Doing it the 'Rights' Way: Culture and Self-determination as the Basis of a new Aboriginal Child and Family Services System

Traditional social investment Our economies were holistic – politics, law, culture, land and economic activity merged with a spiritual dimension to maintain life in community. Each person had their role, rights and responsibilities. Work was a spiritual act, subject to the ancient laws and traditions established by the creator spirits, and not just an economic act of survival. The social investment made by the creator spirits and the spirit of the land. The rhythms of our economies based on the rhythms of the land.

Keeping house The work of our hearts precedes the work of our hands Good ‘house-keeping’/good economics not be separate from just relationships and social justice. Social investment strategy for the future of Indigenous children and families – human rights - embedding culture in service delivery and - addressing the impacts of colonisation

Colonisation – a process of disinvestment Terra nullius – the denial of our humanity ‘empty land’ – no peoples, no connection to land, treated like flora and fauna ‘protection’ – forced separation, forced removal assimilation – ‘whitening’ race stolen generations – forced separation of children No self-determination, no citizenship rights, no rights as peoples

Human rights as an investment strategy A foundation for good ‘house keeping’ – human rights Human rights based social investment framework which: - recognises that colonisation has impacted negatively on Indigenous social and economic capacity, - builds on the strengths of Indigenous culture and - respects the self-determining rights of Indigenous communities in order to re-build capacity.

Investing in the future – embedding culture and rights as best practice embedding culture in our services creates the best outcomes ‘village wells’ - establishment of community-controlled Aboriginal child and family educational and family service based centres a rights-based strategy of social investment which pays respect to cultural respect can form the basis of reviving local Aboriginal communities.

Towards an Aboriginal Children and Family Services Plan A state-wide child and family services plan and policy framework with the Aboriginal sector which critically examines each framework outcome through the prism of culture, has clear protocols about roles and responsibility, delivers quality services both culturally and professionally, is based on the principle of self-determination and therefore puts the Aboriginal community in the driver’s seat, and has clear measurements for success as defined by the Aboriginal community which government agree to.

Self-determination in the Children, Youth and Families Act How do we put flesh on the bones of the principles of self-determination. What does self-determination really mean? What does it look like on the ground? How is it expressed in policy development? What does it mean for our children and families and communities? Are Aboriginal people REALLY determining the agenda?

Partnerships, not mainstreaming To have Aboriginal Services engaged in meaningful partnerships with generalist services will require CSOs to: Acknowledge and accept the Aboriginal communities role to self -determine and participate in all aspects of decision making Engage in capacity building Aboriginal Agencies Develop supports and mentoring programs for their Aboriginal workers In other words – CSOs must undertake a community development approach to the partnership

Rules of engagement: An Aboriginal Services First Approach The first port of call are Aboriginal agencies – who should be appropriately resourced and capacity built to deliver child and family programs throughout the state. Only when the Aboriginal agency cannot deliver a service, the next option is for families to go to a generalist CSO who has a partnership agreement with an Aboriginal Agency Aboriginal workers in a generalist CSO – need to be appropriately mentored and supported

Meeting the challenges The challenge for the Office For Children –is to ensure that Aboriginal Agencies are the decision makers –to ensure that Aboriginal Agencies are resourced and have capacity –to be prepared to develop a framework that has indicators which measure their performance in the development of policies and processes that will be required to action the identified outcomes The challenge for generalist CSOs is to –Ensure that partnerships are REAL –Recognise that culture and connection to community is in the best interests of the Aboriginal child –Meet the requirement to be a culturally safe organisation for your Aboriginal clients, workers and Aboriginal service partners. For this new culturally competent service system to work there needs to be a treaty, a carefully negotiated and resourced Aboriginal Children and Family Services Plan and Agreement.