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• The proportion of children at high risk of clinically significant emotional orbehavioural problems was lowest in areas of extreme isolation (Silburn 2006).Stronger adherence to traditional culture and ways of life in extremely isolatedareas may be a protective factor (Silburn 2006).• Approximately one-fifth of Aboriginal children were living in families thatfunctioned poorly. Two key factors were independently associated with poorfamily functioning: family financial strain and quality of children’s diet(Silburn et al. 2006).• Of the Aboriginal young people surveyed aged 12–17 years, 9.0 per cent offemales and 4.1 per cent of males had attempted suicide in the past 12 months. Ahigh SDQ score; low self-esteem; having friends who had attempted suicide;exposure to family violence and exposure to racism were each independentlyassociated with suicidal thoughts (Blair, Zubrick and Cox 2005).• The children of Aboriginal carers who had been forcibly separated from theirnatural family by a mission, the government or welfare were more than twice aslikely to be at high risk of clinically significant emotional or behaviouraldifficulties (Silburn 2006).9.5 Proportion of Indigenous people with access totheir traditional landsBox 9.5.1Key messages• In 2004-05, there were no data on access to traditional lands for people in remote orvery remote areas.• The proportion of Indigenous adults living in non-remote areas who did notrecognise an area as their homelands increased from 28.8 per cent in 1994 to38.0 per cent in 2004-05 (figure 9.5.3).• In non-remote areas, the proportion of Indigenous adults who lived on theirhomelands decreased from 21.9 per cent in 1994, to 15.0 per cent in 2004-05. Theproportion who were allowed to visit their homelands remained steady, ranging from43.6 per cent to 47.5 per cent, between 1994 and 2004-05 (figure 9.5.3).Indigenous people derive social, cultural and economic benefits from theirconnection to traditional country. Culturally, access to land and significant sitesmay allow Indigenous people to practise and maintain their knowledge ofceremonies, rituals and history. Socially, land can be used for recreational, health,welfare and educational purposes. The economic benefits of land are discussed inmore detail in section 11.3 of this Report.OVERCOMINGINDIGENOUSDISADVANTAGE 2007