SNAICC Newsletter

SNAICC service policy wins NSW sector support (page 7)

Newsletter story

SNAICC service policy wins NSW sector support

March 2009: Over 40 NSW community services sector representatives came to the Caring For Our Children Forum convened by SNAICC, the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) and the NSW Aboriginal Child, Family and Community Care Secretariat (AbSec). The forum sought sector input into the SNAICC Service Development, Cultural Respect and Service Access Policy.

AbSec EO Bill Pritchard said the forum demonstrated the willingness of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community organisations to engage in a better way. Under the proposed policy, a new Aboriginal controlled community agency network would be established to provide local culturally safe, relevant and effcient programs to Aboriginal people. The policy is in line with recommendations contained within Justice James Wood’s Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW. In his report, Justice Wood welcomed the policy as an important development for the sector. Julian Pocock, SNAICC EO, told the forum: “We want to get to the point where all out-of-home care programs that are working with Aboriginal kids are run by Aboriginal community controlled agencies, because we want the decision making about what’s happening to kids to be returned to those communities as part of a commitment to self determination,” Delegates examined two case studies demonstrating how NSW Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal service providers are working together to establish new Aboriginal out-of-home care services. The meeting also heard from NSW Department of Community Services Director-General Jennifer Mason, who acknowledged the need to enhance the quality of NSW Aboriginal services, saying the over-representation of Aboriginal children in care is unacceptable. The forum identiffied some key areas to support the establishment of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal service partnerships. See details at www.acwa.asn.au

ACWA, AbSec and SNAICC are following up the forum by writing to the NSW Community Services Minister Linda Burney and DoCS Director General Jenny Mason, seeking their commitment to the Service Development, Cultural Respect and Service Access Policy.

By: Libby McCalman Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies Contact: libby@acwa.asn.au

A brief analysis of the federal budget 2009–10

With the federal budget coming out in the week this SNAICC News came out, we prepared this ? rst look at budget implications for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In his post 2009–2010 budget press release, Tom Calma, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner said: “Th e continuation of e? orts in the NT is welcomed, but the sheer amount of resources needed by the NT alone highlights the fact that signi? cant investment in Indigenous health across the country is needed if health equality is to be achieved by 2030. I will look for further signi? cant investments to be made at the July 2 Council of Australian Governments special ‘Indigenous-focused’ meeting.” Professor Jon Altman of ANU writes in a similar vein in crikey.com 14 May 2009: “Th is Budget is about maintaining the status quo with the hope that economic recovery will see Indigenous re-engagement with the mainstream. Th is is a limited vision that might in itself not accord with the aspirations of Indigenous Australians. If the goal is to close the gaps, this approach just will not be enough,” he said “Overall the spend on Indigenous- speci? c programs remains at about 1% of the total Federal Government outlays for about 2.5% of the population, with Indigenous access to mainstream measures still relatively unknown.” He adds, “Th ere is too little support for Indigenous Australians, other than for those living in the NT.” Th e extra NT funding, particularly in health and community policing, is very welcome, however as Altman points out there is no statistical evidence that the NT Gap is so much greater than elsewhere. He notes that the 16 new initiatives for all Indigenous Australia were allocated $467M whilst the 18 new NT only initiatives were allocated $807M ie around 63% focuses on 13% of Indigenous people. Th is new budget expenditure adds to new expenditure in Indigenous child and family services, housing and infrastructure announced under the COAG Indigenous National Partnerships in November 2008, which includes $564M for the Indigenous Early Childhood Development National Partnership (see previous page this issue). Th e budget provides $9M for a Coordinator General for Remote Service Delivery to help achieve Closing the Gap targets in priority remote communities. New budget measures include: New budget measures of $148.9M over 3–4 years come under the title Resetting the Relationship between Indigenous and Non- Indigenous Australians include: $10.8M to Reconciliation Australia $13.8M to support the social and emotional well-being of the Stolen Generations and their descendants adding to the $15.7M over four years in the previous Budget providing: * Up to 140 Return to Country or institutional reunions * Funds to address Link Up service backlog.

26 remote service delivery sites

$26.6M for a Healing Foundation focussing on the needs of Stolen Generations. A national consultation under a Development Team will create the Foundation’s vision and strategic plan. Funding of healing initiatives starts in 2010. Th e Foundation will: * Provide healing program grants * Build the evidence base through research for prevention, treatment, care * Promote healing practices Consultations begin in June and will be led by May O’Brien and Gregory Phillips.

Th e 26 sites recently announced by FaHCSIA for the new Remote Service Delivery Strategy are noted below. Th ese communities will receive most of the government funds for new housing and the upgrading of services. WA – Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, • Dampier Peninsula NT – Galiwinku, Gapuwiyak, Nguiu, • Gunbalanya, Hermannsburg, Lajamanu, Maningrida, Milingimbi, Ngukurr, Numbulwar, Wadeye, Yirrkala, Yuendumu, Angurugu, Umbakumba QLD – Mornington Is, Coen, Aurukun, • Doomadgee, Hope Vale, Mossman Gorge SA Amata, Mimili • NSW – Walgett, Wilcannia. • Professor John Altman (crikey.com 14 May) notes that site seem based on community size and this means, roughly, that the 15 NT communities cover 21% of the NT Indigenous population, 3% in Queensland, 2.8% in WA, 2% in SA and 0.1% in NSW. Victoria, Tasmania and ACT get nothing.