The National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds says the goals of the Closing the Gap agreement will never be met while governments, state and federal, continue to ignore the needs of First Nations families.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
She says First Nations child and family policy is being neglected, especially reform to failed systems in health, education and child protection services.
Her comments come as new research uncovers the failure of child protection services, education and health services to provide healing and recovery for First Nations children who have experienced domestic and family violence.
The rate at which First Nations children in out-of-home care are coming into the system has increased dramatically in just five years, says Garth Morgan, lead researcher of a new report on child safety.
The research from Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS), led by Morgan, the CEO of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak, reveals child protection, education and health services are failing to provide culturally safe responses to First Nations children experiencing domestic and family violence, resulting in increased harm and lifelong consequences.
The report found behavioural changes are evident, impacting education and mental health outcomes. Coping strategies, including harming themselves and others and self-medication with alcohol and other drugs, can lead to contact with the legal and justice systems.
READ MORE:
National Children's Commissioner Hollonds says these services are not fit-for-purpose.
"First Nations people can't get help when they need it and they don't trust the service providers - trust and respect are huge issue," she said.
Morgan says governments sideline First Nations voices and refuse to listen to what will work in rural and regional communities, despite repeated requests from First Nations families. He says the lack of support to deal with intergenerational trauma - such as domestic and family violence and substance abuse - means the cycle of harm never ends.
Australia-wide, there are about 46,200 children in out-of-home care as of June 30, 2021, a rate of 8 per 1,000 children and about half of those are First Nations. Morgan says in Queensland, there are 5000 and, about a quarter of that number come into the system each year.
The rate of family violence in Aboriginal communities will only decrease with a massive injection of funds, says Morgan. He says in Queensland, there are only a handful of state government funded specialist domestic violence workers to support 5000 children and their families in need.
"Part of helping children to recover is to help them understand what good, healthy relationships look like but we also need deadly [good] role models," Morgan says.
"We need to listen to kids and their families about what help they need and how they need to be helped, and we need to put their evidence into action on the ground," Hollonds said.
"Systems change is 'doable' but must be across multiple portfolios and jurisdictions."
Jenna Price is a Canberra Times columnist and a visiting fellow at the Australian National University.
Jenna Price is a Canberra Times columnist and a visiting fellow at the Australian National University.
