Access , equity and power
Reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care
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The problem
Today , Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children make up 42 % of the total children in out-of-home care ( OOHC ), despite representing just 3.3 % of the Australian population .
Children growing up in OOHC are more likely to experience depression and suicidal ideation , suffer an interrupted education , and come into contact with the criminal justice system .
For Aboriginal children , it also disrupts their connection to kin , culture and land , essential to their sense of identity , health and wellbeing .
Our solution
Greater self-determination in child welfare for Aboriginal people is necessary to achieve the paradigm shift – from separating to sustaining Aboriginal families – required to reduce this overrepresentation , says Dr BJ Newton , a Wiradjuri woman from the UNSW Social Policy Research Centre ( SPRC ).
BJ Newton uses participatory and community-based methods to develop the knowledge and evidence base of Aboriginal people from their perspective . She is leading the first Aboriginal-led research into the reunification of Aboriginal families worldwide .
The project addresses the evidence gap in the lived experiences , successful pathways , scale and patterns of Aboriginal child removals / restorations at a population level . It considers all Aboriginal children born in NSW since 2001 .
The research is producing a roadmap for Aboriginal parents whose children have been removed and a suite of resources to help families , communities and caseworkers navigate and support sustainable restoration .
Insights from interviews with Aboriginal parents and stakeholders , and community-led forums will build sector understanding of the systemic challenges and facilitators to successful family reunification .
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