The most important principle underlying all Aboriginal-led services is Aboriginal self-determination. This means that Aboriginal organisations are managed by Aboriginal people for the benefit of Aboriginal people.
Cooperatives reflect the values and traditions of the Aboriginal community they serve, whether local (for example, Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative), statewide (for example, the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA)) or national (for example, Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC)).
The Secretary must have regard and give effect to the recognition principles (s. 7E) in making any decision or taking any action under the CYFA. This includes:
- the planning or provision of services for Aboriginal children and families is to be based on commitment, accountability and responsibility to Aboriginal people in Victoria
- partnerships between the Secretary and Aboriginal-led services, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), are equitable and support self-determination.
Child Protection, as a delegate of the Secretary, is responsible for promoting and seeking partnership with Aboriginal-led services and supporting them to lead the delivery of services for Aboriginal children and families.
Aboriginal-led services deliver a vital function in providing specialist knowledge and expertise in decision-making and supporting Aboriginal children and families to connect to culture, community, language and Country. They should be recognised and respected in their capacity to provide an Aboriginal lens.
Recommendations and views from Aboriginal-led services should always be considered in decision-making for Aboriginal children.
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) are unique in Australia. They are controlled by the Community and shape service delivery to meet the needs of the local Community they serve.
There are many ACCOs providing services in a range of areas throughout Victoria. Some are set up to provide a single service type, such as legal advice or housing services. Others provide a broad range of services such as health services or child and family services to their local Aboriginal community.
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) in Victoria are multifunctional service centres sometimes referred to as 'Co-operatives' or 'Co-ops' and offer more than medical services. Their programs also include services in aged care and disability, housing, counselling, drug and alcohol management, legal and justice support, and the prevention of family violence.
It is important to note not all Aboriginal organisations are funded to provide child and family services yet may still offer assistance to Child Protection in addition of their core business (that is, supervised contact visits, etc.). This cannot be expected at all times as the agency may have other priorities that may need attention within the community and may not be able to assist with offering the level of support desired.
Most Aboriginal co-ops that are not funded are still happy to assist and be involved in supporting Aboriginal families and children where they can, however without a funded service the capacity to do so is limited.
The Aboriginal Child Specialist Advice and Support Service (ACSASS) is available statewide to give advice and information to child protection practitioners. It is also important to remember that local ACCOs are a great resource and have a role to play when working with families (for example, a meeting with the family could be held there instead of a departmental office). It is important to familiarise yourself with the full range of services that exist in the local ACCO.
Aboriginal Child Specialist Advice and Support Service (ACSASS)
ACSASS delivers a critical function in ensuring Aboriginal perspective in decision making. ACSASS support Child Protection in decision making for Aboriginal children, providing advice and recommendations for connecting children and families to culture, community and Country.
ACSASS provides specialist advice and case consultation to Child Protection regarding an Aboriginal perspective in the assessment of risk and case planning and culturally appropriate intervention for reports of abuse or neglect of Aboriginal children. Child protection practitioners are required to consult with ACSASS at the point a report is received regarding an Aboriginal child and regarding all significant case decisions thereafter, across all phases of Child Protection involvement.
The role of ACSASS workers includes case consultation, liaison between Child Protection and Aboriginal children and their families, participation in meetings and joint visits with child protection practitioners where appropriate.
Consultation must occur with ACSASS from the first point of an Aboriginal child coming into contact with the Child Protection system and continue throughout all points of child protection involvement. ACSASS should be notified of when new information and concerns are raised for a child and be present for all case planning and joint visits with families.
Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making (AFLDM)
The goal of Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making (AFLDM) is to deliver culturally based decision making within Child Protection.
The model utilises traditional Aboriginal approaches to solving family problems and involves Aboriginal elders and the extended family. The AFLDM model enables Aboriginal families, Aboriginal-led community services, and Elders the opportunity to meet and explore options to improve their family situation in a supported cultural environment. It also supports families to gain understanding around the risks of harm towards the children and how the family can be empowered to overcome any difficulties they may be facing.
AFLDM model supports several decision making functions to divert Aboriginal children from further entry to the child protection system.
AFLDM is also an opportunity to engage an Aboriginal family and community in completing cultural plans, although it is not the primary purpose of an AFLDM meeting. Cultural plans are developed to ensure that an Aboriginal child in out-of-home care remains connected to their family, community and culture. A child’s case plan and other plans (such as the cultural plan as part of a child protection case plan and LAC care and placement plan) must also attend to a child’s cultural needs and be consistent with a child’s cultural plan. These are important tools in establishing these connections and must be completed for all Aboriginal children in out-of-home care. See Cultural plans.
Child Protection practitioners should consider a referral to AFLDM throughout involvement, where possible. AFLDM support best outcomes for Aboriginal children and this process demonstrates Child Protection adherence to the recognition principles (s. 7E) and further principles of the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle (s. 14).
Aboriginal Family Preservation and Reunification (FPR) Response
The Aboriginal FPR Response is a contemporary, evidence-based, culturally led service model designed to reduce the number of children entering care. It aims to support children to remain with their families (preservation) or return home (reunification).
The FPR Response is delivered through Community Service Organisations (CSOs) and ACCOS in partnership with Child Protection. The FPR Response uses evidence-based practice elements proven to affect change in the families targeted for the FPR Response.
Child Protection Navigators use data and analytics to rapidly identify families with children within the FPR cohort of families. This includes families who are subject to a first-time protection order, experiencing cumulative harm or subject to an unborn Child Protection report.
Eligibility is inclusive of children aged 0-17 years, who are at any stage within the Child Protection process (report, substantiation, protection application or in care).
Specific case characteristics and additional risk factors that make up the eligibility of the FPR Response include parents with a history of care, parental drug or alcohol substance abuse known to elevate the risk of a child entering care.
Elements of the model include:
- Lead practitioners - partner with families and carers to optimise child safety and wellbeing, improve family functioning and parenting efficacy and build sustainable networks of support.
- Intensity - The FPR Response includes an intensive intervention phase (an average of 200 hours) to address immediate child safety and wellbeing concerns and family need. This is followed by sustained service response and transitions to other services, as needed, (an average of 40 hours of step-down support). Flexible and tailored support is provided to meet the needs of all families over time. This includes delivering services during flexible hours based on family goals, for example to assist with evening routines.
- Practice Modules - Practice modules (comprised of evidence-based and therapeutic practice elements - Common Elements) support effective engagement, behaviour change and capability building. The FPR Response also includes Aboriginal-specific modules developed using an Aboriginal-led process, which introduce culturally specific techniques and strategies for working with Aboriginal children and families. The practice modules support skilled practitioners to deliver a consistent evidence-informed approach.
- Integrated Response – a connected and coordinated response is delivered between Child Protection, the FPR practitioner and other services involved with the family. Children and families are engaged by a collaborative team in culturally safe and inclusive ways through a coordinated approach.
- Community connectors - complement lead practitioners and focus on connecting children and families with a sustainable network of universal and community supports that build social capital and improve wellbeing.
- Aboriginal people do not belong to a homogenous group. Just as in the wider community, the values, communication style and child rearing practices vary between different families and in different communities.
- No matter how much you may know about culture or how sensitive you are towards the community and family, Child Protection practitioners will often be seen as associated with 'the welfare'. Historically welfare legislation, policy and practice have created great distrust between Aboriginal people and the government. Acknowledgement of these fears and distrust and good listening skills will enable better outcomes with Aboriginal children and families. The Statement of Recognition (s. 7A) can assist practitioners to understand and articulate the historical context for working with Aboriginal children and families in the Child Protection system.
- For Aboriginal workers in the child and family services field, the decisions they make in their professional life extend into their personal life as they live within the same communities and families that are the subject of Child Protection's involvement. The notion of professional services delivered in a dispassionate way is not meaningful for Aboriginal people. For workers in Aboriginal agencies it is precisely because they are connected to the families and communities with whom they work that they are able to be effective.
- If there is a funeral in the community Aboriginal organisations may shut down for the day. It is important in the Aboriginal community to give your respect and attend funerals. If you are aware of a funeral in the Aboriginal community, do not attempt to contact Aboriginal organisations or workers except in urgent situations.
- If there has been a death of an Aboriginal child or other traumatic event for a family, your working relationship with the community may become strained even if you were not directly involved in the case. A traumatic event does not just impact on the family and close relatives the wider community can be affected.
- Community events and celebrations are where Aboriginal people network and do a lot of business. To build relationships it is important to be visible at events and celebrations that have significant meaning for Aboriginal people. When a new practitioner starts in an office, they should introduce themselves to the local Aboriginal co-ops and other Aboriginal organisations in the area.