In Queensland, as with other parts of Australia, there’s a disproportionate representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care. It’s important to ensure that there is a focus on maintaining cultural support and connections. This helps improve the life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Thus, ensuring that each child can reach their full potential and thrive.
Our cultural support workers play a vital role and are committed to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children stay connected to their family, kin, community and culture.
Keeping children in their local community helps them cope with separation from their families and benefits their health and wellbeing. It’s also crucial for children in foster care to have stable accommodation and nurturing environments so they’re better equipped to deal with emotions, behaviour and life’s challenges.
Our ultimate goal is to reunite the children with their families. Therefore, being aware of, and supporting their cultural needs, is essential to helping them maintain a strong sense of belonging.
Kin Finder
Anglicare’s Kin Finder program is a program designed to locate the extended family of children (under 12 years of age) who are in residential care or other placements that are at risk of breakdown. It’s facilitated by our foster and kinship care teams in Gympie and the Sunshine Coast. Together with cultural support workers, they have been influential in reconnecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with their extended family.
This program offers vast benefits to young people and their families. It allows them to build stronger connections with their family, strengthens their ties to cultural identity and increases their sense of stability and security. Likewise, this program understands that the act of maintaining language and traditions is important for First Nations people to be able to pass down knowledge to future generations. It also helps young people to develop respect for Elders and Culture, and supports them in building resilience.
We’re here to support you every step of the way
Part of the cultural support and training we provide includes:
- Firstly, the assignment of a dedicated cultural support worker. They’ll provide information on cultural services, activities and the history of the child’s family connections;
- Then, creating a tailored cultural support plan;
- Thirdly, cultural awareness training programs that highlight ways you can help the child experience and learn about their culture; and
- Then, finally, understanding and learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and community will be an ongoing part of your journey. There are many great resources available online. The SNAICC Supporting Carers website is a good starting point. It covers helpful information and tips on the day-to-day care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Visit the website here to read more.
Staying connected
There are many ways you can weave culture into your home and day-to-day activities. Here are three ideas to help you get started:
- Visit the library – if you have younger children in your care, visit the local library together. Look for story and picture books that celebrate family diversity and indigenous heritage. Encourage your child to select the ones that interest them.
- Watch educational TV programs – there are plenty of educational TV shows featured on SBS and NITV. Animated series like Jarjums, cooking shows such as Kriol Kitchen or sports related shows like the Marngrook Footy Show.
- At home, help them personalise their space – display family photos, artwork, flags and any cultural items that are significant to your child.
Anglicare is dedicated to celebrating the diversity of carers and their role in keeping kids in care safe. You are also welcome to attend an information session near you to ask questions specific to your situation and assess if foster or kinship caring is right for you.
Cultural support in action
Our cultural support team are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers. Their primary role is to support non-indigenous foster carers and staff to better understand the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care. As well as, responding in a holistic way that considers family, spiritual, community and individual needs.
Meet Russell, a proud Gubbi Gubbi, Wakka Wakka and Kulili man. Russell is one of our cultural support workers. He guides non-indigenous foster carers on cultural services and supports them to help children experience and learn about their culture and the history of their family connections.
“I became a cultural support worker as I wanted to give back to my people and to share my knowledge of my culture to anyone who wants to learn about indigenous culture. And, I also wanted to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, so they have a better start in life,” Russell said.
“I would also like to see all the indigenous kids in care learn more about their culture. The cultural support team can teach them to be proud of who they are and where they come from.”
“My hope is that kids in care are started on an employment pathway or training that leads directly to employment.”
Russell is inspired by his elders, mother and sisters. “My elders set the bar extremely high and have always worked to improve the lives of our people,” he said
Sources:
https://www.csyw.qld.gov.au/child-family/foster-kinship-care/aboriginal-torres-strait-islanders
https://www.supportingcarers.snaicc.org.au/