Bringing-Them-Home-Report-Web

The assessment of prospective foster carers is commonly the responsibility ofgovernment welfare officers.Past difficulties in placement practices involving Aboriginal children have arisen due to, in part,the imposition of white middle class standards and limited cultural sensitivity. Until now theselection criteria and the bureaucratic assessment processes have reflected the values of thedominant society which are alien to Aboriginal values and lifestyle (WA Governmentsubmission, Attachment 4 page 10).The process itself operates as a powerful disincentive to Indigenous families tovolunteer to be officially recognised, and subsidised, as foster carers.… We first started fostering with a church-based organisation. We had to do a ‘fostering course’and they checked out our house and the rest of the family as well as a police check. That was a bitscary because you don’t know what they are looking for.They asked about our financial position. We felt that was a bit unnecessary because Aboriginalpeople always have room for one more child. If we decided to be foster parents then we’ll sharewhatever we have. We’ve never had a lot – but you can always spread another weetbix around!They sent a social worker who seemed to assess our mental state. They can’t give kids to justanyone – they are just too precious, so we understood this. But it was unnerving, and we thinkthis would probably turn potential foster parents away (quoted by Link-Up (NSW) submission186 on page 179).Delegation of assessments to Indigenous agencies is necessary to promote theacceptance of Indigenous carers for Indigenous children who must be removed from theirfamilies.Failure of the welfare approachAlthough significant, the ACPP operates within a broader context of governmentwelfare activities which have not been able to accommodate Indigenous perspectives andneeds.Definitions of welfare, well-being, need and neglect… this year, in 1996, I was told by one district officer that an Aboriginal family was ‘sociallyimpoverished’. What the hell does that mean? No talk about how kind they are to grandkids. It’swhite values being placed on Aboriginal families once again, without even thinking about it. It’sno wonder the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal continues to widen. You would thinkthat we would have progressed more than this, but in our experience that’s not the case (quotedby Link-Up (NSW) submission 186 on page 179).