Post on 30-Dec-2015
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Lucyna MacDermott, Lumac Group for AbsecTerry Donnelly, Absec
ABORIGINAL KINSHIP CARE
POSITIVE FUTURES2006 ACWA CONFERENCE,SYDNEY
This presentation is an introduction to the topic and issues of Aboriginal Kinship Care.
A more comprehensive position paper is being prepared by Absec.
Aboriginal Kinship Care and contemporary child welfare system
Factions
Capacity
ABORIGINAL KINSHIP CARE
‘SOCIAL JUSTICE IS WHAT YOU FACE IN THE MORNING’
Payments and Entitlements•The State is moving towards kinship care as a preferred care option•Aboriginal people practice kinship care as a matter of course•Aboriginal children locked out of entitlements and services because they are in kinship care,
ABORIGINAL CARE AND ITS FIT IN CONTEMPORARY CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM
Definitions•Lack of clear statement about what is Aboriginal family and community care •Out of home does not always mean out of family – primary carers and who is your mob
Legal Issues•Aboriginal kinship care not explicitly defined, unlike eg s 13b NZ Act •Family Group Conferencing not mandated•Review of the Act provides a great opportunity to address current deficits
Supports •Supports need to reflect the reality of the Aboriginal family (size,mobility,fluidity)•Currently families left to ‘get on with it’-greater needs less suport – supports are erratic•Preventive orientation of kinship care, if supported, is a cost effective diversion from statutory child protection interventions •If suported would benefit the Aboriginal children but also the broader community
Permanency Planning •Kinship care can provide continuity – findings in NZ, Ireland, Scandinavian countries(’composite family’)•Adoption, as currently practiced, is an alien concept to Aboriginal people
ABORIGINAL KINSHIP CARE REQUIRES ITS OWN STRATEGY, STRUCTURE AND FUNDING
BUT How does the 110 kph speed limit apply to the bicycle……?
Bicycles and motor bikes have many elements in common:•2 wheels•Handlebars•A seat to ride on
THE SAME OR DIFFERENT…
Traditional Model New Model
Child centered/child Protection Family centered/family support/child outcome
Nuclear western family focus Extended family/mob and community
Emphasis on statutory involvement
Aboriginal NGO and/or statutory involvement dependent on the model adopted
No payment Entitlement to kinship carer payment/allowance
Cultural blindness Cultural competence and bi-cultural practice skills
Court-based adversarial Court-based mediation-ADR-FGC
No involvement by fathers Involve fathers and elders and wider community
Individual client meetings and assessments
Extended family meetings and assessments/FGC decision making
[i] Adapted from Jackson, S (1999) Paradigm Shift in Kinship Foster Care (Hegar, R and Scannapieco, M ) Oxford University Press. and Bob Broad Reclaiming our children:Kinssip care for Children in Need IASSW Montpelier Conference 30 July 2002 at http://www.aforts.com/colloques_ouvrages/colloques/actes/interventions/broad_bob.doc)
Reclaiming Our Children through Kinship Care[i]
Aboriginal Kinship Care
ServiceDelivery
Beyond Consultation to Negotiation
Bi-cultural CompetencySpecialist Practitioners
Decision making •Family Group Conferencing •Restorative Practices•Grannies Elders
Assessment and Practice Tools•Adapted Psychological Assessments•Genograms•Eco maps•Cultural Plans- Cultural Preservation
Adaptive Counselling eg:•Narrative Therapy•Spiritual Healing
Support Services
THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT ABORIGINAL CHILDREN IS TO STRENGHTEN AND RESOURCE THEIR COMMUNITIES
THE DOUBLE AIM OF CHILD PROTECTION AND FAMILY AND CULTURE PRESERVATION CAN BE RECONCILED
‘THE CHALLENGE FOR CHILD WELFARE SECTOR IS TO BRING THE RESOURCES OF THE ‘FORMAL/Statutory ’ SYSTEM TO SUPPORT,NOT REPLACE, THE ‘INFORMAL/CUSTOMARY’ CARE SYSTEM’
WORKER ROLE- KNOWLEDGE - SKILLS
WORKER
CHILD
BIRTHPARENTS
CARERS
EXTENDEDFAMILY
STATUTORY CARE
ABORIGINAL KINSHIP CARE
BIRTH PARENTS
WORKERFOSTER CARERS
CHILD
SYDNEY NOV 2005
MIMALI MATES 1998
VISITS TO COMMUNITIES 2005
20 GROUPS START UP
260 CARERSDATABASE
TAMWORTH JULY 2006
HAVE A HEART BECOME A CARER
Strategic directionsStructureReady to Be HeardConnecting our mob
Emerging picture of the Aboriginal carers daily realities
Emotions, anger, uncertaintySharing experiencesCall to action
Building relationships
Other milestones: Dubbo, Metropolitan,Tamworth
OUR PATHWAY SO FAR
History
ResourcesInformation/EducationPlacement Information
C.O.P.E CONNECTING OUR PEOPLE EVERYWHERE
ACN ABORIGINAL CARERS NETWORK
HISTORY IS WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY
1. LIVE WITHOUT FEAR AND GUILT
2. CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF KINSHIP POLICY AND PRACTICE
3. INTEGRATE THE TWO STREAMS OF CARING
4. PAYMENTS AND SUPPORTS TO BE MADE CLEAR
5. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
CARERS AND CARER EPRESENTATIVES •DIFFERENT LOCALITIES •JOINT MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES
REGIONAL GATHERINGS•ONCE PER YEAR IN EACH OF THE 4 REGIONS•TIMING: FEBRUARY, MAY, JULY/AUG,SEPTEMBER
STATE GATHERING • EARLY NOVEMBER•DIRECTIONS FOR THE NEXT YEAR•FEEDBACK LOOP FROM REGIONAL GATHERINGS
ABSEC
OUR MODEL : NETWORK OF NETWORKS
FUNDERS, POLICY MAKERS, HUMAN SERVICES SECTOR
ABSEC
SEEKING SERVICE
Mainstream way
Aboriginal way
Extended family and community Care, Elders/Grannies, Circles, the Dreaming, Life Cycle
Nuclear family, Clinical, Child Protection, Investigations, Statutory Care, Family Support
Client
Building Bridges and Choices
CARERS
Metro West
Moree
Miimali MatesEmerton
WollongongKempsey
Central Coast
La Perouse
Redfern
Tweed Heads
Consultant
Armidale
Wagga Wagga
Newcastle
Guyra
Wee Waa
Bourke
Bathurst
Orange
Broken Hill
ABSECTamworth
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
WORKERS
ParkesMoruya
Kari Carers -Liverpool
Dubbo
Nowra
Condoblin
DOCS