A Practice Story: Transferring kindergartens from mainstream to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community control

Pamela Spall C&K and Kirsten Holland ATSICHS

C&Kini'a'vesacross'me

1960–1990Integra'on,self-determina'onandself-management

Firstto:•  EmployIndigenousteachers•  Offerequalratesofpay•  DeliverdedicatedIndigenous

program•  Operateaniden<fied

Indigenouskindergarten•  FacilitateaccessofIndigenous

childrentobranchECEC•  Operatemobilekindergartens

tocommuni<es•  EstablishanAboriginaland

TorresStraitIslanderEduca<onResourceLibrary

•  Removediscriminatorylanguagefromthecons<tu<on

•  BalonneKindergarten,StGeorge•  BurketownKindergarten•  BoopaWerremKindergarten&Preschool,Bungalow•  CabooltureApexKindergarten•  CarpentariaKindergarten,Normanton•  CloncurryKindergarten•  CoenKindergarten•  CooktownKindergarten•  EileenFisherMemorialKindergarten,Townview•  EstelleCardiffCommunityKindergarten,Menzies•  GunaldaKindergarten•  GundalaKindergarten,Wynuum•  HopevaleAboriginalShireCouncil

•  InjilinjiPreschool,MtIsa•  KambuAmaroo,Silkstone•  KoobaraAboriginalandIslanderFamilyResourceCentre,Taigum•  KulilaKindergarten,Toowoomba•  KutjalaPlaygroup&Kindergarten,ChartersTowers•  MundgindiCommunityPreschool•  NapranumPreschool•  TarumbalKindergarten,Berserker•  WandarrahPreschool,Inala•  WujalWujalAboriginalCouncil

C&Kini'a'vesacross'me

1990–presentReconcilia'on

•  Reconcilia<onAc<onPlan2016•  AboriginalandTorresStrait

IslanderCommunityofPrac<ce•  Incorporateculturalinclusionin

buildingdesignandinteriors•  PartneronDeadlyKindyprogram•  Ac<velyrespectandrecognise

culturalcelebra<ons&havewelcomeprotocols

•  MandatoryCulturalIntegrityTrainingforallcentralstaff

•  C&KHistoryProjectregardingprotec<onofculturalartefacts,supportedbyUNESCO

•  Iden<fiedorganiza<onalandboardposi<ons,unit,scholarships,awards,appren<ceshipsandtraineeships

•  OperateIndigenousChildrenandFamilyCentre

Typologies

Partnerships Rightsbased Symbolic Assimila'onist

RECONCILIATION

Capacitybuilding,integra<on,transfer,handover

Substan<ve–genuineor‘true’

Symbolic–rhetorical

Norma<ve–prac<cal

Co-jointpartnershipprinciples,development,managementandoutcomes

RecognisedIndigenouscurriculum,earmarkedfunding,authen<cculturalrights

Ceremonies,celebra<ons,ac<onplans

Standardearlychildhoodandcareeduca<onservices

ACCOsandmainstream

Firstna<onspeople

Aspira<onal Allonena<on

Adapted:Burridge,N.Perspec<vesonReconcilia<onandIndigenousRights2009&SNAICC.,OpeningDoorsThroughPartnerships2012

ACCOsshouldbetheleadandthedominantdecisionmakeraboutAboriginalbusiness…theidealforusattheendofthedayisthatthewholeprogrammeareamovesto(them)whenthey’rereadyforthat

IthinktherearealotofresourcesinthesectorthatcouldandshouldgotoAboriginalorganisa@ons…(andthisshouldhappen)when(they)sayitshould;whentheybelievetheyhavethecapacityandreadinesstotakeresourceson.

Thestrategyincludesathree-yearplanfor(themainstreamagency)toworkalongside(theACCO)inthedevelopmentanddeliveryoftheservicewhilesuppor@ngcapacitytotransi@ontheservicetoopera@onby(theACCO)inthat@meframe.

Inthefuturetherewillbe@meswhenweneedthemmoreandwhenwedon’tneedthemsomuch.Therela@onshipisflexibleenoughtosupportthatandtoevolvewiththat.

Transferandhandovermodels

BenefitsofTransfer•  Self-determina<on•  Culturalsafety&immersionresultin

children’sprotec<on•  Earlyinterven<onopportuni<es

throughaccesstohealth&humanservices

•  Sustaineda`endancewhereIndigenousfamiliestrustaservice

•  Planningforfuturepopula<onneeds•  AccesstoIndigenousspecific

funding

Enablersoftransfer

•  Rela'onalconnec'onsbetweenC&KandATSICHS

•  SharedCEOcommitmentforcommunitycontrol

•  Timingandmomentum•  Regulatorybodysuppor've

andexpedited•  ExperienceofATSICHSin

earlychildhoodeduca'on•  CapacityofATSICHS

Challengesoftransfer•  Currentregulatory,fundingstrategies

andpolicytendtosupportthestatusquo

•  AECDdatahighlightstheneeds

•  Reconcilia<onAc<onPlanhavelimita<ons

•  Limitedmodelsthatprofileposi<veIndigenouscapitalandownershipinearlychildhoodand/orproduc<vepartnerships

•  Li`leresearchregardingwhatAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderfamilieswantforearlychildhood

•  MainstreamservicesconsideringtransferofservicestoACCO’swhenfinancialsustainabilityissuesarise

DrJackieHugginsAM,Co-ChairNa<onalCongressofAustralia’sFirstPeoples

Wehavetherighttoteachourchildrenintheirlanguagesandensuretheyhaveaculturallyappropriateeduca@on…..

RedfernStatementParliamentaryEvent2017

Norshouldweforgetthetorchesligh@ngthepathtoabeIerfutureforourpeople.

TorchesliketheAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderhealthservices,legalservices,familyviolencepreven@onservices,child-careanddisabilityservices,runbyourmobwithdecadesofexperienceandadeepunderstandingofwhatneedstobedone.

Theposi@veexamplesarethere.