Bringing-Them-Home-Report-Web

Department of Social Security inaccessible. They could not handle the paperworkrequired to obtain assistance. At a community level Aboriginal organisations are oftennot linked into grant and funding programs and hence miss out on the opportunity toaccess funds from the range of available sources.Older Pitjantjatjara women on the AP lands describe their experience of Family andCommunity Services as one where the department exercises blanket powers, fails torecognise AP protocols and fails to inform families when the department is visiting, whyor what is likely to happen. This perception contrasts with the view of the ChiefExecutive Officer of SA Family and Community Services.… the challenge for us is to balance the legislative obligations we have and implementing theseobligations in a way that gives Aboriginal agencies and people scope to ensure that we aremeeting needs in terms that are appropriate for them, and in a way that enables Aboriginalfamilies to make decisions about the future of their own young people, and in a way that enablesAboriginal agencies to play a significant part … it’s entirely consistent with our currentlegislation that [in] decisions we make that involve Aboriginal families and children, we shouldbe actively seen to have taken the advice of appropriate Aboriginal leaders and agencies (MrRichard Deyell evidence).The experience of Indigenous agencies contradicts government rhetoric of enhancedconsultation and cultural sensitivity.… the reality is that child welfare officers who had three months training in some diploma courseat TAFE are the ones who are exercising the rights over the ultimate destination of Aboriginalchildren. They have no understanding of the Aboriginal community. They have no knowledge ofthe culture of Aborigines. They have no understanding whatsoever in those courses about thedisadvantages that Aboriginal people suffer and yet … they are the people who are exercising thedelegated authority of the Director in determining what will happen to those kids (MichaelMansell, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, evidence 325).Children with disabilitiesIndigenous children with disabilities are over-represented in all welfare statistics,particularly in non-Indigenous substitute care. In May 1995 Aboriginal childrenrepresented 79% of all children with disabilities in care in the NT. Just over one-half(53%) of children in care were Aboriginal and almost half of these children haddisabilities. Only 37% of Aboriginal children with disabilities were placed withAboriginal carers (NT Government interim submission pages 54 and 56).In August 1995 the first general meeting of people with disabilities, their carers andfamilies took place on AP lands (South Australia). Anangu at the meeting said thatdisabled people on the lands are ‘ngaltujara mulapa’ – ‘truly unfortunate’ and the mostdisadvantaged.Many people spoke about the needs of these children to learn their own culture and language,including ‘mara wangkani,’ Anangu hand signs, instead of Australasian sign or Makston. Anangualso talked about welfare policies sounding good, but not resulting in any action on a community