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.
Updated October 2009
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)
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 (PDF 10 MB).
Australian Bureau of Statistics; Victoria. Department of Human
Services
Melbourne, Vic: Office for Children, 2005, 136p, Online
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.
Bubaa ngambaa gaayili: Father, mother, child.
South Inverell Residents Association
Inverell, NSW: South Inverell Residents Association, 2006: 40p
Developed as part of the New South Wales Government's Aboriginal Child, Youth and Family Strategy, this booklet is intended as a resource for Aboriginal parents, families and community workers in the New England area of NSW. It provides information on stages of child development between birth and five years, tips on parenting, games and activities, and contact details of support agencies, health and emergency services in the New England region. It includes words for body parts in the Gamilaraay and Nganyawana languages.
Building Indigenous Australian social work.
Green, Sue; Baldry, Eileen
Australian social work; Vol. 61, Issue: 4; Dec 2008 : 389-402
An Indigenous social work guided by Indigenous Australians' participation and experience that has, at its heart, human rights and social justice is in its infancy in Australia. The present paper continues a discussion on Indigenous Australian social work theory and practice developments being generated by those working in this field. Aspects of this 'praxis' include recognition of the effects of invasion, colonialism, and paternalistic social policies upon social work practice with Indigenous communities; recognition of the importance of self-determination; contemporary Indigenous and non-Indigenous colleagues working in partnership; the impact of contemporary racist and neocolonialist values; and rethinking contemporary social work values and practices. There is discussion of appropriation and reinterpretation of social work concepts, incorporation of international and local Indigenous theory, and the framing of social work by Indigenous Australians' views and values.
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 (PDF 506 KB).
Stanley, Janet; Kovacs, Katie; Tomison, Adam; Cripps, Kyllie
Melbourne, Vic: National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Australian
Institute of Family Studies, 2002, 88p, Online
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 (PDF 1.6 MB).
Bagshaw,
Dale Margaret; Quinn, Karolyne; Schmidt, Birte
Magill, SA: Hawke
Research Institute for Sustainable Societies, University
of South Australia, 2006, 316p, figures, and Online
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.
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)
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 (PDF 194 KB).
Fisher, Karen; Thomson,
Cathy; Valentine, Kylie
SPRC Newsletter no.89 Mar 2005: 6-8, 16,
figures, and Online
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 (PDF 360 KB).
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
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 (373 KB) 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 (PDF 436 KB).
Hunter, B; Gray, M
Family Matters no.62 Winter 2002: 18-25, tables and Online
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 intervention in Indigenous communities: Emergent issues in conducting outcome research.
Turner, Karen; Sanders, Matthew
Australasian Psychiatry v.15 2007 supplement: s39-s43
Although there is research evidence to show that parenting programs can improve family relationships and child outcomes, little of this research has focused on Indigenous communities. Family life stresses and parenting style have been identified as common risk factors for emotional and behavioural problems among Indigenous children and young people. This paper describes research to evaluate a culturally sensitive adaptation of the mainstream Group Triple P - Positive Parenting Program. It discusses some of the research and clinical issues encountered by non Indigenous researchers working with urban, rural and remote Indigenous communities. It considers the need for both parenting programs and program evaluation research to be sensitive to the political and cultural context in which they operate. Community acceptance of the research process and the intervention is essential, and the value of the program and its benefit to the community must be clear.
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.
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.
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'.
Footprints to where we are: A resource manual for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander children's services (PDF 4.5 MB).
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
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.
Growing up strong guring.
Inner West Aboriginal Community Company
Sydney, NSW: Inner West Aboriginal Community, 2006, 40p
Developed as part of the New South Wales Government's Aboriginal Child, Youth and Family Strategy, this booklet is intended as a resource for Aboriginal parents, families and community workers in Sydney's inner west. It provides information on stages of child development between birth and five years, tips on parenting, games and activities, and contact details of support agencies and emergency services.
Having our voices heard: Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander youth perspectives (PDF 936 KB).
National Indigenous Youth
Leadership Group
Canberra, ACT: Department of Family and Community
Services, 2005, 27p, figures, ill, and Online
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.
(Program spotlight) Hey Dad! For Indigenous Dads, Uncles and Pops.
Parker, Robyn
Family Relationships Quarterly; Issue: 12; 2009: 13-14
Hey Dad! For Indigenous Dads, Uncles and Pops has been written specifically to help Indigenous men to engage with and understand their children. It also provides a conduit to other family services and contributes to the building of community capacity in those regions in which it is adopted. Robyn Parker talked with Lynne Slocombe (Program Manager) and Matt Stubbs (Manager, Waitara Family Centre) about the creation and adaptation of the program.
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)
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)
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 (PDF 29 KB).
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.
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 (PDF 543 KB).
Cummings,
E
Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter
no.10 Mar 2002: 3-4, and Online.
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 (PDF 464 KB).
Reilly, Lyndon
Queensland Centre for
Domestic and Family Violence Research Newsletter v.2 no.4 Jun 2004: 2-5,
and Online.
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? (PDF 2.4 MB)
Morphy,
Frances
Canberra, ACT: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy
Research, Australian National University, 2004, 19p, (CAEPR Working paper
no.26/2004), Online.
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 mobility and the Northern Territory Emergency Response.
Taylor, Andrew; Carson, Dean
People and Place; Vol. 17, Issue: 1; 2009: 29-38
A number of commentators have suggested that the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER), introduced in June 2007, has promoted the movement of Northern Territory Indigenous people away from remote areas towards towns. Using both census and interview data the authors show that rural to urban movement in the Northern Territory has been well established since at least 1991. Mobility pattens are complex and many moves are simply short-term. But the long-term trend amongst Indigenous people follows the rural to urban pattern that has been observed in numerous other locations within Australia and overseas. Indeed, in the short term the NTER is as likely to inhibit mobility from more remote locations to urban centres as it is to promote it.
Indigenous
parenting project (PDF 377 KB).
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
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 social exclusion: Insights and challenges for the concept of social inclusion.
Hunter, Boyd
Family Matters; Issue: 82; 2009: 52-61
The terms 'social exclusion' and 'social inclusion' arose because the debate about the causes and consequences of poverty has moved away from the rather narrow historical focus on the lack of income. The new focus on the dynamic social processes that perpetuate the lack of social participation in society is welcome; however, it is timely to ask what people are being socially excluded from or socially included in. Furthermore, do such distinctions matter? If social exclusion and/or social inclusion are important, how should policy be constructed to take it into account? Indigenous disadvantage is complex and multidimensional and the notions of social exclusion and social inclusion seem particularly relevant. However, a definition of social inclusion that includes local decision-making has not been implemented. It is theoretically difficult to achieve this when there is a wide cultural gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives on the issues involved. There is little effective difference between social exclusion and inclusion as an organising principle for Indigenous policy. Notwithstanding, this article argues that it is important to attempt to reconcile these disparate perspectives to engage the Indigenous community so that problematic behaviours can be addressed in a constructive manner.
Insights on Aboriginal grief practices from the Northern Territory, Australia.
McGrath, Pam; Fox-Young, Stephanie; Phillips, Emma
Australian Journal of Primary Health; Vol. 14, Issue: 3; Dec 2008: 48-57
The rich data drawn from a study to develop an innovative model for Indigenous palliative care are presented to help address the paucity of authentic Indigenous voices describing their grief practices. Interviews with patients, carers, Aboriginal health care workers, health care workers and interpreters were conducted in four geographical areas of the Northern Territory in Australia. Insights and descriptions of the cultural processes and beliefs that follow the death of an Aboriginal person led to the identification of a number of key themes. These included: the emotional pain of grief; traditionalist ways of dealing with grief; the importance of viewing the body; the sharing of grief among large family and community networks, with crying, wailing, ceremonial singing, telling stories and dealing with blame all playing a part in the bereavement processes. Ways for Westerners to offer assistance in culturally sensitive ways were also identified by the participants, and are reported here to enable health workers to begin to understand and respond appropriately to traditionalist ways of experiencing and reacting to grief.
Intermarriage between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Heard, Genevieve; Birrell, Bob; Khoo, Siew-Ean
People and Place; Vol. 17, Issue: 1; 2009: 1-14
Intermarriage between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is increasing as cultural and socioeconomic divisions are broken down. For the first time at the 2006 census, a majority of both male and female Indigenous persons were partnered with non-Indigenous persons. This analysis shows that location is more important than education or income in determining rates of intermarriage. In metropolitan areas the overwhelming majority of partnered Indigenous people live with, or are married to, non-Indigenous people; in non-metropolitan areas this is true only of those who are highly educated and/or on high incomes.
Kids overboard?
Pocock, Julian
Rattler no.83 Spring 2007: 16-19
The Federal Government recently announced a 'national emergency response' to protect Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory from abuse. The measures have been met with mixed reactions, with many criticising the government for taking so long to respond and others calling the move an election stunt. This article outlines the views of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC), which focus on addressing the broader issues of disadvantage underlying child abuse and family violence in Indigenous communities. SNAICC believes there is an urgent need to: expand early childhood services; provide a national response to child abuse and neglect; tackle poverty and disadvantage; improve access to healing, family and parenting support; and adopt a new approach to formulating Indigenous policy in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations play a central rather than a marginal role. The article is followed by SNAICC's 10 point national action plan to prevent child abuse and neglect, which expands on the strategies above.
Lessons learnt about strengthening Indigenous families and communities: Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2000-2004.
Scougall, John; Rogers, Patricia; Stevens, Kaye; Hassall, Keryn; Humble, Roslyn; Humble, Geoffrey; Sun, Lulu
Canberra, ACT: Department of Families, Housing, Communities and Indigenous Affairs, 2008, 116p (Occasional paper no.19), and Online
The Stronger Families and Communities Strategy is an Australian Government initiative to help strengthen family and community resilience. This report presents the findings of an evaluation of the 2000-2004 phase of the initiative, focusing on programs and services for Indigenous families and communities. The report outlines the current social and living conditions of Indigenous families, then examines the achievements of Stronger Families and Communities Strategy projects in improving participation, enhancing trust, and capacity building. The evaluation reveals what works - and what doesn't - in current projects. Enabling factors include linked projects, committed and capable staff, well-established auspices, administrative support, and partnerships. Inhibiting factors include unsupportive social environments, poor infrastructure, limited funding, and staff recruitment and retention. The evaluation provides useful lessons for designing and implementing successful and effective programs, and future phases of the Strategy.
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.
Measuring the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2009. 103 pp.
For the 2004-05 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, an interim module was developed to examine social and emotional wellbeing, using the eight domains of psychological distress, impact of psychological distress, positive wellbeing, anger, life stressors, discrimination, cultural identification, and removal from natural family. This report examines the development and effectiveness of these domains, as well as providing survey responses and analysis of the data. Key findings from the data include that 27% of respondents reported high levels of psychological and distress, which is twice as a high a reporting rate as compared to non-Indigenous Australians.
Mothers, boorais and special care: An exploration of Indigenous health care workers' perceptions of the obstetric and neonatal needs of rural Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families transferred to the Mercy Hospital for Women (PDF 299 KB).
Middleton, K Jane
Carlton South, Vic: Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit, 2006: 32p, figures, tables (Discussion paper no.15), and Online.
This paper reports exploratory qualitative research undertaken to obtain the views of rural Victorian Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers (AHLOs) and health care workers of their clients' experiences when they are transferred to metropolitan public hospitals for specialist obstetric or neonatal care. The paper focuses on cultural needs, on the types of information required by clients facing transfer, and on how clients experienced their transfers to the Mercy Hospital for Women from April 2001 to March 2003. The most significant themes uncovered are the importance of AHLO services, and the implications, for almost all clients and their families, of the difficult financial situation, especially regarding transport and accommodation. (Author abstract, edited)
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
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.
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.
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 (PDF 1.3 MB).
Cape/Gulf RAATSICC
Network
Families Australia Bulletin no.2 Summer 2002: 10-11, and
Online.
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' (PDF 410 KB).
Family Law Council (Australia)
Canberra,
ACT: Family Law Council, 2004, 41p, Online.
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)
The Rekindling programs guide: For Goori men, women, families, and other Rekindling the Spirit programs.
Rekindling the Spirit Ltd
Lismore, NSW: Rekindling the Spirit, Community ed., 2007: 198p
Rekindling the Spirit Ltd works with Aboriginal families and communities, offering a range of programs that take a holistic approach to supporting families. This program guide introduces the philosophies and objectives of Rekindling the Spirit, describes the programs, and provides guides for running the Goori men's, women's and families programs. The guides include the goals for each program as well as information for facilitators on the camp component of the men's and women's programs.
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.
The role of spirituality in social and emotional wellbeing initiatives: The family wellbeing program at Yarrabah (PDF 3.4 MB)
McEwan, Alexandra; Tsey, Komla
Casuarina, Co-operative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2009. 36pp.
The Family Wellbeing Program was developed by Indigenous Australians conducting their own inquiry into their personal experiences, needs and solutions, then looking outward to enrich this base with what they deemed most useful from the mainstream. This report evaluates the program and describes it’s translation to other Indigenous communities.
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.
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.
Stories on 'growing up' from Indigenous people in the ACT metro/Queanbeyan region
Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal and Tropical Health (Northern Territory); Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (Perth, WA); Australia. Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Canberra, ACT: Department of Families, Housing, Communities and Indigenous Affairs, 2008: 40p (Occasional paper no.20), and Online
As part of the preparatory work for the 'Footprints in Time' longitudinal study of Indigenous infants and children, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs conducted a community engagement qualitative trial in 2005, in Queanbeyan, a regional area in New South Wales, and Canberra, the nearby metropolitan capital of Australia. The trial involved focus groups and in-depth interviews with Indigenous community members, elders, parents, youth and organisations, concerning how families, communities, and the environment affect child development and their life course. This current report presents a summary of this research - as 'growing up' stories - and provides analysis for common themes on starting out (0-4 year olds), growing up (5-17 year olds), family role, and the role of services. The participants discussed the role of traditional culture and Western lifestyle, the support of extended families, and encouraging resilience.
Strengthening Aboriginal family functioning: What works and why?
Walker, Roz; Shepherd, Carrington
Melbourne, Vic: Australian Family Relationships Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2008: 11p (AFRC briefing no.7), Online
There is widespread recognition that strong family relationships and good family functioning are essential for individual, family and community wellbeing, as well as providing long-term benefits to broader society. This is certainly also true in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, although there are considerable differences in the structures of Aboriginal families and their functional dynamics. Despite the importance of good functioning, there remains a limited evidence base to describe how well Aboriginal families function or the factors that support family harmony or contribute to dysfunction. This paper will discuss the contemporary evidence base, including case studies of programs that work, to provide insights into the protective effects and risks that influence forms of functioning among Aboriginal families. The paper makes extensive use of state-specific research and data. There is a particular focus on recent data describing the level of functioning of Aboriginal families in Western Australia. (Author abstract)
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.
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.
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 (PDF 1.8 MB).
Victorian Indigenous Youth Advisory Council;
Youth Affairs Council of Victoria
Melbourne, Vic: Youth Affairs
Council of Victoria, 2006, 54p, figure, Online
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.
Women's
lifework: Labour market transition experiences
of women (PDF 511 KB).
Smyth, Ciara;
Rawsthorne, Margot; Siminski, Peter
Kensington,
NSW: Social Policy Research Centre, University of New
South Wales, 2006, 107p, tables, figures, Online
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.