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proposed a similar solution.… most of the problems faced by Aboriginal people today stem from generations of oppressionand have resulted in a lack of trust in the non-Aboriginal society. The Native WelfareDepartment’s practice of taking Aboriginal children from their families to be brought up onmissions, still impacts upon Aboriginal people in Western Australia.One of the most important consequences of this practice is the lack of parenting skills due to thefact that thousands of children were denied nurturing, loving and modelling by their parents andextended family. It also caused a major disruption in the transmission of culture and traditionalvalues (page 106).The Taskforce recommended,That the Department for Community Development work with members of the Aboriginalcommunity to develop and implement specific and appropriate parenting programs, services andcourses designed for Aboriginal parents, recognising the primary role played by grandparents andthe extended family in the upbringing of the children (page 106).In evidence to the Inquiry child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Brent Waters agreed.Young people need to have available to them people who can work with them as they deal withwhether or not they’re going to form families and how they manage the first stages of parenting… It is very, very important that there are resources available, not only to support these peoplewho are susceptible to passing on a pattern of neglectful and abusive parenting, but who canactually provide concrete advice on what to do. That certainly should come from within theAboriginal community. A generation which in my experience has a great potential to assist thereis the grandparent generation (evidence 532).In response to the need the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency has proposedthe establishment of a Koori Parenting Centre ‘to deliver to Koories whose parentingskills need building up, the necessary input so that these parents can achieve their longtermgoal of caring for their children, and of becoming self-determining people’(submission 578 page 3). Among other strategies ‘VACCA has commenced work on avideo and book about culturally-relevant ways of parenting called ‘Parenting: Doing itOur Way’. Victorian Koori elders are interviewed about the ways they parented theirchildren (submission 578 page 4).Parenting skillsRecommendation 36: That the Council of Australian Governments ensure theprovision of adequate funding to relevant Indigenous organisations in each region toestablish parenting and family well-being programs.In making this recommendation we do not intend to further fragment the delivery of