural Health v.13 no.6 Dec 2005: 348-352, figures, table

This study aimed to describe and compare patterns of home and community care (HACC) utilisation among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people and Australian born residents of rural Victoria. Data from January - June 2002 from the HACC Minimum Data Set were analysed to provide a profile of client characteristics and service usage in rural Victoria. Patterns of service utilisation were compared with the profile of the CALD population in the 2001 Census. The study found that the proportion of CALD residents who are HACC clients is consistent with demographic profiles. However, their extent of service usage is not consistent with patterns of use by Australian born residents. Planners and service providers need to monitor levels of HACC service delivery among population groups to ensure that CALD population groups receive equitable levels of HACC services. The HACC Minimum Data Set is one source of data that can assist in the process. (Journal abstract, edited)

Available from: National Rural Health Alliance, PO Box 280, Deakin West ACT 2600. Email nrha@ruralhealth.org.au. Internet http://www.ruralhealth.org.au. Subscription: Blackwell Publishers

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